Hi all! I would like to plant grass in our back yard that has several
trees. It gets some sun, but not much, it's usually shady during the
day. I would like your expert advice on the following issues:

1. When to plant grass? Note: According to city ordinance, I MUST
plant grass between now and May 15, which leaves me a little over a
month. I don't know if it's the best time for planting or not but I
have no choice. So I wonder if it's wrong time to plant, what will
the
consequences be (i.e. will the grass grow this summer, will I have to
use some special care, etc.)?


2. What type of grass should I plant that grows best in the shade?
Should I use seeds or "roll-out grass"?


3. What are the tips for caring for the newly planted grass? Should I
buy a sprinkler system? How often do I need to fertilize it?


I live in St. Louis, MO. Thanks for all responses!

I've never heard of a city ordinance about when you can plant grass...
that just seems wierd.

Your best bet for accurate advice for your area is to contact the
county agricultural extension service, or it's equivalent around
there. Failing that, just ask at some good lawn/garden stores (we have
Agway, Blue Seal, and one or two others). Your climate and soil type
will vary tremendously from anyone else's on here, so any advice I can
give you might work for me in NH, but fail miserably for you in MO.
They can also give you good advice on watering, cutting, and feeding.
Don't overdo any of them. Most grass really prefers to be allowed to
grow decently (so don't cut it too short), have the clippings mulched
in to feed, and watered occasionally but deeply (to get those roots to
go WAY down). Do that, and you won't really need a sprinkler system or
fussy feeding, unless you are a fetishist about a billiard-table lawn.

General rules say that planting in spring or late fall is usually
pretty good. Summer is harsh on seedlings, they dry out way too fast.
Most grasses work fairly well in shade, but some mixes are a little
better suited for it. My lawn (mostly small fescue) grows great in
shade and just bakes out in the sunny areas.

On Apr 2, 2:50 pm, wrote:
Hi all! I would like to plant grass in our back yard that has several
trees. It gets some sun, but not much, it's usually shady during the
day. I would like your expert advice on the following issues:

1. When to plant grass? Note: According to city ordinance, I MUST
plant grass between now and May 15, which leaves me a little over a
month. I don't know if it's the best time for planting or not but I
have no choice. So I wonder if it's wrong time to plant, what will
the
consequences be (i.e. will the grass grow this summer, will I have to
use some special care, etc.)?

2. What type of grass should I plant that grows best in the shade?
Should I use seeds or "roll-out grass"?

3. What are the tips for caring for the newly planted grass? Should I
buy a sprinkler system? How often do I need to fertilize it?

I live in St. Louis, MO. Thanks for all responses!

On Apr 3, 10:36 am, "Andrew Duane" wrote:
I've never heard of a city ordinance about when you can plant grass...
that just seems wierd.

Your best bet for accurate advice for your area is to contact the
county agricultural extension service, or it's equivalent around
there. Failing that, just ask at some good lawn/garden stores (we have
Agway, Blue Seal, and one or two others). Your climate and soil type
will vary tremendously from anyone else's on here, so any advice I can
give you might work for me in NH, but fail miserably for you in MO.
They can also give you good advice on watering, cutting, and feeding.
Don't overdo any of them. Most grass really prefers to be allowed to
grow decently (so don't cut it too short), have the clippings mulched
in to feed, and watered occasionally but deeply (to get those roots to
go WAY down). Do that, and you won't really need a sprinkler system or
fussy feeding, unless you are a fetishist about a billiard-table lawn.

General rules say that planting in spring or late fall is usually
pretty good.


For a shaded area, I would go with Spring seeding. In early Fall
trees still have leaves, which will block sunlight, making it more
difficult.

Beyond that, without knowing specifics, impossible to give advice




Summer is harsh on seedlings, they dry out way too fast.
Most grasses work fairly well in shade, but some mixes are a little
better suited for it. My lawn (mostly small fescue) grows great in
shade and just bakes out in the sunny areas.

On Apr 2, 2:50 pm, wrote:



Hi all! I would like to plant grass in our back yard that has several
trees. It gets some sun, but not much, it's usually shady during the
day. I would like your expert advice on the following issues:

1. When to plant grass? Note: According to city ordinance, I MUST
plant grass between now and May 15, which leaves me a little over a
month. I don't know if it's the best time for planting or not but I
have no choice. So I wonder if it's wrong time to plant, what will
the
consequences be (i.e. will the grass grow this summer, will I have to
use some special care, etc.)?

2. What type of grass should I plant that grows best in the shade?
Should I use seeds or "roll-out grass"?

3. What are the tips for caring for the newly planted grass? Should I
buy a sprinkler system? How often do I need to fertilize it?

I live in St. Louis, MO. Thanks for all responses!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Apr 3, 9:36 am, "Andrew Duane" wrote:
I've never heard of a city ordinance about when you can plant grass...
that just seems wierd.

Just a guess, but I suspect it has to do with water usage & trying to
get a lawn established before summer when usage is at it's peak.