Shaded Lawns: Some Advice For The Keen Gardener

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While most of your lawn is probably in direct sunlight for most of the day, there will be patches that remain in the shade, especially as the seasons change. 

In the winter, for instance, the sun doesn’t rise high in the sky. This pattern creates long shadows for several months, leading grass in some parts of your lawn to be deprived of the light it needs to thrive. 

Often, there’s nothing you can do to remove the source of the shadows, either. It could be your two-story house or a large, protected tree (or something on your neighbor’s property). Thus, your only option is to adopt proper lawn care. But what does that involve when parts of the lawn experience a lot of shade? Here’s some advice. 

Keep The Lawn Hydrated

The first step is to keep the lawn hydrated, especially in the summer months. If grass doesn’t have sufficient water, it will brown more quickly.

Choose Shade-Loving Species Of Grass

Next, you’ll need to be selective of the grass species you choose. While most varieties need around six hours of sunlight per day to bounce back in the spring, some species can survive low-light conditions for extended periods.

Savvy gardeners, therefore, vary grass species across their lawns according to expected light levels. If they know a particular corner will struggle to get the sunshine it needs to thrive, they sow more robust seeds here. 

This strategy is one that many stately homes use to keep their lawns looking fresh and verdant year-round. They’ll vary the species they plant according to the expected conditions. If light levels are going to be low, then they will scatter more seeds of grass species that can survive them. 

Hire Professional Help

Have you ever been to a friend’s house and marveled at how they managed to get a perfect lawn? Well, usually, the state of their grass has nothing to do with their personal efforts. Instead, they’ve usually hired professional help. 

Affordable lawn care might be the right option for you if you’re a busy person who doesn’t have enough time to spend in the garden, tending to your lawn. Professionals put your grass on a schedule, feeding and watering it periodically according to the prevailing weather conditions and climate. 

Make Weed Removal A Priority

The combination of shade and weeds will immediately kill patches of grass, trying to survive in low light conditions. Invasive plant species steal resources from the grass, causing it to die back. Be sure that you operate a robust weeding schedule to remove unwanted plants the moment that they appear in vulnerable spots on your lawn. 

Create Bigger Boundaries With Your Borders

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Grass near borders tends to receive more shade than grass in the middle of your lawn. Furthermore, it has to compete with neighboring plants for resources. Therefore, professional gardeners suggest that you find ways to increase the gap between the plants in your borders and the grass. The more significant the distance, the less likely the grass will die. 

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