Question
In live just outside of Phoenix and normally have a Bermudagrass lawn in the summer and overseed with Rye in the winter.  I love the Ryegrass in the winter; but I hate the Bermudagrass in the summer.  Only the top of it is green, so when it's mowed the yellow underneath shows through. It thatches and spreads, and I don't like it at all.

I know that I can't grow Ryegrass here in the summer.  So I'm looking for something very similar to Ryegrass in the way it looks.  I have a sprinkler system, so whatever isn't a problem.  I'm not an expert, but I've done a little research and Tall Fescue seems to be my best bet.

So my question is, is Tall Fescue the right choice for the look I want and my climate?  If not, is there a better alternative?  In either of those cases, when should I plant this new seed?  I've already started the tedious process of killing the Bermudagrass.

Or is there really nothing I can do to get the Ryegrass look in the warmer months here in Phoenix?

Answer
The problem with growing Grass in Phoenix, my friend, is that it's so darn HOT.

Rye does well -- in Winter, as you know.  Your distaste for Bermudagrass is a problem, because Bermudagrass is THE most popular Grass in Arizona.  In fact, statistics show that 98 percent of the world's Bermudagrass is growing in Southern California and Arizona.

Here's why, according to the folks at Seedland.com:

'While parts of Northern Arizona lie in a transitional zone, the Cool Season Grasses (Fescue, Ryegrass, Bluegrass) will struggle to survive the hot Summer temperatures when planted.'

See that word, 'STRUGGLE'?  That's an understatement!

'Because of the high Summer heat stress, Warm Season Grasses are the primary Grasses planted in Arizona.'  You can read the full paragraph at the Seedland.com website:

http://www.lawngrass.com/states/arizona.html

They post a state-by-state guide you might enjoy playing with.

Why Bermuda?  Bermuda LOVES scorching heat.  The kind that will fry eggs.  Do you understand the problem here?  There is very little choice.  And there is a reason that people are tickled pink to be able to grow Bermudagrass in that kind of weather.

The answer to this problem may lie not in picking another Grass, but in picking a better Bermuda and mowing it differently.

There are 2 Bermudas in this world, Seed and Sod.  Are you familiar with both of these?

Which one do you Mow that looks Yellow?  You may simply be waiting too long to Mow this Grass.

'Common' Bermuda begins as Seed and grows much faster than Hybrid Bermuda, so you have to mow it a lot more.  It must be mowed between 1 1/2 to 2 3/4 in high.  If you mow Common Bermuda weekly or more often, the tips should be a healthy bright Green instead of Yellow.

Bermuda Hybrids go down as Sod and are thicker than Common Bermuda, with fewer Weeds.  These are mowed lower, a half inch to to 1 inch high.  During drought, mow less and let it grow a little taller.  Maybe you'll see Bermuda in a new light.

Bermudagrass being such an economic goldmine for Grass sellers, private labs all over the country are competing for ways to make it even better.  New breeds of Bermuda come out every year just like new flavors of Haagen Daz and Crayola Crayons, better than anything you could buy even 10 years ago.  One that got a lot of press last year was 'Princess' Bermudagrass.  Princess is notable for its FINER blades and deep Green coloring.

Most of these fancy Hybrids are sterile, so you CAN'T buy Seed for them.  I think you'll like plugs or Sod made of Princess -- it comes closest to giving you the Ryegrass look.  Princess swept the Oscars at last year's National Turfgrass Evaluation Program sweeps:

http://ntep.org/data/bg97/bg97_00-4/bg9700t01b.txt

Look down the Arizona column for Princess ratings.

As for overseeding with Rye, one of my favorite Grass Gurus, Southern gentleman Walter Reeves, has penned a column on this very subject, 'Bermuda - Overseed with Ryegrass':

http://www.walterreeves.com/lawns/article.phtml?cat=27&id=88

He figures that 'overseeding Bermudagrass with Ryegrass is like you trying to take a nap during a child抯 birthday party.  The needs of one Grass might not coincide with the needs of the other.'

Reeves lists ways you can improve your results when conducting this perennial exercise.  Mow low (to get the Bermudagrass out of the way and help the Rye Seed reach more Soil).   Seed and Feed (10-10-10 at Seeding, then a little taste of 33-0-0 in the Spring).  Mow low in the Spring (to give the Bermuda a boost and slow down the Ryegrass).  'Perennial Ryegrass or Annual Ryegrass are used to overseed dormant Bermudagrass Lawns.  Although more expensive, Perennial Ryegrass has more desirable turf characteristics than Annual Rye.'  Read the whole column and let me know what you think.

Let's talk about Tall Fescue.

You're right to figure that this is probably the most heat tolerant of the Cool Season Grasses on the market.  Tall Fescue has deep roots that are able to take less Water longer than any other Grass.  And it can take a long, hot, New York Summer Day better than other Grasses we grow here.  But in Arizona, you're talking EXTREME heat.  Not a wimpy 90, 100, 110 degrees F -- more like 115 and 118 degrees F.

