# Newer TTTF vs *** for color



## ChicagoLawn (Apr 7, 2019)

Hello, I am looking at some of these journals with people using TTTF for their lawns and they look really dark green and nice. Has the TTTF caught up to *** when it comes to color?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@ChicagoLawn I moved this over here to the Cool Season subforum.


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

The newer and better TTTF I would say yes. KBG still going to be thinner blades but color wise I think both are pretty close. Now if you go with a cheaper fescue like KY31 then no.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Newest TTTF has very similar dark color to something like Midnight KBG.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

In the past, when I compared my fescue with pics of bluegrass, any color difference was minimal.
However,
Now that I am growing bluegrass, I have to say that it looks darker than my fescue. 
In my region the bluegrass stayed greener later in the year. Coming out of winter, the fescue greened up quicker, but the bluegrass quickly (in about a month) surpassed the color of the fescue. 
Who knows how they will compare this summer; who knows how they will compare in two years. But that is what I am seeing now.
No knock against fescue, by the way. I love every bit of it. But the bluegrass looks better to me.

For additional reference, check out old LawnCareNut videos when he lived in the midwest. His fescue was staggering. At certain moments in the season, my fescue looked a lot like his. When that happens, it is like being serenaded by the angels.


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## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

I'm in the same boat. I had a Midnight KBG front lawn, and while it looked great in spring and fall, suffered with the constant sun in the summer.

I went with 80% GCI TTTF and 20% Midnight by weight for my front this fall for the reno, but wish I had gone with a darker TTTF. I'm a fan of the data from Regenerate, and just ordered some now that my GCI is all gone.

I also do transition areas of pure midnight vs the mix, so I can see the color comparison first hand. Stay tuned this summer!


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## drenglish (Jun 22, 2018)

@MassHole What data stood out for you with Regenerate? I have Regenerate in my lawn along with two other TTTF varieties and they all blend nicely - super dark, greened up quickly, filling in fast, and I've seen what almost looks like rhizomes, but is probably just lots and lots of tillering and reaching out to fill up any space between plants.


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## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

drenglish said:


> @MassHole What data stood out for you with Regenerate? I have Regenerate in my lawn along with two other TTTF varieties and they all blend nicely - super dark, greened up quickly, filling in fast, and I've seen what almost looks like rhizomes, but is probably just lots and lots of tillering and reaching out to fill up any space between plants.


IRT, and the dark green color per the NETP data. Sounds like your lawn confirmed it!

I checked out your thread! Great pics!


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

drenglish said:


> ...I've seen what almost looks like rhizomes, but is probably just lots and lots of tillering and reaching out to fill up any space between plants.


You're probably right on both counts. Any rhizomes in "Continental" TTTF species are generally going to be very short, almost like tillers.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

I've used straight Spyder LS at work for a couple of years, and find it to be quite dark, with a slight bluish tint. As a TTTF goes, I would highly recommend it. It's not as fine or blue as kbg, but is a very nice turf, if you're looking for a TTTF. This is a photo of Spyder at work, which barely had any fert, water or care at establishment; and none since. My guys scalp it unless watched closely (which I can't do regularly). This was taken around October, after not being scalped (I mean cut) for 3-4 weeks. It gets run over by trucks, trampled by federal cats (path in center), etc.; I'm amazed that it survived at all.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

@Chris LI, what are the fert, irrigation, and overseed history (or "schedule", if you will)?


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

@Green 
This is an area at work that received almost no care. The section in the foreground was mostly torn up due to the new concrete ramp installation, which if I recall was spring of '17.

The area was raked out and Spyder LS was seeded (probably at standard 8-10 lbs/k rate). I think I had the guys apply BioPlex 5-3-1 one time and topped it off with Covergrow from Profile (seeding mulch) and applied water. That's it. I think we might have overseeded with Spyder in fall of '17 to fill in any bare spots, but am fuzzy on that memory. No other fertilizers were applied.

The area near the parking lot is mainly the old existing mix, which appears to be mostly FF with some TTTF. The photo is taken facing NE, so the area is protected by shade almost all of the day, so that helps keep the turf from being brutalized by the sun. It receives late afternoon sun. This area receives no supplemental irrigation (and my guys forgot to water it half the time during establishment).


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