Perplexed by the diversity of turf types on the market? Not sure which one to choose? Join the crowd.

Each season, more turf types aretouted as being the ultimate in turf selections. Unfortunately, the reality is that Maryland is in the transition zone for turf. The coolseason grass species have difficulty surviving the summer and the warm season grasses are brown most of the year.

Turf-type tall fescue are the survivors under Maryland conditions. They are grouped with the cool season grasses such as bluegrass andfine leaf fescue. For a fine-textured appearance they should be sownat a high rate of eight pounds per 1,000 square feet. Many suitable cultivars are recommended and are readily available including Rebel II, Falcon, Houndog, and Olympic.

As a group, the turf-type tall fescue is very disease-resistant when compared to Kentucky bluegrass and will require few if any fungicide treatments.

Quality, dense, tall fescue lawns can be maintained using less nitrogen fertilizer thanwould be required on bluegrass. To reduce fertilizer and pesticides,the turf-type tall fescue should be used.