Many Georgians dream of a lawn that doesn’t require constant attention: little watering,
very little mowing; a grass that grows equally well in sun and shade — even deep shade –
and stays green all year.

There is such a grass: tall fescue. And new cultivars that will grow well throughout
Georgia are on the horizon, said Ronny Duncan, a University of Georgia turf breeder at
the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin.

"The improved root system of these tall fescues helps them withstand the high heat and
high drought-stress conditions we have," he said.

Duncan has developed a tall fescue type that will live with very little water during the
summer. "This is unheard of, particularly for tall fescue," he said.

The UGA research to refine this grass now produces a dark green turf with an
intermediate leaf texture.

Almost anyone can plant tall fescue, even into a lawn that’s already established. "The
beauty of these new Georgia-adapted types," Duncan said, "is that little or no renovation
is necessary."

Georgians can overseed tall fescue grasses right into the warm-season grass already
growing. Preliminary studies in Bermuda, zoysia, centipede and St. Augustine show that
overseeded tall fescue will grow and thrive. It flourishes even in dark shade where no
other grasses will grow.

"It’s the best shade type we have," Duncan said. "We’ve evaluated in areas where only
moss would grow previously. This is the first time we’ve been able to grow grass in some
of these high-shade areas."

Unfortunately, you do have to wait until at least next year to get this dream grass. Duncan
expects seed companies to have it available in 1998 or ’99.

In ’96, Georgians bought $35 million worth of sod and sprigs for their home and business
lawns and gardens. Business has blossomed for turf and sod, greenhouse products and
trees and shrubs, their value nearly doubling to $240 million in just five years.

Tall fescue won’t be cheap. Although it will first be available as seed, Duncan figures the
price will be near the cost of tall fescue cultivars already on the market. But the advantage
of the new cultivar is clear.

"The (grass) will persist and stay there 365 days a year," Duncan said.