Best grass for heavy shade?

[CN Spots]

I have an oak in the back that used to have a swing underneath it and all of the grass around it was trampled to death. I've tried to get bermuda to stick but it just won't hold up in the shade. The only other palletized option around here is zoysia but it's pricey and I'd hate to sod the area just to have it die. It's on a slope and I'm losing topsoil fast. Anyone had any luck w/shady grasses? Has to handle heat, it get over 100 here in the summer.

Thanks!

spots

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

The kind they have in Florida yards, crabgrass? you can't kill that stuff.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

You want what they call Clinton mixture.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Astoturf

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

You want what they call Clinton mixture.

Is that no seeds but a few stems

 

[jevery]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Fescue is what everyone here plants under shade trees. It is a cool season grass, but holds up well in hot weather in partial or total shade. We typically have many days over 100 here in central Oklahoma. Start it from seed in the spring or fall.

 

[Cofe]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

You want what they call Clinton mixture.

If that stuff ever catches on fire, DON'T INHALE

(My apologies....That was wide open... Just had to do it.)

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Yep !!. I had the door wide opened on that one . :redface:
You guys got me .

 

[642mx]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Fescue is what everyone here plants under shade trees. It is a cool season grass, but holds up well in hot weather in partial or total shade. We typically have many days over 100 here in central Oklahoma. Start it from seed in the spring or fall.

+1 on the fescue. My yard is shaded in some area's and never shaded in others, the fescue holds up fine in the shaded area's and likes a little water in the non-shaded area's.

The downside is it seems to take a little while to grow. Cover it with straw and water it everyday until it starts to come through the straw.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

If is it fescue you want, then the shade variety is called creeping red fescue. Tall fescue is usually for the sun and gets real thin in the shade.

 

[dancudayo]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

how about some jasmine? they have dwarf varieties that make great ground cover. not to sure how it would hold up to being walked on regularly though.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Guess I should have mentioned that I need the type of grass sold in pound bags, not ounces.

I'll give the red fescue a shot. Thanks!

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Creeping red fescue is beautiful, fine as baby's hair. But it's not very durable to foot traffic. Google it to see if it'd work in Mississippi.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Creeping red fescue is beautiful, fine as baby's hair. But it's not very durable to foot traffic. Google it to see if it'd work in Mississippi.

You are right, fescue doesn't repair itself quite like Bermuda, but you can walk on it, but not play soccer or use it as a constant path.
With that said, usually plants that grow in shade are that way. There isn't the sunlight to allow them to produce enough sugar to promote rapid growth, especially fine blade varieties.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Look into Kentucky blue grass

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Look into Kentucky blue grass

I've seen that stuff, it's beautiful, but it'll bake down here.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

Im having good results so far w Rebels shad mix/bought @ homedepot.It claims to survive heat better than average and grow roots 40% deeper.I have heavy near 100% shad in the back from huge poplar trees here in N.C.minimal prep.(I aeriated? the heck out of a basically bare dirt area till it was 2or3"s of loose dirt fertlized,seeded,and coverd w wheat straw and some mulch from the bottom of a leaf pile.2 weeks,waterd 1nc a day its doing better than I expected.Its tall fescue and is fine like hair and will lay down when I mow it but is growing well,waiting to see about the heat tolerance.Good luck!

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

If periwinkle will grow in your area it is a great ground cover, looks great and dioes really well in shade.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

I had a simular issue and tried all types of grasses with little or no results. I had a pro yard inspection and was told the trees (hair roots) were stealing all the moisture and the grass was starving. I installed a sprinkler system and and the issue is 90% gone.
Denny

 

[mommicked]

Re: Best grass for heavy shade?

my rebel shade grass is now almost gone.it has been unusually hot this year,it is barely (no pun intended) holding on.i have watered it occasionally when it looked dry.but i think its done.Its in about 90% shade!