# Looking for lowest cost Tall Fescue seed possible



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

I might have an application in the next month or so requiring no more than 5 lbs of low cost Tall Fescue seed. I would like to get something for below $2 per lb including shipping, even at that low a weight. I plan to purchase either locally or order from a seed supplier or online like ebay or amazon. A low other crop percent is not the end of the world, and I would consider KY-31. Any suggestions? 3-5 lbs is enough.


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

Walmart clearances are regional, but I found 20# bags of TTTF marked down to $9 at mine. Pennington cultivars and 0.1 weed seeds.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

Given the requirements you mention, I'd suggest using seed from your local big box store or garden center. You're looking for a $10 or less purchase, so you'll want to avoid paying for shipping.

I know that you know this already, but going for a low-cost seed is often shortsighted, unless you're planning to kill it off again before long, but maybe that's part of your plan...


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

I will check Walmart out for sure. If nothing there, I'll see what Hart Seed has.
But if Walmart has something a little higher quality for a good price on clearance, I'll get a larger bag and use some in my low input area too.

@ken-n-nancy, it's not for my yard, but a family member's. The yard is not irrigated, ever. Believe it or not, the VNS CRF and leftover PR/KBG mix I used took in most places. I have a feeling the CRF was actually a named cultivar but the name might have gotten lost by the grower, because it looks pretty nice. It was from Hogan anyway, and only around 2.50 per pound with shipping. Planted some last Fall and some this Spring. Watered it when I could, but between that and rain it was by no means watered enough by our standards, even in the sunny driveway corners, and the Spring seed surivived the Summer heat and drought. Not cutting it and lack of traffic, as well as the peat moss, obviously helped. I just have a few more areas left where the fine fescue didn't take, where I want to use TF.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

These guys seem to have a decent quality seed at low prices.

https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/fescue-grass-seed/

Never used it because I've never heard of the cultivars but depending on how much you need, it's a much better deal per pound of seed than the seed + coating shenanigans of big box store seed.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

Delmarva Keith said:


> These guys seem to have a decent quality seed at low prices.
> 
> https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/fescue-grass-seed/
> 
> Never used it because I've never heard of the cultivars but depending on how much you need, it's a much better deal per pound of seed than the seed + coating shenanigans of big box store seed.


FYI I and many others have had bad experiences with that seller. I'd stay away. High weed seed/other crop, low germination rate and none of it is disclosed until you get it. Not worth it IMO.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

fusebox7 said:


> Delmarva Keith said:
> 
> 
> > These guys seem to have a decent quality seed at low prices.
> ...


Good to know.

Anyone think I could readily do better than this in terms of price, cultivar, or both? 2.40/lb for k31:
https://www.truevalue.com/tall-fescue-grass-seed-100-kentucky-31-5-lbs?ctplacement=141427-44622122499&cid=gooshop

Ideally looking for seed that is not too dark green for this use.


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Shoot. If you don't mind a lighter green and a wider blade, the current versions of k31 are great. They grow in the insane heat, don't need much fert if any, and are resistant to disease. It seems many of these trade offs have been lost with TTTF. I have a mix of both TTTF and K31 and in the summer, the K31 keeps growing like a weed while the TTTF barely does anything. I guess it can't take the heat.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> Shoot. If you don't mind a lighter green and a wider blade, the current versions of k31 are great. They grow in the insane heat, don't need much fert if any, and are resistant to disease. It seems many of these trade offs have been lost with TTTF. I have a mix of both TTTF and K31 and in the summer, the K31 keeps growing like a weed while the TTTF barely does anything. I guess it can't take the heat.


Cool. Have you had it a long time? When you say growing like weed, how fast has it grown in the middle of Summer in general? What about when there's a week or two without rain? And are the blades mostly over or under 1/4 inch in width? Finally, did it ever go mostly brown, and if so did it recover?


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> … the K31 keeps growing like a weed while the TTTF barely does anything. I guess it can't take the heat.


I'll second that :thumbup:

This one taken on Jul 20.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

I can get "Dallas" TTTF for $11.25 for 5lbs, or K31 for $12. Has anyone here used Dallas? Unfortunately the NTEP site isn't working today.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

fusebox7 said:


> Delmarva Keith said:
> 
> 
> > These guys seem to have a decent quality seed at low prices.
> ...


