Tall Fescue The Most Versatile Grass Type | Cut at 1 Inch

The new cultivars of Turf Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) is not the same as the cultivars of old or the most famous bulk bag of K-31. In this video, I will discuss 3 of the benefits of using the new cultivars of TTTF. I know Ryan Knorr has a Test Plot cut of fescue cut at .75", he doesn't count because he can grow grass on concrete...haha. Hope you enjoy the video.
Just Know...We Workin'
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[@MrFergusonLawn]

I'm with you! 3" looks insanely good. Awesome video, and great refreshing topic too!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

3" inches has been my sweet spot for the past couple years especially since I started using the new cultivars from MVS. Glad you enjoyed the topics!

[@jeremyauzenne5537]

Excellent content. I cut my GCI Turf - TTTF at 2 inches and love it. Perfect yard.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Nice! Thanks for watching 🙏🏾!

[@ogsan1296]

EL you gonna make this season interesting. Thanks and looking forward to what you put out. It’s bc of you and Mr. Ferguson is the reason why I switched to fescue. Big shoutout to PJ as well 2024 ok let’s go…. Blessings to your king as well.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks man! I have to keep it interesting and try some new management practices. My lawn was starting to get on cruise control. Now Im going to shake things up...a lot.

[@raymond8929]

Thank you for this video Cam! ✊🏿🙏🏿👊🏿

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

No problem 👍🏾.

[@calimanpaul89]

Bad ass neighborhood sir massive trees and great lawn 😎

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks man. Its a older neighborhood, nice and quiet other than the kids being kids which is great. Thes massive trees definitely make work for the fall tho. Leaf cleanups every other day at peak.

[@BermudaBrian]

Good stuff Cam. I'm definitely going to look into some of those cultivars for the backyard

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Good stuff man. Thanks for watching!

[@TheAIRevollution]

Great video. I am thinking about trying out this cultivar. I am in Chicago. I always enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Let me know what you think if you give it a try. I'm glad you enjoy the content and thanks for watching 🙏🏾!

[@VPI8524]

Went this way last year and much preferred it here in the Carolinas. 2.75 to 3.25 HOC. Yes, had to water it well all summer long, but had much less Fungus pressure. I always fought grass/soil staying moist or flopping over at 4" HOCs and with my tree cover/4-5 hours of sun per day, I found it could dry out better at shorter HOCs!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

This is great to hear! I made a video that said ALL of the things that you experienced with the lower HOC. Glad you had the same experience that I did.

[@allensadicario5196]

Always great info thanks again brother can't wait for 2024 season

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Glad you enjoyed the info. The 2024 season is on the way, just a little bit longer. Thanks for watching!

[@PoloFieldsLawnService]

Yes, Sirrrr, Mountain View Seed for the win. I'll slide down to them low cuts..........ONE DAY. But until then, we still tippin on foe foes 😂

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

I feel you bro. You have that hay field dialed in and lookin good 🤣!

[@PoloFieldsLawnService]

@ElevatedLawnscapes just know that if it doesn't work out, you can always come back to the land of the living 🤣

[@Grinch83]

Much respect

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

@@PoloFieldsLawnService 🤣 You know that I'm a little nervous about going this low. Its just grass it will grow back or just plant some more in the fall.

[@PoloFieldsLawnService]

@ElevatedLawnscapes it's definitely going to be a challenge. But of course, this is what we do cause WE WORKIN 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

[@craiggillett5985]

Nice work

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks!

[@TransitionZoneGuy7b]

This video here ☝🏽! Your HOC video last season was my first time checking you out. What you said went against the grain of most You Tubers, but I've seen studies that agree with you. After my fall overseeding, I went down to 2-2.5" and today it still looks incredible. I don't I have the nerve to take it down to 1", but I think 3" will be the max for me 😂. Great video!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

I make almost all of my decisions in the lawn based off data or research, which tends to go against what most KZbin channels are saying. Deciding to cut lower was the best decision I could have made for my backyard. I do not believe it would look or perform the way it does without doing that. I will be honest...I am nervous about the 1" also haha. I like a challenge and I think this is going to be challenge. At the end of the day its just grass...it will grow back or I will just plant some more in the fall! Thanks for watching!

