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nafex - [NAFEX] re: Orchard Groundcover

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  • From: Ruth Dykstra <ruthnafex@drdykstra.us>
  • To: NAFEX <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] re: Orchard Groundcover
  • Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004 09:23:39 -0500

In my small home orchard (12 trees) in Zone 4, I planted red fescue in my orchard which adjoins the rest of the lawn which is bluegrass. I have snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils of various kinds, and fritallarias planted in the fescue so we do not mow until midsummer when all the bulb foliage has died down. The fescue is more shade tolerant than bluegrass, is not too tall (12")and has a finer texture that makes the longer grass look like waves which I like. We mow a couple paths through it on a weekly basis and keep the edge mowed to distinguish that area from the lawn. I have areas around each tree mulched with wood chips. I like the look of the longer grass so we only mow twice a year, once in midsummer and again in the late fall so the grass will be short for the early spring bulbs. The regular mower cannot handle the fescue if it gets too long so we usually rent a high weed mower for those mowings and take a swipe at the thistles in the woods at the same time.

Ruth Dykstra




  • [NAFEX] re: Orchard Groundcover, Ruth Dykstra, 04/30/2004

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