Perhaps you have heard of a new cultivar named 'Phoenix' that was bred for heat and drought:

http://www.barusa.com/Products_Turf/PHOENIX.pdf

It's true that Phoenix Tall Fescue out-scored other Tall Fescues in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program trials.  But look where they tested it.  4 locations: Dallas, TX; Rhode Island; Riverside, CA; and Blacksburg, VA.  Dallas comes closest to your weather, but you know what a hot day in Dallas is like?  In its hottest month, August, the thermometer hit 102 degrees this year.  The average high is around 95 degrees F.  Compare that to a day in Phoenix, Arizona.  I don't have to tell you how hot it gets there.  Stand outdoors and your blood will boil.  For the benefit of the rest of the world reading this, however, let's put down the facts:  The record temperature for THIS month, October, was hit in 1980 with 107 degrees F.  On a normal October day, it hits 94 degrees F.  August?  Average high is 114 degrees F.  July is a little hotter, 116 degrees average high.

But let's keep a straight face and see if anyone anywhere in Arizona is growing Tall Fescue at their house.

Aha!  Yes, indeed, there are Tall Fescuers there, posted in 1995, 'Fun Facts About Tall Fescue' by the local Cooperative Extension Service:

http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=grow+tall+fescue+phoenix&fr=my-ve...

These Q's and A's on Tall Fescue for the Copper State are answered by David M. Kopec, Extension Turfgrass Specialist:

'Q. Where does Tall Fescue grow in Arizona?
A. Tall Fescue grows best in areas which are 3500 feet to 7500 feet in elevation.'

'Q. Can I convert my existing Lawn to Tall Fescue by overseeding with Tall Fescue?
A. NO. You will end up with a patchy Lawn with clumps of Tall Fescue among Bermuda. This is an unthrifty condition which often results in scalping.'

'Q. How do I switch to Tall Fescue?
A. At low elevations (Bermuda country), you must first kill the Bermuda in August with Round-up when the Bermuda is adequately growing. Apply two applications ten days apart. Don't wash off the Round-up from the leaves.'

'Q. When should I seed Tall Fescue?
A. In the early fall, about 2 weeks earlier than for Ryegrass. In Phoenix/late September - Tucson/mid-September - Prescott/August 15 - Flagstaff/mid-July. Yuma --- don't do it.'

'Q. What varieties should I use?
A. There are over 60 varieties available. Most likely, a local supplier will carry a blend of 2 or more Tall Fescue varieties mixed together.  Simply stated, stay away from the old fashioned forage and utility types.  They will stand out like sore thumbs if mixed with the improved Lawn types, and will provide an inferior Turf.'

'Q. So why should I use Tall Fescue for a Lawn?
A. Fescue if a specialty Grass in the desert, because of its higher water requirement. So for a small Lawn, with mixed shade, it will provide year round Green.'

Of course this is an abbreviated version.  You should look up the whole speech -- perhaps you already have, seeing that you have done some research.

Will you like the Tall Fescue look?

It's not Ryegrass.

University of Illinois Turfgrass Program posts descriptions of Grass for Lawns.  They write, 'Tall Fescue is a clumpy, coarse, bunch-type Brass that develops a deep root system from which wide leaves emerge.'

http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/weed_web/descriptions/tallfescue.htm

Seedland.com, which sells it, describes Tall Fescue as 'a coarser bladed, dense, clumping Grass that grows well in shady areas and is often mixed with other Grasses for just this quality.'

Ryegrass by the way is also a bunch Grass.

If you do make the decision to switch to Tall Fescue, make sure you get top quality seed.  Reason being, Tall Fescue Seed Stock is frequently contaminated with a Weed called Orchardgrass, and that's a pain in the neck to get rid of.

Xeriscapers would all vote for Tall Fescue in your situation.  In its essay, 'Alternatives to Lawns,' Landscape America points out that 'Where lawns are appropriate, consider a substitute grass that grows well with less water. Water-thrifty buffalo grass works well in out-of-the-way expanses of a property. Dark green turf-type tall fescue grows deep roots and requires less irrigation when planted on well-prepared soils. Tall fescue also tolerates wear and tear from children playing. In the right location, buffalo grass and turf-type tall fescue will beautify any landscape.'  Here's the URL:

http://www.landscape-america.com/landscapes/xeriscaping/lawn.html

I suppose you are exhausted about reading all this at this point.  And I want to get this back to you before the Roosters start crowing around here, so let me post it now.  If you have some thoughts on this, I'm interested in hearing what they are.  Thanks for writing.  Maybe Tall Fescue is the answer here, but don't write off Bermuda without seeing some of the prettier types.