[@TransitionZoneGuy7b]

@@ElevatedLawnscapes once you understand the box, then you can think out of the box....and push the boundaries. It's only grass. BTW, the Speedzone came in today and I plan to put it down with promiadine this weekend. Air temps will be in the 50s and 60s next week for several days. I want to get a jump on it.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

@@TransitionZoneGuy7b That Speedzone will get the job done, I love it this time of year for weed control.

[@Braze-xxx]

Yes Sir , Great work Cam! Right now a good amount of rain and temperatures are ideal for growth and seeding overseeding etc. Blessing to be able to save money and reducing your footprint on the environment!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks 👍🏾! We have the moisture in my area but soil temps are still cool for good germination and growth but we are getting there. Existing grass is starting to grow well.

[@tite732]

I cut at 2.5. I have United seeds super turf II in the front yard and that’s kinda where it looks it’s best. I do have the SnapBack version in the backyard and got that down to 1.5 and it held its color great. These new cultivars really are different because it goes against everything I read on TTTF lmao. Reel mowing is high maintenance though so I will be skipping for now. Great video Cam.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

3 of the 5 seed cultivars in the Super Turf II are Mountain View Seed cultivars. So, you are planting mostly the same seeds that I have, which is why we are having similar results. I do not think a lot of the information out there has caught up with the new cultivars that have come out over the past 5 years. I think a bigger hurdle is changing the thought process that tall fescue has to be cut 4" or taller from the larger population. Thanks for watching!

[@ahastar1141]

I have a newer cultivar tall fescue /kbg front lawn in MN and it has always looked much better at the 2-3inch range than it did at the 3-4 inch range. Above 3.5 for me it just looks a little sloppy and unkept, even if I just mowed it. I only let it go longer than 3 if we have a period of very very dry hot weather in the summer where the lawn is stressed, otherwise keeping it around 3 has always looked great, and the turf has been extremely healthy

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

I 100% agree with your statements. Once I experienced the look and performance at the 3" and below HOC I was sold on not cutting above that. Thanks for watching!

[@slopedlawncare]

I'm a warm season turf guy and you just earned a sub from me

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

I appreciate that! I will have some warm season content coming this year also. I completed a 20K IronCutter Bermuda renovation for my dad last year in NC. I will be releasing those videos throughout this season.

[@coachalecholler]

Good stuff man

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks man!

[@joemccall8991]

Out by the Bay here and we also have to be conscious about nitrogen runoff into the waterways. Maryland has the Bay-Wise program to help homeowners learn about proper rates and the impact of over fertilizing.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Those restrictions are Maryland wide and not just the bay area. Maryland has some of the strictest fertilization requirements. The only problem is that many homeowners do not know or follow them properly.

[@TurfTherapy]

MVS for the win 😎 We Workin 💪🏾🌱

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Yessir!

[@DirtygardenCA]

Trying 2" reel on my tall fescue front yard this season. Definitely need to do a little leveling though.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thats the only thing with the lower HOC, there is more leveling required than having a higher HOC.

[@stevenocita1502]

Great info Cam! This will be my third year of using Mountain View seed and it's amazing seed. My yard has never looked this good it stands out among other neighbors now all I have to do is a little leveling and try to get those stripes like yours best stripes ever. When is the best time to level your yard? I seeded in the fall and waiting for the ground to reach at magic temperature. for pre-emergent.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Its great to hear that you are getting the results that you want from the MVS! This has been hands down the best seed that I have every used. I am glad that other people are getting the same results. I recommend completing leveling in the fall, in case if you need to do some overseeding in the process. Leveling a cool season lawn is not the same as a warm season lawn that will spread and fill in aggressively.

[@stevenocita1502]

Cam, I listened to your podcast great info thank you. I was wondering I can get prodiamine with fertilizer or without at my turf supply which has a 13-0-1 or just prodiamine 0-0-7. what would you recommend I plan on putting a second application about 30 to 45 days later.

