Five Steps to Healthier Grass in Shady Spots

Growing turfgrass in shade is a major problem for many homeowners. An estimated 20 to 25 percent of all grassy areas in the U.S. are shaded to varying degrees. While it’s not always advisable to even try to maintain beautiful grass in shaded conditions, the not-for-profit Turf Resource Center recommends the following five steps to maximize turf in shady areas.

Step 1. Make an informed decision about the likelihood of success.

Even the most shade-tolerant grasses need at least 50% sunlight or a minimum of four hours of sunlight daily to survive. Pruning a tree’s canopy and its lower 8-10 feet of limbs will allow more sunlight to reach the ground, but it might be destructive to the tree or spoil its natural appearance. If you can’t achieve minimal sunlight for grass, switch to a shade-tolerant ground cover.

Step 2. Select the most shade-tolerant grass species possible for your climate.

Not all grasses are created equal especially when it comes to light requirements. Various independent researchers have established the following rankings for shade tolerance. Warm- season grasses (most tolerant first): St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass, bahiagrass, carpetgrass, Bermudagrass. Cool-season grasses: (most tolerant first): fine fescue, bentgrass, rough bluegrass, shade tolerant cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, shade-intolerant cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass. (Consult your local Extension office for specific cultivar recommendations that should include considerations of local maximum and minimum temperatures and disease factors.)

Step 3. Select trees that complement turf’s presence.

Trees with dense canopies and/or shallow root systems create problems for turf. Avoid maples, oaks, magnolias, elms and sweet gums because of their dense canopies and steer away from beeches, maples and willows because of the shallow root systems. The open canopies of trees such as poplars, birches, pines, locusts and ginkgos can work well in concert with grass.

Step 4. Adjust turf maintenance practices to maximize the chances of success.

Water early in the morning and infrequently, applying enough water at a single time to moisten the soil five to eight inches deep. This approach will reduce the potential outbreak of turf diseases that thrive in damp, shady areas.

Mow at a minimum height of 2-1/2 to 3 inches, removing no more than the top one-third of the grass blades. Most heavily shaded grass grows more upright and stringy to increase the leaf surface and capture any available sunlight. Cutting at a greater than normal height allows this to continue.

Fertilize at half-dose rates of nitrogen, compared to the sunnier areas of the lawn and increase potassium rates. Nitrogen encourages succulence that can decrease wear tolerance and increase disease susceptibility, while potassium can improve both conditions.

Herbicide applications should rarely be used because they will place yet another stress on already stressed grass.

Step 5. Reduce heavy use of the shaded grass areas.

As fragile as shaded grass plants are, it doesn’t take much to tear out their shallow root systems or otherwise damage the plants beyond their ability to recover. Limiting heavy use enables the grass to handle other stresses better.

One final suggestion: plan to re-sod heavily shaded areas every few years as part of the yard’s overall maintenance and improvement plan. Stripping off nearly non-existent grass and replacing it with dense, mature turf can immediately refresh a shady area.

Adapted from a recent press release supplied by the Turf Resource Center (sponsored by Turfgrass Producers International), 1855 A Hicks Rd., Rolling Meadows, IL., 60008. Source: HortIdeas, June 1998.

Mid-Summer 1998
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