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Question:
We live in the Dallas area and are considering planting Zoysia this summer since every year our Fescue lawn dies with the summer heat. Will having both grasses cause too much competition for root space?
Answer:
The mixture of a cool season turfgrass (tall fescue) and a warm season turfgrass (zoysiagrass) would not provide an attractive lawn for the Dallas area. While I have seen zoysiagrass and Kentucky bluegrass mixtures in lawns in the midwest where both of these grasses are adapted, this would not work effectively this far south.
With partial shade, my recommendation would be to continue with the tall fescue or to remove the fescue and plant the lawn in zoysiagrass.
I have grown tall fescue in Richardson, Texas for over 15 years and have not ever totally lost my fescue during the heat of summer. While the fescue may thin out some summers, a light overseeding in the fall is all that is required to produce a thick, healthy stand of turfgrass. If you are loosing most of your fescue in the heat of summer, I would check your fertility and watering program on the fescue.
Fertilize the fescue in September, late November (highest rate for the year), late February and lightly in late April to early May. Over fertilizing in the spring will deplete the fescues root system going into the hot, dry summer months.
Most people tend to overwater turfgrasses, especially grasses like St. Augustinegrass and tall fescue. I only water my tall fescue once per week, if no rainfall occurs, and this includeds the hot, dry summer months. Again, overwatering will produce a shallow rooted tall fescue plant that doesn't have the ability to withstand the hot dry summer months.
Also, tall fescue that is over fertilized and overwatered in the spring is highly susceptible to brown patch. This fungus can cause serious damage to the tall fescue in late spring to early summer months.
James McAFee
Extension Turfgrass Specialists
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