Many home lawns have heavily shaded areas where it is not easy to establish or maintain quality turfgrass. Competition between trees and turf for light, nutrients and water can stress and weaken turfgrass, and heavy usage of shaded turf areas during the hotter periods of the year adds to the problems by increasing soil compaction in the area.

Trees that develop a dense, shallow, fibrous root system, such as silver maple, are extremely competitive with turfgrass for moisture. In addition, research has demonstrated that certain trees like the silver maple excrete toxic substances that have a negative influence on Kentucky bluegrass growth. The relatively constant temperature under the canopy of a tree, higher humidity, lower light encourages disease. Turfgrass growing in this environment can be susceptible to heat, drought and disease. In addition, the reduced sunlight promotes turfgrass that is less able to recuperate form foot traffic, mower damage or plant pests.

Turfgrass growing in shade generally requires less total nitrogen than grass in full sunlight, however, late fall fertilization of cool-season grasses is extremely beneficial in shaded environments. This is the only time of the year when the grass plants under trees can efficiently utilize the applied nitrogen without competition from trees for moisture, nutrients and light. The following management tips will encourage maximum turfgrass growth in the shade.

• Overseed with shade tolerant grasses including: fine-leaf fescues (Creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, sheep fescue and hard fescue). For moderately shaded areas, shade turf-type tall fescue is an excellent choice.
  
• Sow seed in shaded areas in the fall. Fall seedings generally are more successful than spring seedings because they go into the first summer with a more mature root system and more food reserves.
  
• Maintain a pH near 6.2 for tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. Research evidence suggests that the fine fescues do better at a pH of 5.5.
  
• Raise the mowing height. Increased mowing height induces larger root systems and healthier plants.
  
• Irrigate infrequently, but heavily. Infrequent watering tends to minimize compaction, reduce shallow surface rooting and reduce the incidence of disease.
  
• Reduce use of the area. Grasses with little food reserve and thin cell walls cannot bear much traffic without sustaining damage.

• Frequent leaf raking is essential to establishment of grasses in shaded areas. Leaves left on the lawn shade the young seedlings and slow their development.

• Provide good drainage. Poor drainage increases the possibility of disease, and promotes moss, algae and weeds such as yellow nutsedge.

If attempts to produce turfgrass in shade meet with failure after using the above management program, consider the use of shade-tolerant ground covers instead of turf.