RTF Tall Fescue Turf

$16.50 per m²

RTF Tall Fescue Turf

$16.50 per m²

RTF Fescue Grass

Get a year-round lush boutique lawn that feels good under bare feet.

Rhizomatous Tall Fescue turf (RTF) is ideal for the unpredictable weather of Melbourne and its surrounds. It provides a deep emerald green lawn that is beautiful to look at and soft underfoot for all seasons. RTF Tall Fescue has been selectively bred for greater rhizomatous activity than conventional Tall Fescue varieties. These underground stems can develop new roots and shoots, helping the lawn gradually repair small bare or thinning areas.

Purchase RTF Tall Fescue from StrathAyr, perfect for home lawns, nature strips and selected commercial landscapes, particularly in Melbourne and cooler parts of Victoria. It performs well in areas receiving full sun or partial shade.

All Season Lawn
Full Sun/Part Shade
Green All Year
Low Drought Tolerance

Low maintenance
Medium soft leaf
Self Repairing

Tall Fescue Turf: A Cool Season Grass For a Lush Lawn

Since it was engineered by leading turf scientists over 20 years ago, RTF Tall Fescue grass has remained one of the most popular choices for lawn lovers in the southern parts of the country, thanks to its year-round hardiness and evergreen appearance. This superior Tall fescue variety has a medium-to-coarse leaf and an upright growth habit. Unlike conventional bunch-type Tall Fescue varieties, RTF can exhibit significant rhizomes that can assist with filling small bare or thinning areas. It is soft with a finer texture than other tall fescue varieties, so it feels good on bare feet.

RTF turf is suited for cooler, shadier climates in Victoria:

Year-round performer +

Non-invasive +

Shade and frost-tolerant +

Drought tolerance +

High self-repairing properties +

Is RTF Tall Fescue Right for Your Property?

RTF Tall Fescue is particularly well suited to Victoria’s cooler conditions. It maintains a rich green appearance through winter and offers greater shade tolerance than many warm-season grasses. Its non-invasive growth habit also makes it easier to contain, perfect for encompassing boutique garden beds or landscaped areas.

RTF Tall Fescue may be well suited to:

• Melbourne and cooler regional Victorian climates

• Lawns receiving partial shade or limited direct sunlight

• Homeowners who prioritise a deep green lawn throughout winter

• Family lawns exposed to moderate everyday use

• Properties with well-draining soil and reliable summer irrigation

• Customers who want a lawn that will not spread aggressively into garden beds

However, RTF is a cool-season grass and generally requires more water during hot, dry Victorian summers than drought-tolerant warm-season varieties.

RTF’s rhizomatous growth habit gives it better self-repairing ability than conventional Tall Fescue. However, it is not as vigorous under intensive wear as faster-spreading varieties such as TifTuf or Kikuyu. Considering the property’s sunlight, soil, irrigation and expected use will help determine whether RTF is the right choice.

Site Preparation, Laying and Care Instructions For Tall Fescue Grass

Preparation & Installation

kikuyu grass

Before your RTF Tall Fescue turf goes down, ensure you prepare the area by getting rid of any weeds, old turf, or debris on your chosen site. RTF Tall Fescue stays green all year-round and grows well in full sun or dappled shade. A finished soil level of 25-30mm below the pathway is recommended. This turf is the ideal cool climate grass made for Victorian home lawns and public spaces. Better yet, it can be installed across all seasons with great results!

*Remember: due to its perishable nature, turf should be installed immediately upon delivery (at least the same day).

Mowing

Being a fescue turf, you can mow RTF anywhere between 35-50mm and might be doing so fairly often in the warmer months. Winter slows its growth down and means less time on the mower. If you do need to give your turf a trim in the cooler months be sure to cut it at the taller end of the recommended mowing length. Keep your mower blades sharp, as blunt blades can tear the leaves and affect the appearance and overall turf quality.

Watering

Tall Fescue Lawn requires some extra care during the warmer months, when regular watering is a must for cool-season grasses. Aim for deep soakings 1-2 times per week during summer. This allows the moisture to penetrate deeply into the soil profile where it can be absorbed by RTF’s deep roots, keeping turf green, thick and healthy.

