Speaking of plants that are used for lawns, the species comes to mind fescue rubra. It is a species whose common name is red fescue, red fescue or red fescue. It is widely used for the creation of green spaces since it has favorable characteristics such as good resistance to cold. It is the basis for some ornamental grass mixes in public places and is not too expensive to maintain.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics of the fescue rubraits care and some varieties that it also has well known.
Key features
This plant is capable of forming a perfect lawn to be walked on without any problem. There are other plants that have the potential to become grass, but they get damaged badly by continuous trampling. The fescue rubra it is quite persistent and effective.
One of the main complaints about this lawn is that it is somewhat discontinuous. It does not usually grow completely homogeneous throughout the territory, leaving some more empty holes. This is an aesthetic and continuity problem. For this reason, it is frequently combined with other species of grass with similar characteristics so that several species can be in charge of covering the entire terrain.
If we use a magnifying glass to focus on the grass blades, we can see a hairiness in the reddish pods in their lower part. Hence the common name of red fescue. Its leaves are quite thin, so it helps to provide quality in the decoration.
Among the species most used to fill the gaps they form when growing, the Poa pratense and Lolium perenne are recommended. These combinations favor the quality of the mixture and its plasticity. This helps the lawn perform better in shadier locations or under fertile soil conditions.
As we have mentioned before, there are different varieties of this grass that work in different climates. Some endure colder, others more heat, others some drought, etc. It is usually widely used since it has a great resistance to cold. They usually develop in drier climates or in cold temperate climates. Its shade tolerance is quite high, so we will not have problems when choosing the location where we will place it.
Requirements of the fescue rubra
One of the main disadvantages of the fescue rubra is its high production of felt or mattress. If we have to cut the grass to improve its structure and keep it in good ornamental conditiondoes not tolerate too low cuts well. This will mean that, if we do not want to have too long grass blades, we will have to cut it more often, so maintenance tasks can be more frequent and necessary.
The good news is that not only does it tolerate cold and shady locations well, but it also tolerates some drought. In this aspect, it can help us reduce maintenance costs in irrigation. In addition, if our climate is somewhat drier or drier spells come with less humidity, you will have no problem surviving well.
It is able to adapt well to almost any type of soil. Even in poor soils with few nutrients it is able to thrive well. We can also use it for the creation of coastal lawns in saline soils. It will not cause a problem due to the type of soil. Nor is it demanding when it comes to ordering fertilizer. Yes, it is advisable to use fertilizer at least once or twice a year to guarantee a good supply of nutrients, especially if the soil is poor in organic matter.
The best time to sow fescue rubra It is in the fall or early spring. The depth to which it must be sown is about 6 mm, which does not make us have too many sowing tasks. The maintenance cut we have to ensure that its height is between 5 and 7 cm. It cannot be lower, since we will damage the plants and they will not be able to grow again correctly.
Some of the most used species
We are now going to analyze some of the species of fescue rubra that are most used as grass in many areas. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages and we are going to analyze its main characteristics.
The fruit is red and red
It is a subspecies that is used for those areas where you want to create a very fine grass with good quality. The species has very thin leaves. It is advisable to improve the balance in certain mixtures of other species to fill in the gaps they may leave.
It is ideal to mix with the most ornamental species since it tolerates the lack of water well. It can also withstand the summer heat well in areas with a warmer climate. As for the soil, it prefers loose, well-drained soils. It does not support waterlogging at all, so it is necessary to guarantee good aeration in the soil and not overdo it with watering. The pH of the soil is interesting that it is slightly acidic.
It should be sown preferably in autumn or spring. To sow it we can do it broadcast or with a seeder machine. If we do it with the machine, we will sow in a cross way. We will incorporate the seed using a drag pass.
The red fescue was exchanged
This variety is very similar to the original. They have a cespedante character, since other smaller stems come out of the main stem. This results in a router with a larger surface area. The texture of the leaf is also quite fine. The advantage it has over the other varieties is that it does tolerate the lowest cuts. This guarantees us greater versatility when it comes to establishing the lawn model we want at all times.
Like its relatives, it is also resistant to cold, drought and shady places. It has a fine texture and low maintenance. It is perfect for good growth without too many spots, but it gives great uniformity to the mixture. It hardly needs fertilizer, since it is highly adaptable to all types of soils.
I hope that with this information you can decide which lawn to have at home.