[@sharonmenzel7791]

I keep my grass on the highest my mower goes. I also have a lawn service that provides the right fertilizer 6 times a year and my lawn is so thick and dark green. A few years ago I had to have knee surgery and hired someone to mow my lawn, they destroyed my lawn , it was ky blue grass, and I had to get it re sodded with tall dark inferno fescue. So now me and my neighbor both mow every week, it’s been raining good here. Last week no rain, and some people chopped there grass down to 1 inch and you can see there grass went from green to yellow. Unless people are going to water, then you better make sure it’s high. I’m laughing cause mine looks goods, I can mow every week, they just messed their grass up

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Its all in how you manage the lawn. Your height of cut should match your management practices. Cutting once a will not be sufficient for a 1" HOC or not having consistent watering practices. Suddenly chopping the height of cut down to 1" when it hasn't been managed that way is going to be destructive to any cool season grass types. A HOC at about 3" with the new cultivars of fescue is very easily managed by the average homeowner.

[@Striperman]

I believe 💪🏻

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Yessir 👍🏾🌱!

[@user-tl7db3kt8l]

I really appreciate your content and I used MV tall fescue for re-seeding and it came out really good. I have this dense shade area in my yard which barely gets any sunlight and MV didn’t perform well. Do you have any tips or recommendations?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Thanks for watching and I'm glad you are happy with the results of the MVS. Grass is a plant and plants need some amount of sunlight to perform. My recommendation is get more sunlight to the ground by trimming tree limbs if possible. Next option is don't try to grow grass in that area make it some other type of landscape. I love grass but it is not the right answer for every location of your lawn.

[@BMwBears2005]

We back!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Yessir...We Back!

[@LoBiTo-jc6ir]

Your backyard looks amazing. I wish my backyard looked that good. I have a lot of weeds in the back. I'm doing the front yard. Once that's set, I will tackle the back yard

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Take it a step at a time. Sounds like you have a plan. If you just do the basics (fert, weed control, mowing, overseeding) in your backyard you will be surprised at how much it will improve. My front yard has never been fully renovated and it looks pretty good.

[@Aerialphotovito]

this is has me very curious , would like to see some seasonal results before i would consider this .

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Of course. Cutting at 1" or close to that is not for everyone! There is a different level of management that is needed at this HOC. Performance at 3" has been proven because that has been my HOC for the past 2 seasons on KZbin.

[@I3arbarian]

I'm going with a 'less is more' theme this season.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Sounds good to me. There are a lot of things in lawncare that are extras and do not add significant impact to the lawn.

[@williamwade7059]

I drove 26 miles to pick up Mountain View seeds and I'm a KBG guy switching to tall fescue so let's see how this works.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Good deal! I have confidence that you will like the results. The look and feel is not much different than KBG.

[@Loud_Pack_313]

Recommendation for a well balanced fertilizer for the Midwest region?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

In my opinion you answered your question in your question. If you are looking for a balanced fert it would have all macronutrients NPK. If you are asking about what brand, with out getting into too much detail it doesn't matter too much unless you care about the fine details of fertilizer. Get something for the best price you can find.

[@darrenhollins10]

Hey my question would be if my lawn is currently established tall fescue, how would I convert to the mountain view seed? Would I have to tear up the existing lawn or just start overseeding in the spring or fall?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

You can do it either way. My front yard has only been overseeded for about 3 years and it looks great cut at 3-3.25". If you want to switch to a low cut lawn (1.5" or less), I would recommend a full renovation because most of the older cultivars may not perform well at the low HOC. You will probably need to do some leveling work, which would be easier to do during a full renovation. For establishing a cool season lawn in most areas, the fall is the best time for seeding.

[@BackyardBbqR]

Does Newsom still sale the Mountain View Seeds?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Yes

[@xmortale]

Where do I get a drop spreader like the one shown?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Its made by Earth and Turf in York, PA. They have a website.

