Should Fescue Grass Be Watered Year Round?

Initial Watering

• If you are starting a new fescue lawn, watering seedlings shortly after they germinate can help ensure healthy growth. After seeding the lawn, keep the seedbeds moist for 2 to 3 weeks and gradually back off watering as the seedlings begin to sprout. If the seedlings receive sufficient moisture from rainfall to properly germinate, you will not need to water the fescue as often. When the fescue seedlings reach a height of 2 inches, you can back off watering to minimal levels and begin to mow the fescue so that it never grows to a height of 3 inches or more.

Yearly Watering

• Fescue is known as a particularly drought-tolerant grass and as such, typically will not require regular watering throughout the growing season. But drought tolerance does not mean that fescue thrives on neglect. Growers need to carefully monitor the fescue for any signs of drought stress and water the fescue in response to these signs. Monitoring during the hot summer months is particularly important as soil moisture available to the fescue becomes more and more scarce. Little to no watering should be required during the spring unless the fescue begins to show signs of drought stress.

Additional Watering

• A summer watering of about 1 inch per week should keep the fescue safe from drought stress. If drought stress symptoms such as wilting, discoloration or rolling leaves are observed on the grass blades at any time of year, the fescue should be watered thoroughly enough to wet the soil to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Carefully monitor the fescue during watering to see if any of the moisture is lost to runoff; if it is, stop watering and allow the moisture to percolate into the soil. Resume watering after the soil has been moistened enough to mitigate runoff.

Other Considerations

• Watering schedules for any species of grass should always be modified in light of the unique climate and growth conditions that occur in your area. Depending on an almost limitless list of factors, such as soil fertility, soil pH, fescue cultivar selection and local weather conditions, your fescue may require more or less watering in order to keep it in good health. Local university extension offices that are familiar with all the specific growth conditions that affect lawn health in your area are often the best sources of advice for region-specific watering schedules.