Idiot Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Shade Trees

5 Idiot-Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Trees. 

1. Improve sunlight! Intensity and duration of quality light reaching the grass plant is important. The more time the grass plant has in full sunlight, the better it will perform. Pruning lower branches to raise the canopy will increase full sun exposure and allow more wind circulation helping to reduce humid conditions that can stimulate turf disease. Shaded areas with restricted air movement may require treatment with Fungus Fighters to maintain a healthy turf.

2. Traffic Management! Shade stressed grass plants are less tolerant of heavy wear. Traffic management may be required. Active dog runs along shaded fence areas may require physical barriers to alter their traffic patterns. A runway of mulch along the fence could be your best option for large active canines.

3. Use the Best Grass Seed! Uncle's Premium Shade grass seed is the ideal blend of elite grass seed varieties with lower water and nutrient requirements showing improved shade tolerance and increased disease resistance. Reseed shady areas three times a year (spring, summer, and fall) rotating youthful, vigorous, low light tolerant grass plants into the maturing turf stand.

4. Deep Water Shade Areas! In the spring, with frequent rains, the shade tree and grass are good neighbors, plenty of moisture for everyone. However, when spring rains stop and summer heat sets in, the trees get very unfriendly. A large shade tree can use hundreds of gallons of water a day leaving very little moisture for turf grass. Discourage turf disease in summer with heavy but infrequent waterings to reduce wet foliage. 

5. Release Compaction! Condition the soil under your shade trees. Increase the soils water holding capacity and improve drainage by core aerating and raking PrimeraFC field conditioner into the aeration holes. PrimeraFC is a natural porous ceramic granule having incredible air and water holding capacity. PrimeraFC helps to relieve compaction and improve drainage when incorporated into the soil

What about large tree roots?

Unchecked over the years, soil erosion, can expose shallow tree roots. Bare soil erodes quickly with no grass roots to hold soil in place. Top soil can be hauled in to cover exposed roots, but too much soils can be damaging for the tree. Gasses must pass from the air to the roots and from the roots back to the air. Too much, soil pack can create real problems for the tree so, be careful! Some surface roots can also be removed. Large surface roots are more for anchorage and with expert help, you may be able to remove a few. Always contact an arborist for advice on removing tree roots.

If all else fails, start a shade garden. Hosta, astilbe, hydrangea love the shade.

Related: Best Shade Tolerant Perennials

Spring Lawn Tune Up

March is the time to start your lawn's engine so that it is ready to give you a smooth ride all season long. Just like your car, a good Spring Lawn Tune Up will give your lawn top performance and keep grass problems to a minimum as the season goes along. In your lawn, your good turf grasses are in a race with the weeds and insects that will sprout and hatch in the next eight weeks.

Feed it! In hot weather weeds and bugs can simply run rings around your lawn's desirable cool-season grasses. It is important to get your lawn started now so your good grasses have a head start on the competition. Feeding the lawn in early March with Loveland's Renovator or Golf Course Starter formula fertilizer will encourage your lawn grasses to grow healthy tops and roots. Roots, tillers and rhizomes spread and thicken your lawn turf. Vigorous roots and rhizomes help fill in bare spots to give the lawn a more uniform appearance and prepares the grass plant to receive sunlight that will in turn also promote root growth.

In the spring established lawns can look uneven and clumpy. Different grass types, different soil types, variation in moisture, sunlight, pet traffic, all contribute to an uneven appearance that is the lawn hangover from winter stress. An early spring lawn fertilizer will give grass plants the extra boost they need to green up and all start growing at once.

Feeding your lawn early has an obvious aesthetic benefit as the green lawn will frame springtime’s flowering trees and shrubs. It also has the practical benefit of crowding out bare spots and mud patches before weeds can sprout. Weeds and bugs need heat and sunlight. As the grass grows and thickens, bare spots disappear and soil temperatures are dramatically reduced by the shade and insulation provided by the thick green grass carpet.

