Cultural - Shade Fact Sheet - US South PDF

Locally owned & operated Superior products Expertly trained technicians Excessive Shade Why Is My Lawn Thinning in the Shade? Due to the lack of sunlight, you might notice the grass in Adjust watering practices: Shaded areas typically shaded areas of your pro...

Locally owned & operated Superior products Expertly trained technicians Excessive Shade Why Is My Lawn Thinning in the Shade? Due to the lack of sunlight, you might notice the grass in Adjust watering practices: Shaded areas typically shaded areas of your property starting to thin. Most grass receive less direct sunlight and may require less species require a certain amount of sunlight to grow and water compared to sunny areas. Adjust your watering thrive. When an area is heavily shaded, reducing the amount schedule accordingly, avoiding overwatering, which can of sunlight reaching the ground, it can cause the grass to lead to poor grass growth or disease issues. Aim for grow more slowly or not at all. Shade can also cause an deep, infrequent watering to encourage deeper root increase in relative humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and growth. competition from tree roots, as well as a decrease in wind movement. All of these conditions can result in the grass Consider alternatives like Groundcover or Landscaping: becoming thin and spindly, leading to bare patches in the In some situations, you may need to rethink your lawn. turfgrass. For example, seeding may not be viable at the base of certain trees, such as Black Walnut or Silver Maple, which are toxic to grasses. A different kind of ground cover, landscaping, or mulch may provide better coverage in these shaded areas. What Can I Do About Thinning Areas in My Lawn? The best way to correct the problems resulting from a heavily shaded lawn is to correct the underlying condition: the shade. Here are some steps you can take: Evaluate the type of grass: Different grass species have varying shade tolerance. Make sure you have chosen a grass variety suitable for shaded areas. St. Augustinegrass, fine fescue, and some types of zoysiagrass are generally more shade-tolerant in the southern US. Prune Your Trees: Increase light penetration by thinning out any dense foliage or removing obstacles like garden structures that may be blocking light from reaching the grass. Prune your trees regularly to reduce shade and increase air circulation, improving grass seed growth. Although canopy thinning alone will not solve most turfgrass growth problems, it’s a step in the right direction. For more information, visit our website: weedman.com