Question
Hi,

I decided to resod my backyard at the end of the summer.  I live in San Diego.  The person I hired to do it only did a third of the yard (I thought he was going to do the whole yard), so I was left with the new sod on a third of my yard and the old stuff elsewhere.  Some of the new sod died because he let it get too dry before installing it.  I dug up the new sod that died and put down dark green fescue myself.  It's doing great, but doesn't match up with the sod that the other guy put down (which has now gone brown and dormant for the winter) and the rest of my old lawn.  The landscaper I hired was terrible and I eventually fired him.  

My question: is there anyway I can get some fescue to grow and take over the sod he put down that is brown in the winter?  My lawn looks ridiculous!  Can I put fescue seed on top of the dormant sod and hope it takes?  Or do I need to take up the sod that he put down and reinstall fescue in those spots.  I'm just looking to make sure things match - I don't mind a blend of different grasses.  

Answer
Hi Jason'
I would try seeding in some fescue before ripping out all that other sod.
Whether or not the fescue will crowd out the other grass depends on how fescue spreads, and what type the other grass is.
I know little about fescue, it is a cool season grass, and simply will not survive our Texas summers.
the only experience I had with fescue was way back in 1959, and only lived there one year.
Sorry I couldn't help more.
I like a blend of grasses too.
I am an artist, and so I enjoy the different shades and textures.
You might try taking up some plugs from the grass that is doing well and setting them among where you are seeding in new fescue to better blend the two grasses together.
Charlotte