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Windward chewing fescue, (tested as Pick FRC A-93) #121516

Asked April 14, 2013, 12:07 AM EDT

Where can I buy or get some of this seed? Windward, (tested as Pick FRC A-93) is an elite new variety of chewings fescue developed at the Pickseed research facility. Windward was thoroughly tested in the 1999-2002 fine fescue NTEP turf trial with excellent results. Thanks! Roy Goodlaxson, Email: <personal data hidden> Altoona Iowa

Polk County Iowa

Expert Response

Roy, As you indicated the variety Winward chewings fesce did well compared to other fine fescues in the NTEP testing so i would expect it to also do well when correctly used in Iowa.  Chewings fescue and many of the other fine fescue's are best suited for shady conditions and for that reason they are often included in a three way mix with Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue.  Home lawns can have lots of different micro climates, shadey, full sun, wet, sloped, hot, dry etc. and for this reason the three way mix is good because the fine fescue with do well in the shade but may not do so well in the full sun especially if not irrigated.  The fine  fescues (and Windward as a chewings fescue fits in this fine fescue catagory) in general are not suitable as a monocultue for full sun areas, so don't plan on using Windward for your entire yard, instead plant it primarily in the shaded areas or use it in a mixture with perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass for the entire lawn.  I spent over an hour trying to track down where to purchase 'Windward' chewings fescue on line and didn't find anything.  So a call to Pick Seed gave me a distributor in Illinois named CD Ford, PO Box 300, Geneseo, IL 61254.  The Seed Super Store https://www.seedsuperstore.com/stat_sheets/default.asp is an on line supplier of many single turf varieties but you pay a premium for the service.  They did not list Windward as a variety in their supply.  Good Luck, dave

An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 07, 2013, 4:25 PM EDT

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