Seed it! Those lawn areas where bare spots or turf damage are larger than a silver dollar will need to be over-seeded in order to fill in before summer. Start early to get a jump on summer weed competition. Fine leafed bluegrass lawns may be overseeded with special attention to bare spots. Choose newer bluegrass strains that are adapted to the Kansas City areas and do better in hot weather. Some of these include Corsair, Rock Star, Gibraltar and our elite blend Blue Wave. In most cases, these bluegrasses will outperform fescues ten months out of the year. Hybrid bluegrass mixes such as Estate Mix containing perennial sports rye will germinate much more quickly in cold soils and will be well established by summer.  Topdressing seeded bare spots with PrimeraFC seed dressing or sphagnum peat will speed germination. 

Related: March is the Perfect Time to Help Your Lawn

In Kansas City, fescue lawns are becoming more popular. But turf type tall fescue does best in warm weather. As such turf fescue lawns can be sluggish and slow to start in cold spring soils. If overseeding fescue lawns in the spring avoid coarse bladed pasture varieties such as K-31. New hybrid fescue varieties include Cochise 4, Falcon 4 and Bullseye as well as a number of popular mixes and blends such as Heat Wave and Macho Mix. Containing 5% perennial sports turf rye, Macho Mix seeded in early March sprouts one to two weeks sooner than fescue held until warm weather before sowing.

Related: Turf-Type Tall Fescue vs Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue

Weed it! Controlling broadleaf weeds in cold spring weather can be a real headache. Weeds that will curl up and die in two days when the temperature is eighty degrees will seem unaffected at fifty degrees. Winter weeds such as henbit, oxalis and even small dandelions can be seen on the lawn and are hard to kill in cold weather. Speedzone, a liquid broadleaf weed control, will kill springtime broadleaf weeds at lower temperatures than ever before.

Related: Best Control for Broadleaf Weeds in Cool Weather

The most important weed control application for the spring is Loveland's PREVENT!, a pre-emergent for crabgrass, foxtail and other ugly annual grassy weeds. PREVENT! will give best results when applied in two applications, once in Mid-April and again June first. PREVENT! will damage new grass seed so do not apply them to new seeding until the new grass has matured and mowed two times.

Related: Spring Seeding and Preventing Crabgrass

The Muck Stops Here!

Brown mud muck? At the Grass Pad, we receive plenty of phone calls and emails on lawns turned to brown mush. Dogs and kids running over waterlogged backyards and play areas turning lawns into a muddy mess.  If you have the mud muck in your backyard this fix comes from major league grounds keepers. Use PrimeraFC field conditioner a natural calcine clay that can absorb water.

PrimeraFC, field conditioner works great for drying up muddy areas around the patio or along dog run. PrimeraFC is beneficial for the soil, pet friendly and 100% weed free.

Uncle's tip:  For early germination in cool spring soils, over seed those same areas with Estate Mix, Macho Mix or Stadium Special.

See Spot's Run

Yes! Grass can grow on a race track! Soil compaction makes it difficult for the grass to grow in the areas where Spot runs along your deck and fence. Compaction leaves little or no oxygen available to the roots. Reduce compaction in those areas by core aerating your lawn every fall. Pass over the lawn at least 2-3 times focusing on the heavy traffic areas.

PrimeraOne field conditioner should be applied after aerating the dog run and all compacted areas. Rake or sweep the chips into the core holes. The entire lawn will benefit as well, especially if you have poor drainage.

Overseeding those areas with high traffic tolerant sports turf perennial rye grass such as Stadium Special, frequently throughout the season, will give support to your existing lawn and blend well with bluegrass or fescue. Stay ahead of the game and overseed with Macho Mix fescue or Estate Mix bluegrass each contain some perennial sports turf rye for traffic tolerance and quick germination.

Renovator or Golf Course Starter should be applied every four weeks in spring & fall growing season. Water your lawn regularly during the dry summer months. Watering in the morning is recommended to avoid turf fungus. A deep watering applied infrequently is best. Average watering should be one inch per week. Hot summers with excessive heat, may require up to two inches per week.