Tall Fescue Control

Quick Information

Tall Fescue Control

Most Effective Products

Eraser 41% Glyphosate
Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC)
As low as $15.63
Keith's Pro Tips

"For best results on Tall Fescue, treat with Eraser 41% when fescue is at or beyond the 4 to 6 leaf stage."

Tall Fescue Control How to Get Rid of Tall Fescue Grass

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of Tall Fescue from your yard using the products and methods suggested by our experienced lawn care specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will have a lawn free of Tall Fescue.

You know plants are beneficial for the health of your garden and the environment in general. The right type of plants can maintain natural balance and biodiversity. But you know what isn't welcome? Tall Fescue grass.

Tall fescue, also known as quack grass, has been classified as a major problem for farms and wildlife. Mostly, birds that get fed with Fescue seed have died. Livestock industries incur millions in losses due to tall fescue.

Tall Fescue is a huge problem because it spreads to the rest of the vegetation and restricts the movement of livestock and birds. The plant grows tall and thick, limiting other plants from growing and entirely dominating the fields.

If your property is being overrun by Tall Fescue, our step-by-step DIY treatment guide will show you exactly how to get rid of this invasive species quickly and save money doing it with the help of our professional quality herbicides.

Identification

Tall Fescue ID

Make sure that before you carry out treatment applications that you first properly identify the plant and confirm that it is Tall Fescue. Misidentification leads to using the wrong products and treatment methods, costing you time and money.

  • Tall fescue is a dark-green grassy weed with thick blades and starts growing during the cool seasons. It spreads quickly via by seeds and stems.
  • The stems of fescue can produce new stems, making it harder to remove from the roots. The extensive root system can range between 2 to 3 feet in depth making it a tough grass to kill where it is established.
  • Tall fescue does not have the essential nutrients that livestock needs to survive and reproduce. Fungus thrives on fescue; thus, the more that fungus grows, the more fescue flourishes and spreads to the rest of the garden.
  • Fescue is toxic to plant health because fungus yields chemicals on the strands of fescue. Therefore, it deters birds and animals from feeding on it.

Use our description and image above to help you to identify Tall Fescue on your lawn. If you are not totally sure and need assistance with identification, contact us and we will properly ID the plant for you as well as give you the best product recommendations to control your weed.

Inspection

Tall Fescue Inspect

After you have confirmation that you are dealing with Tall Fescue, proceed with an inspection to find out where the Tall Fescue is concentrated and what conditions may be helping the weed to thrive. This will aid you in determining where to focus your herbicide applications.

Where to Inspect

Tall Fescue can grow well in both sun or shade but grows best in moist environments. Walk around your property to observe where the Tall Fescue is concentrated as this is where you will be focusing your treatment.

What to Look For

Tall Fescue has a clumping habit, so keep an eye out for thick bladed grass that is course and grows in out of control clusters.

Treatment

Now that you have performed an inspection of your invasive Tall Fescue, you can move on to chemical treatment, Please be sure that when handling any type of herbicide, you are properly protecting your skin and eyes with personal protective equipment. Goggles, gloves and long-sleeved clothing should suffice.

It is important to remove Tall Fescue grass as soon as you see it growing to sustain the health of your landscape and to keep pets and birds safe.

The best way to eradicate Tall Fescue is to use a non-selective post-emergent product such as Eraser 41% Glyphosate. Tall Fescue, unfortunately, cannot be selectively controlled meaning that you cannot spray it without killing the desirable turf surrounding the Tall Fescue.

Step 1 - Mix and Apply Eraser 41%

Spot treating eraser

Eraser 41% Glyphosate is a non-selective, post-emergent herbicide designed to control a broad-spectrum of weeds including Tall Fescue. This is a "kill all" herbicide so you need to be careful when spot treating so you don't get the Eraser 41% on your desired plants. Mixing the Eraser with blue marking dye may help you to keep track of where you applied and so your application is directed more precisely where you want it.

Determine how much Eraser 41% you will need by first calculating the square footage of the area (measure and multiply length x width). For Tall Fescue, the label says to use 2.5 oz. of product per gallon of water to treat an area of approximately 300 sq. ft. Mix the appropriate amount of Eraser 41% in a pump sprayer with water and then shake the sprayer to mix the solution.

Once mixed, apply the Eraser 41% where the Tall Fescue is concentrated. We suggest spraying on a fan spray nozzle setting to get a nice fine even coating on the Tall Fescue. Herbicides will work best when the Tall Fescue is young and active. As the weed matures, they will be more resistant to chemicals which may require repeated applications. It takes about 2 weeks for tall fescue to die out.

Step 2 - Reseed Area

As noted earlier, Tall Fescue cannot be killed without also killing the desirable grass in your lawn. After the application of the Eraser 41%, all the grass will die and will then need to be removed and reseeded.

Prevention

Mowing grass high to prevent Tall Fescue

After you have killed and removed the Tall Fescue from your lawn, you don't want it to reestablish. Since there are no pre-emergents that can prevent it from growing, you will need to implement cultural practices to reduce the likelihood of Tall Fescue returning. What helps your chances of keeping Tall Fescue away is by making sure your yard is healthy and densely planted with turf.

  • Mow your lawn at higher heights of 3 to 4 inches to help your turf better resist a reinvasion of Tall Fescue and choke it out.
  • Rake and dethatch your lawn to improve aeration and encourage proper evaporation and water retention.
  • Water your grass deeply yet infrequently, ideally at a rate of 1 to 1.5 inches of water once a week.
  • Follow a proper fertilization schedule for your lawn, applying fertilizer every spring and fall to encourage a thick, dense turf that will leave no room for Tall Fescue to grow.

Key Takeaways

What is Tall Fescue?

  • Tall Fescue is a perennial grassy weed that invades lawn by growing in clumps and is known to frustrate yard owners and livestock managers with its persistence.

How to Get Rid of Tall Fescue

  • If Tall Fescue has appeared on your lawn, we recommend a post-emergent spot treatment with Eraser 41% Glyphosate.
  • This is a non-selective herbicide that kills any plant it touches so be careful not to get it on desired grass. In heavy infestations of Tall Fescue, it'd be best to spray your lawn and then reseed.

Preventing Tall Fescue Reinfestation

  • To reduce the chances of Tall Fescue reinvading your lawn, establish regular lawn care practices like mowing at a height of 3 to 4 inches, watering once a week at 1 to 1.5 inches and keeping a consistent fertilization schedule.
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