Wisconsin Homeowners: Tips To Grow A Great Lawn In The Shade

Do you want to show off your beautiful yard but your grass just isn’t in the best condition it could be? One of the problems could be that your yard only receives dappled sunlight, leaving most of your lawn in shake. Even if your Wisconsin yard is filled with shade, you can still grow healthy grass that you can be proud of. All it takes is choosing the best grass variety that thrives in shady areas.

Use these guidelines for selecting grass based on climate and growing conditions:

Shade-Tolerant Grass for Northern Regions

Northern regions typically have cooler spring and fall seasons, making it difficult for some grasses to grow. For the best success, choose one of these varieties:

1. Fine Fescues

Ideal for heavy shade, fine fescues grow best in regions where the soil is dry. Available in Chewings, hard, red, and sheep varieties.

2. Tall Fescues

Tall fescues are versatile and tolerant to a variety of climate conditions, including cold, drought, heat, and shade.

3. Ryegrass

Perennial Ryegrass grows well in dappled sun and shade. This is a good grass variety for cooler climates.

Shade-Tolerant Grass for Southern Regions

If your yard is filled with shade and you live in a warm southern region of the country, choose one of these grasses:

1. Bahiagrass

A good option for warm climates and seasons, Bahiagrass will give you a lawn that’s durable and low maintenance.

2. Centipede

Able to tolerate heat and shade, Centipede grass flourishes in sandy, acidic soil. In milder climates, this grass variety will stay green and lush throughout all seasons.

3. Zoysia

Zoysia may be a little slower than other grass varieties to take root, but once it does it’s suitable for warm climates in shaded areas.

For how-to tips to grow grass in shade, contact a landscape expert in Wisconsin.

Tips for Growing Grass in Shade

Once you’ve decided what grass variety is best for your shady yard, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to keep grass growing so it’s healthy and thriving:

1. Encourage sunlight

Trim back tree branches and bushes to allow as much sunlight as possible to reach grassy areas.

2. Healthy soil

Do a soil test and check the pH level. You want the best pH balance possible for grass to thrive.

3. Raise mower blades

When cutting grass, set your mower one inch higher in shady areas. This extra height allows more sun to reach grass blades so that they grow deeper roots.

4. Adjust fertilizer

Lawn in shaded areas of your yard requires half as much fertilizer as sunny spots. Be sure to adjust so you’re not giving grass too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

5. Irrigation and watering

You want to water grass in shaded areas so that it gets enough water without becoming saturated with moisture. The key to this is to water deeply but infrequently.

Grass Alternatives

Although having a shady yard means that you stay cool in your outdoor space no matter how hot it is, the downside is that growing grass can be difficult in heavy shade. The good news is that there are alternatives to growing grass that can still let you have a green and luxurious yard.

Plant one or more of these ornamental plants as ground cover in shaded areas where grass just won’t thrive. Some of these plants even bloom so you can show off your yard with seasonal colors:

• Colorful coleus
• Hostas
• Painted ferns
• Periwinkle
• Sedge
• Wintergreen

Contact a HomeAdvisor landscaping contractor in Wisconsin for tips to grow a beautiful lawn.

This Patch article is sponsored by HomeAdvisor.