Tall fescue grass: Diseases and Remedies (2-minute Read)

NOTE: Tall fescue grass may be referred to as Festuca arundinacea in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Festuca arundinacea is the botanical name for Tall fescue grass.

Because of its growth habit, tall fescue is a perennial cool-weather turf grass that stands out. Even in winter, the leaves have a dark green color and are wide. The ribbed blades are very coarse to the touch. The newest leaf blades are rolled up.

Why does my Festuca arundinacea roots have rot?

Root rot on your Tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea) can be dangerous if left untreated. In order to keep your plant alive, we strongly suggest that you follow our advice if the signs start to show: blackened and mushy roots.
Tall

Why does my Tall fescue grass have gray mold spots?

Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.

Our Solution

The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Festuca arundinacea. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.

Why does my Tall fescue grass have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Tall fescue grass owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Tall fescue grass leaves turning yellow?

This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.

Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:

Here are some indicators of yellowing on the Festuca arundinacea brought on by its numerous flaws:

  • Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
  • Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
  • Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
  • Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
  • A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.

Our Solution

You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.

Is my Tall fescue grass sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Tall fescue grass (your Festuca arundinacea) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

The leaves of your Tall fescue grass can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.

However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.

Why are my Tall fescue grass leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Festuca arundinacea in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Festuca arundinacea (or Tall fescue grass) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Tall fescue grass out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.

Why are my Festuca arundinacea leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Festuca arundinacea gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

An easy way to know if your Festuca arundinacea is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!

Our Solution

If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Tall fescue grass right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Festuca arundinacea

Water Occasionally

Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Festuca arundinacea.

Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Festuca arundinacea is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Festuca arundinacea close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Tall fescue grass Dust-Free

This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.

For your Tall fescue grass, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.

Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).