Not much of a surprise I guess. It's less than about 2/3 the price of good seed so buyer beware, get what you pay for, so on. I haven't seen good seed at under around 3 bucks a pound including shipping. Might be tough to beat that by much.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

Green said:


> I can get "Dallas" TTTF for $11.25 for 5lbs, or K31 for $12. Has anyone here used Dallas? Unfortunately the NTEP site isn't working today.


I did a quick search but couldn't find it on NTEP (maybe eval was under pre-marketing name?)

https://web.archive.org/web/20180108185732/http://ntep.org/tf.htm


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

The valley green TTTF mix I posted earlier is 2.50/lb and has very low weed and other. I'm trying that this fall.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

fusebox7 said:


> Green said:
> 
> 
> > I can get "Dallas" TTTF for $11.25 for 5lbs, or K31 for $12. Has anyone here used Dallas? Unfortunately the NTEP site isn't working today.
> ...


Thanks. I didn't think of accessing it that way. In any case, the cultivar doesn't seem to be listed.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

So, for the K31 guys...

How's the blade width (mostly under or over 1/4 inch?) and how fast does it grow under different weather conditions?

@Powhatan @Suburban Jungle Life


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Green said:


> So, for the K31 guys...
> 
> How's the blade width (mostly under or over 1/4 inch?) and how fast does it grow under different weather conditions?
> 
> @Powhatan @Suburban Jungle Life


The newer K31 I've planted is thinner and a little closer in size to TTTF. Probably around the 1/4" area. It grows well when there is sufficient moisture. In the 90's, it's about the only thing growing in my yard. It'll grow about 3-4" per week in the summer. If there is no rain for 2 weeks, it does slow down but hasn't gone brown. It might go brown at the 3-4 week of no rain point. I don't irrigate. The older K31 is quite wide bladed, more like 1/2" or wider. Both have the same lighter green color. In the spring, it grows about 6-8" a week. Lots of mowing! For someone who just wants green grass and doesn't care about how dark it is or the blade width, K31 is cheap and hardy.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

I measured a KY-31 clump this morning growing in the natural acidic soil just outside the lawn perimeter area. Blade width ~.25" and weekly length growth ~4" with the week's daily afternoon rain showers. During the extended heat & drought conditions, I estimate ~1" weekly blade growth, might be a higher number as I didn't take measurements during that time, just a visual comparison with the surrounding TTTF clumps that were going dormant.

I mowed last week HOC 3.5" - week later with daily rain KY-31 grew up to ~8". Just behind and to the left, I'm not sure if that's a TTTF or a young new growth KY-31 clump. TF are not supposed to have rhizomes


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Thanks, guys. The picture was helpful. Do you find TTTF and K31 that is unirrigated and goes brown comes back in the Fall? For this application, I'm looking for something that is not going to necessarily grow super fast. Also which one can better handle scalping with a trimmer in the heat and drought...any idea?

Finally, are you guys both buying a certain seed brand...Barenbrug?


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

I rely on rainfall for lawn watering, unless a specific app requires hose end application.

The below link shows my TTTF during summer 2017. That was my first year doing late winter dormant seeding. Most of the TTTF went brown dormant during summer and bounced backed when rains returned, but I estimate I lost ~40% most in the front yard. It was a lot hotter & dryer last summer. That was the first year getting a new lawn established so I'm sure the less than optimal soil conditions didn't help.
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2768&p=53390#p53359

This is the first year with majority KY-31 mixed with TTTF & HBG. I only noticed the KY-31 blades curling at the height of this summer's heat & drought, while the TTTF went brown.

The KY-31 I bought was DLF Pickseed "Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue*" coated from Tractor Supply. I recently emailed DLF in Oregon to see if they would send some information for this seemingly generic DLF TF variety.



https://www.dlfpickseed.com/agricultural/species-varieties/tall-fescue


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

I'm leaning toward the KY-31, mixed with "Baron" KBG and Creeping Red Fescue. Something ought to grow out of that mix. The lawn I'm patching is around 70 years old, so the older cultivars are key to matching what's already there. It should work pretty nicely, and be affordable and easy.

I came across this article while I was searching: https://www.pennington.com/all-products/grass-seed/resources/the-kentucky-31-tall-fescue-seed-shortage


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