Lawn Grass and Shade Tolerance – The majority of grasses thrive in full, direct sunlight. However, some grass types and varieties are more tolerant of varying levels of shade than others. Premium grass seed mixtures, such as Pennington Smart Seed Dense Shade and Pennington Smart Seed Sun & Shade, contain improved varieties to meet the requirements of lawns with heavy shade or variable sunlight.
- Outdoorsy types are already aware that the midday sun is more intense than the morning sun.
- As trees and shrubs leaf out in spring and shed their leaves in autumn, sun and shade patterns fluctuate throughout the day and the seasons.
- Take the time to evaluate your shade patterns thoroughly so you can determine what your grass is up against.
Then you can choose grasses that are best suited for the challenge. You must first choose between warm- and cool-season varieties of seed. This is largely determined by where you live. Warm-season grasses thrive in southern and western regions, whereas cool-season grasses thrive in northern regions.
- Zoysia grass is among the best warm-season grasses for shaded areas.
- Bahiagrass and Centipede grass have a moderate tolerance for shade, whereas Bermudagrass cannot survive in partial shade.
- Cool-season grasses tolerate more shade than warm-season grasses, but there are exceptions.
- Fine fescues have the highest tolerance to shade among common cool-season grasses, whereas tall fescues thrive in moderate shade.
Trees compete with lawn grasses for water, light, and nutrients.1,2 Perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass require more sun, but some varieties can tolerate light shade.
What kind of seed can be found in the shade?
Perennial ryegrass, red fescue, velvet bentgrass, and rough bluegrass are among the finest grass seed varieties for shade. Here is everything you need to know about planting and maintaining these grasses in shady areas.
– Groundcovers Fast-growing groundcovers that thrive in partially shaded areas include bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), lily turf (Liriope), and vinca (Vinca). In the spring, bugleweed clings to the ground and sends up short spikes of blue or white flowers.
Choose from varieties with various leaf colors, such as “Black Scallop” with nearly black leaves, “Burgundy Glow” with tricolored white, burgundy, and green leaves, “Chocolate Chip” with chocolate-brown leaves, and “Silver Beauty” and “Sparkler” with creamy-white and green leaves, respectively. Grow lily turf (Liriope) as a ground cover, edging, or border plant.
Vinca major, also known as blue buttons, and Vinca minor, also known as creeping myrtle, are both vigorous groundcovers with either green or variegated leaves and white or violet flowers.
Can you simply scatter grass seed and it will grow?
Will grass seed grow if I simply scatter it? Most likely not. Some seeds on the soil’s surface will germinate, but the germination rate will decrease, and the results will not be optimal.
Grass varieties Popular species, such as Kentucky bluegrass, grows poorly in shaded areas. Fine fescues tolerate shade well but cannot tolerate heavy foot traffic. Supina and rough bluegrass thrive in dense shade, but only if they are planted in moist locations.