Seasonal Maintenance & Fertilising

RTF Tall Fescue is able to handle the cool Victorian temperatures during the winter months and tolerates heavy frosts. RTF maintains active growth during the colder months, but you can apply less water in winter while maintaining the lawn’s deep green colour and lush feel. If water begins running off the surface or failing to soak evenly into the soil, the ground may have become water repellent. A suitable soil wetting agent may help improve water penetration, particularly during hot, dry conditions.

Feed RTF Tall Fescue during periods of active growth using a suitable lawn fertiliser. Spring and early autumn applications can support healthy leaf and root growth, while any summer fertilising should be accompanied by adequate irrigation. Always follow the application rates provided for the fertiliser being used.

Instant Lawn For Shade & Low-Sun, Staying Green All Year Round

If you don’t get 8 hours of full sun or live in a colder climate, but still want a lush lawn with a rich green colour, RTF fescue could be the perfect choice. With year-round growth, the ability to survive on just 3 hours of sun per day and frost tolerance, it’s hardly surprising it’s a common option in cold climate regions like Melbourne and regional Victoria.

The Ideal Cool Climate Grass with Added Drought Tolerance

RTF Tall Fescue turf performs superbly across different climates and conditions. Its unique self-repairing rhizome root system means it can regrow itself to cover any bare spots if thinning lawn issues arise. It also gives the added advantage of performing better than any other cool-season grass under hot, dry conditions to maintain turf quality. Fescue lawns feature deep rooting plants, allowing them to access water up to two metres below the topsoil for resilience during drought conditions.

How RTF’s Rhizomatous Activity Supports Lawn Repair

The main innovation achieved with RTF turf is to significantly ramp up the rhizome production of regular tall fescue, enabling self-repair of hard-worn patches in a similar way to warm-season grasses. The unique way that RTF fescue’s rhizomes send shoots underground to establish independent root systems that sprout new plants sets it apart from other cool-season grasses like Kentucky and Texas Bluegrass or Perennial Ryegrass. This self-repairing grass can also establish faster, so you can progress to less frequent watering more quickly.

Quality Assured From Paddock To Project

Lawn Solutions Australia Member

StrathAyr is proud to be a certified member of Lawn Solutions Australia, a national network of Australia’s leading turf growers. As part of this accreditation, all our turf varieties meet AusGAP quality standards and are supplied with a full product warranty certificate guaranteeing your turf for 10 years under standard warranty conditions.

From The Farm to Your Front Yard

StrathAyr grows and harvests all turf to order, ensuring it arrives fresh and ready for installation. Orders can be placed online 24/7 or by phone during business hours, with delivery within 24 hours of harvesting. Delivery is available across Melbourne, including regional areas such as Geelong, Ballarat and Shepparton, subject to scheduling. All deliveries are kerbside to your nature strip, with real-time tracking provided via SMS. Turf is unloaded by forklift from a push-off pallet, with approximately 50 m² supplied per pallet. We will take the pallets away with us. Ensure the nature strip or nominated kerbside unloading area is clear and accessible before delivery.

Learn more about our turf delivery process.

Tall Fescue Turf Melbourne FAQs

What does RTF actually mean? +

Is rhizomatous tall fescue suitable for shaded areas? +

Can I lay tall fescue lawn in winter? +

How often should I mow? +

How and when should I fertilise my RTF Tall Fescue lawn? +

Is tall fescue pest and disease-resistant? +

What type of soil does it grow best in? +

Product comparison table

Use our handy product comparison table to help choose the right turf for your project.

	Durable (High Wear)	Leaf Blade Appearance	Drought Tolerant	Shade Tolerance	Low Maintenance	Green All Year
RTF Tall Fescue		upright / medium		 	 	  
Sir Grange Zoysia	 	upright / fine	  		  
TifTuf Bermuda	  	low / fine	  	  	 
Sir Walter Buffalo	 	low / broad	 	  	  
Eureka Premium VG Kikuyu	  	low / broad	  		 

Calculate Your Turf ×

Calculate your lawn area

Calculating the size and area of your lawn is an important step in the process. While lawns often come in all shapes and sizes, determining your turf area is easy with our Turf Calculator!

Sketch out your lawn
On to the drawing board as they say!
Break your shape into areas similar to the diagram above.
This way, you’ll ensure each area is comprehensively covered.
Use a measuring tape, determine the dimensions of each section of lawn.
And don’t forget to write them down!
Add the measurements into our handy calculator by clicking the button below.
And now, it’s time to turf!