Shady Conditions

Growing turfgrass in the shade can be a frustrating situation. There is a point where it is just too shady to maintain a good stand of turf. That point can often be tough to identify, visually, because our eyes respond rapidly to changes in light levels. All grasses, even shade grasses, require a certain level of light exposure in order to survive. As time passes, trees grow taller and the canopy expands. The gradual reduction in light levels causes the turf to slowly thin out. If an area is consistently thin because of shade, here are a few things to consider:

• Is it possible to prune trees to increase light?
• Does the area get traffic from pets or children?
• Would a shade tolerant grass help?

Turfgrass is nothing more than a perennial grass. It is subject to similar limitations as any other perennial plant. If an area is not supporting an acceptable stand of grass, it is possible that another landscape option would be better.(Ground cover, mulch beds, water gardens, etc.)

If you plan to maintain turfgrass in a shady environment, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Minimize traffic
• Keep seed on hand, and spot seed the area as often as needed, throughout the season. Plan on an annual seeding every fall.
• Do not overwater or over-fertilize the area.
• Mow tall, expose as much grass blade as possible to available light.
• Keep expectations reasonable; It's just difficult to have a nice lawn in heavy shade.
• Don't count on a shade mix to be the answer. The shade tolerant grasses can help, but they tend to suffer from summer heat stress regardless of the heavy shade. We like to see Tall Fescue given every possible chance before resorting to other species.