Are you finding that your shady lawn just isn’t thriving, no matter what you do?
It may be because you are using the wrong grass seed.
Choosing the right grass seed can make all the difference in helping you achieve your dream lawn.
Our Shade Support Grass Seed has been expertly blended to thrive, even in shaded areas.
It combines Perennial Ryegrass, known for its quick growth and strength, and Meadow Grass and Bentgrass to help this blend grow in low-light areas.
Follow these steps to create the ultimate shade-loving lawn:
1. Preparing your soil
The first step to achieving a vibrant lawn is ensuring that your soil is well-prepared to receive your seeds and help them thrive.
If soil is not adequately prepared, it can prevent nutrients from reaching your grass seeds and hinder their development.
You can ensure your soil is well-prepared by:
- Removing any weeds, debris, or stones to make way for your seeds
- Using a rake to loosen the top 2-3 inches of soil to ensure optimal contact
- Compacted soil will need to be aerated before any seeds are planted
- Those planting new lawns will need to ensure that the soil is firm and level, preventing water from pooling
2. Sowing Shade Support Grass Seed
Before sowing seeds, it is important to consider the time of year.
It is best to sow grass seeds in spring or early autumn, as temperatures are cooler and the soil is moist, creating the ideal conditions for your seeds to germinate.
You should avoid sowing seeds during seasons like summer and winter, as the conditions are too harsh.
To sow your seeds correctly, you should:
- Cover evenly. Distribute the Shade Support Grass Seed evenly across the prepared soil. You can use a broadcast or drop spreader to help you achieve even coverage
- Rake lightly. Once your seeds are in the soil, lightly rake over the surface to cover them with ¼ inch of soil, as this aids seed-to-soil contact
- Avoid over-raking. Do not rake too much, as this can bury your seeds and hinder the germination process
- Limit foot traffic. Try to reduce foot traffic on your lawn as much as possible after planting new seeds, as this can disrupt the process and cause seeds to move, resulting in an uneven lawn
- Water adequately. Keep the soil consistently moist during the germination period (typically 10-14 days), aiming for once or twice daily. However, you may need to adjust your watering schedule to the conditions
3. Maintaining your shade-loving lawn
Sowing your grass seeds is just the first step to creating an enviable lawn; it is the ongoing care and maintenance that makes it happen.
To ensure your lawn stays healthy and resilient, we recommend completing the following tasks:
- Regular mowing. Once your lawn has reached a height of around 4-6 inches, it’s time to mow. Make sure your mower blades are sharp to ensure a clean cut and avoid damaging grass blades
- Enriching your lawn. Feed your lawn with a well-balanced fertiliser to support year-round growth. Only fertilise your grass as required, as shaded grass needs less nitrogen than grass that receives full sunlight
- Leaf management. Although it can be a laborious task, regularly removing fallen leaves and debris can be highly beneficial for those with shaded lawns. Fallen leaves can block out sunlight and trap moisture, creating the perfect conditions for disease and pests to thrive
- Limit foot traffic in areas. Once your seeds are well-established, they will be more resilient against foot traffic. However, we recommend limiting foot traffic in particularly shaded areas, if possible, when the soil is wet, as this can lead to soil compaction
If you thought your low-light lawn could not flourish, our Shade Support Grass Seed blend is here to tell you it can.
