shady yard
 

Hi All,
My back yard has many tall trees. It faces south, so the possibility of a
decent lawn does exist, but when the trees come out, the sun doesn't reach
the ground well. I have taken many of the densest areas and changed them to
groundcover/mulch, but I still want the rest of the yard to be lawn.
Can anyone recommend a type of grass seed that might survive? Also, is there
any sod that might be available?? I plan to take care of this this coming
spring, since we are tired of our dogs coming in with muddy feet whenever
the yard gets wet. Would elevating the canopy help?
The reason why I can't understand why I can't be successful is that I have
many neighbors with similar shade density, and they have very nice lawns.

Thanks!
Chas G
Edison, NJ

shady yard
 

On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 14:52:43 GMT, "DJ BLAG"
wrote:

Hi All,
My back yard has many tall trees. It faces south, so the possibility of a
decent lawn does exist, but when the trees come out, the sun doesn't reach
the ground well. I have taken many of the densest areas and changed them to
groundcover/mulch, but I still want the rest of the yard to be lawn.
Can anyone recommend a type of grass seed that might survive? Also, is there
any sod that might be available?? I plan to take care of this this coming
spring, since we are tired of our dogs coming in with muddy feet whenever
the yard gets wet. Would elevating the canopy help?
The reason why I can't understand why I can't be successful is that I have
many neighbors with similar shade density, and they have very nice lawns.

Thanks!
Chas G
Edison, NJ


It might just be the condition of your soil and a drainage problem.
Depending on the type of tree raising the canopy can be a big help.

zhan

shady yard
 

Creeping Red Fescue works well in my shady back yard and it is fairly tolerant
of poor soil and drought.

BT


"DJ BLAG" wrote in message
t...
Hi All,
My back yard has many tall trees. It faces south, so the possibility of a
decent lawn does exist, but when the trees come out, the sun doesn't reach
the ground well. I have taken many of the densest areas and changed them to
groundcover/mulch, but I still want the rest of the yard to be lawn.
Can anyone recommend a type of grass seed that might survive? Also, is there
any sod that might be available?? I plan to take care of this this coming
spring, since we are tired of our dogs coming in with muddy feet whenever
the yard gets wet. Would elevating the canopy help?
The reason why I can't understand why I can't be successful is that I have
many neighbors with similar shade density, and they have very nice lawns.

Thanks!
Chas G
Edison, NJ

shady yard
 

I side with zhan on this... I have a friend in the lawn-care and pruning
business, and he ALWAYS (with the permission of the owners of course) limbs
trees up as far as he can reach (he's 6'6) if they want to have a healthy
awn underneath. The greediest tree is the Norway maple - but lawns can even
be grown under them, if the tree is sufficiently limbed up - and possibly
the branches thinned a bit as well.
"zhanataya" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 14:52:43 GMT, "DJ BLAG"
wrote:

Hi All,
My back yard has many tall trees. It faces south, so the possibility of a
decent lawn does exist, but when the trees come out, the sun doesn't
reach
the ground well. I have taken many of the densest areas and changed them
to
groundcover/mulch, but I still want the rest of the yard to be lawn.
Can anyone recommend a type of grass seed that might survive? Also, is
there
any sod that might be available?? I plan to take care of this this coming
spring, since we are tired of our dogs coming in with muddy feet whenever
the yard gets wet. Would elevating the canopy help?
The reason why I can't understand why I can't be successful is that I
have
many neighbors with similar shade density, and they have very nice lawns.

Thanks!
Chas G
Edison, NJ


It might just be the condition of your soil and a drainage problem.
Depending on the type of tree raising the canopy can be a big help.

zhan

shady yard
 

The majority of the offending trees are oaks, with one swamp maple. Most are
elevated already up to 15-18 feet, but maybe I should go higher? Another
section, which is all mulched has a bunch of 'junk' trees and what looks
like a type of cherry. I have left them as is because they block the view of
a street on the other side of the next yard. They are in the southeastern
side of the yard, however.
Chas