CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/02/04

UGA fescues bred for central, north Georgia lawns

By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia

If you live above Georgia's gnat line and you're looking for a low-maintenance grass for your lawn, University of Georgia turf breeders recommend two tall fescues bred just for you.

Tall fescues like Southeast and Tenacity can do well with very little maintenance, said Bob Carrow, a UGA agronomist who worked on the team that developed the varieties. But they can also be great in higher-maintenance lawns where you want a denser, greener turf.

Survives water bans

"Southeast tall fescue performs very, very well if you use the same inputs used for other turf-type tall fescues on the market," he said. "The real benefit of Southeast shows when drought hits and the water restrictions begin or if a homeowner doesn't want to apply as much fertilizer and irrigation as other turf-type fescues require."

A cool-season turfgrass, Southeast tall fescue retains its green color year-round. Both of the new UGA releases, Southeast and Tenacity, have better root systems and are bred especially to grow in central and north Georgia's red clay soils.

"In our breeding program, Ronny Duncan (retired UGA turf breeder) and I set out to improve tall fescue so it could survive during Georgia summers," Carrow said. "Tall fescue has been grown in north Georgia for years, but it looked bad in the summer. It just couldn't persist and would require reseeding in most years."

Southeast's biggest selling point, Carrow said, is its drought resistance and its ability to survive high temperatures. It was released in 1999 and is now available at Home Depot stores as Scott's "Drought Survivor."

Teancity's a little greener

Tenacity tall fescue was released last year. It will be available in limited supplies this fall through Delta Landscape Supply in Norcross, which also carries Southeast.

Tenacity is similar to Southeast. It has the same drought and temperature tolerance with slightly improved color and density.

Paul Raymer, the current UGA turfgrass breeder, hopes to continue to release tall fescue cultivars with improved traits specifically suited to the challenging environments of the Southeast.

Plant in the fall

UGA experts say fall is the best time to plant tall fescue varieties like Southeast or Tenacity. "The best times to plant tall fescue are from September to the first of October or late February through March," Carrow said.

If your lawn is sown in tall fescue, Carrow says you can overseed with Southeast or Tenacity. If another turf species is there, you may need to remove it before seeding with tall fescue. The exception would be for a centipede lawn where tall fescue can be interseeded.

"If you like a low-maintenance lawn, Southeast and Tenacity can both be mowed at 2 inches instead of the traditional 3 inches," Carrow said. "This way you don't have to mow as often and it's easy to care for."

Who wouldn't like a grass that will provide good cover and persistence with very little maintenance?

Sharon Omahen is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Bob Carrow
uga commencement CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation 04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
A student harvests red clover at UGArden. CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies 04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms 04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.
2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in 1982 and education specialist degree in 1984 from UGA’s College of Education. CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame 04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.
Peach growers are looking forward to a fruitful season as the weather this winter and spring have been near-perfect for the sensitive crop. This year is projected to be a much-needed comeback from the disastrous season they experienced after a late freeze in March 2023 took out more than 90% of the state's crop. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
Growers hopeful 2024 peach season will rebound from disastrous 2023 04/10/24 Emily Cabrera
Last year, the peach industry lost $60 million due to the late freeze that hit much of the Southeast in mid-March 2023, said Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent for Peach and Taylor counties. With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound year.
UGA wheat breeder and geneticist Mohamed Mergoum smells one of several test brews created by Creature Comforts on its annual Get Comfortable collaboration using a variety of wheat Mergoum developed at CAES. CAES News
Creature Comforts partners with UGA wheat breeder to create 2024 Get Comfortable brew 04/09/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile. These two exacting professions came together this spring when Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. reached out to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to find a sustainable wheat variety they could use to make a good beer for a great cause.