[@chuckbenzing134]

Hey Cam, I just had a crazy thought to toss your way. Since you're going to replant your backyard this fall, how about taking your existing TTTF HOC down before then? Just to judge the actual difference and expected improvement with the MVS variety. Silly?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Im not going to replant in the fall, I will be using my existing lawn which has these new cultivars already in it. This is the reason I was cutting at 2" last fall, to start training the lawn for a lower HOC. My initial cut this spring is going to be at 1.75" and I will hold that all season until the fall. At that time in the fall, I will take it down to 1.25" then to 1". Thats my plan any way haha. We will see how it goes...TBD

[@chuckbenzing134]

Ahhh. OK, thanks. I misunderstood the work you are planning on.

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

@@chuckbenzing134 All good. I think this process is much easier with a new lawn to just start maintaining it at the low HOC. My lawn is not going to like going down to that low HOC. It will take some time to get it trained at that low HOC which is why I'm doing it over a years time.

[@appiconll]

MV is expensive😮 Should it be overseeded with other tttf seeds, or should the existing lawn be k!lled off?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Its not anymore expensive than other high quality seed. It is more expensive than terrible cheap seed. Quality seed is the foundation of your lawn. Either pay the cost up front or pay the cost later in products trying to make subpar grass seed look good and killing weeds. You can do either option its really up to your goal/desire. A full kill/renovation will give you the most uniform and pristine look. Overseeding will improve the look of your lawn but will always have the existing grass throughout the lawn which may not be desirable. Year over year of overseeding your lawn will continue to improve with proper cultural practices. Thanks for watching!

[@appiconll]

I'm using Pennington rebel tall fescue. It looks good but has plenty of weed seeds. Thanks

[@Losbitiboys4441]

Will anyone help me in telling me what type of tall fescue grass seed can i use in florida plz thank you

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

This is a Mountain View Seed cultivar blend. It can be used in Florida but it is not recommended. This is a cool season grass type that performs best in cooler climates. The warmer temps and high moisture levels of Florida will require additional management practices than other grass types that are better suited for that environment.

[@jroark101]

Hey what about there spreader elite? It has the spreading type of TF, can it also be cut short?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

The ability to cut it low is not about the spreading capability it is about the tolerance of those grass seed cultivars to withstand being cut low. Based on the information currently on the GCI website, the spreader elite does not have the cultivars in the blend that are known to be able to withstand a low HOC. You are welcome to try it but those cultivars are not historically known to be cut low.

[@jroark101]

@@ElevatedLawnscapes ok darn lol. I’ve gotta pick one or the other lol

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

If you are buying seed the new TTTF blend is better than the Spreader Elite. The new TTTF has 2 lateral spread cultivars, has low mow capability, and are better genetic cultivars than the Spreader Elite blend.

[@jroark101]

@@ElevatedLawnscapesthanks bro! I’ll be getting that one

[@SmokeyA55]

I wonder how it would hold up to Alabama heat

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

It would be more of a challenge for sure especially at the 1" HOC. Irrigation would definitely be a requirement. I say choosing the right grass type for your location is critical to your success. Though it can survive in hot climates Tall Fescue is still a cool season grass type. So putting it in a hot climate and expecting it to perform great or equal to its performance in a cooler climate is not a realistic expectation without additional efforts. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!

[@nomargins]

But your grass got a little history behind it. It’s a little older, can a young lawn take that kind of cut?

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

Yes, it's all about training the grass to that HOC. This small area was cut low from the time it was seeded. It's actually easier to start it low from the beginning than to take it down from being taller. Of course the established lawn will have a more developed root system and be a little stronger but setting the low HOC from the beginning can be done with the same practices as establishing any newly seeded area. Making sure it is properly watered and mowed is key.

[@yeye3295]

NOPE, I don't Trust it....I Need my 3-4in of grass...THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

[@ElevatedLawnscapes]

I understand 1" is a very different approach but with advances in technology there are opportunities for us to do things differently. I have no issues with 3" thats very manageable for a homeowner, I did it for years. Above that height with these new cultivars is not the optimal height for the grass to perform at its best.