Fescue – Finding Best Variety

Q: A few years ago, I planted a low growing grass seed called Millennium that did very well in the shady areas of my lawn. I need to over seed some areas and have not been able to find the seed again. Do you know if it is still available or possibly being sold under a different name? If not, what might be a good alternative?

A: Fescue is constantly being bred to be better looking and more disease resistant. The problem is that it has to be evaluated by an impartial source (the National Turf Evaluation Program – NTEP) for several years to be sure the claims of breeders really stand up. So now breeders are bypassing the NTEP program and simply “marketing” their seed as being better. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Many times consumers have no real way to know if the seed they buy one year is good or if it will be available the next year.
I don’t know where to buy more Millennium, but I have always had good success with the Rebel series.

For more information on the Rebel series, see Seedland’s Rebel Tall Fescues page.