Growing Grass in the Shade

Growing grass in the shade is one of the most common lawn problems.

If your shady lawn is thin and unacceptable, follow all the following steps to grow healthy, attractive turf in the shade:

1. Trim the trees. Remove branches up to 8 feet above the ground to allow more sunlight through.
2. Plant shade tolerant seed. We recommend:

North: SS6000, a mixture of fine fescues and shade tolerant bluegrass

Transition: SS1000, a blend of tall fescues

South: SS3000, a blend of shade tolerant Zoysiagrasses

3. Raise your mowing height 1 inch higher than the rest of your lawn. Greater leaf surface increases the ability of the plant to capture and use sunlight.
4. Water deeply during dry periods. Tree roots compete for moisture, causing drought stress in the shade, sometimes before it shows up in sunny areas.
5. Reduce nitrogen level by 1 lb/1000 sq. ft. per year compared to rates used in the sun. Apply fertilizer at the same time on the entire lawn, just reduce the rate in the shade. Lower fertilization rates promote root growth at the expense of soft, succulent shoot tissue which is more susceptible to turf diseases found in cool damp shade.
6. Limit traffic to reduce stress in the shade. Where possible, redirect traffic to the sunny areas of your lawn.
7. Plant new seed as early as possible in the fall to allow time for grass plants to mature before tree leaves fall. Remove leaves by gently raking to avoid turf damage. If you cannot seed in the early fall, wait till spring.
8. For a poorly drained shady site, improve drainage where possible. If it is not practical to remove excess water, plant a grass seed mixture of 70% Poa trivialis (rough stalk bluegrass) and shade tolerant bluegrass in the northern climate.

If you follow all these steps and, after a full growing season, your lawn is not satisfactory, there is probably too little sunlight to support turfgrass. You may want to consider alternative landscape strategies, such as tree removal, planting ground cover, or installing permanent decorative mulch.

For more information of growing grass in the shade connect with these Cooperative Extension Links:

These are links to additional information.

CT

• Shade Problems and Corrective Measures

GA

• Growing Grass in Shady Locations

IN

• Improving Lawns in the Shade

KS

• Shade-Tolerant Grasses

MN

• Lawns and Grass Growing in the Shade
• Growing a Lawn in a Shady Place

MO

• Grasses in Shade

NC

• Selecting and Managing Turfgrass for Shade

NY

• Coping with Shade
• Growing Lawns Under Shaded Conditions

PA

• Growing Turfgrass Under Shaded Conditions

RI

• Growing Turf Under Shaded Conditions

SC

• Growing Grass in the Shade

VA

• Producing Quality Turf in Shaded Areas

WI

• Growing Grass in Shade