Best Shade grass/ground cover

[Hysyde]

As per the attached pictures, I've cleaned out a severe mess in a portion of my bush that I'm looking to keep "manicured" to a certain extent. I shaped most of the ground to the point I can get my mower in there and a bit of string trimming.

So with that, I want something to take hold on the ground that I can keep managed with a mower. A bit of sun gets in there during the summer, but not a lot in some areas. Is there a type of grass or clover that will take hold?

Thanks,

 

[Hysyde]

Or alternatively, should I just let whatever wants to pop up in there come in and keep knocking it down until the ground is somewhat covered with low lying greenery?

 

[Gem99ultra]

If it were me, I'd just chip up those logs that you picked up, and spread them around the trees. That would give you a nice soft, clean area that wouldn't even need to be mowed for a number of years.

 

[RalphVa]

I'm usually the wait and see person, barring invasive stuff the stuff that will come in will be natural stuff that likes the climate there. However, the wife recently complained after lots of rain that we need something to stabilize the soil. In researching, I concluded that creeping red fescue (e.g. sometimes called "fine" fescue) is what will grow in shady/semi shady spots. About the cheapest I could find it online was about $2.75/#. I just went to Lowes and bought 40 # of contractor grade grass seed.

Biggest problem with grass seed is getting it to stay in place until it sprouts. On slopes or areas where the slope water drains and runs through, this is a problem. Just hope ours sprouts before the upcoming big rain Wednesday night. Have had about the right amount of slightly rainy days since spreading the seed for that to happen.

My neighbor got a good stand of orchard grass on a flattish area of a slope just on his side of the hill down our back properties.

Ralph

 

[Hysyde]

If it were me, I'd just chip up those logs that you picked up, and spread them around the trees. That would give you a nice soft, clean area that wouldn't even need to be mowed for a number of years.

Yes, I've done that in other areas that I've cleared. I find I have to spend a fair bit of time (every 2-3 lawn mowings) with the string trimmer to knock down some of the more persistent stuff. Most shoots from nearby sumac, but lots of other stuff.

I plan on bringing in a 12"-16" chipper to deal with the countless white cedar logs I've cleaned up, and I'll have a ton of chips when I'm done, so it's an option. I was planning on putting them in some of the less (planned) manicured areas that I have yet to clean up, plus to beef up some of my trails that are pretty soft. Even though they are cedar logs and the chips will have a decent lifespan, eventually it will all turn to muck though and I kind of want to see how semi-manicured grass will do in this area.

 

[Hysyde]

I'm usually the wait and see person, barring invasive stuff the stuff that will come in will be natural stuff that likes the climate there. However, the wife recently complained after lots of rain that we need something to stabilize the soil. In researching, I concluded that creeping red fescue (e.g. sometimes called "fine" fescue) is what will grow in shady/semi shady spots. About the cheapest I could find it online was about $2.75/#. I just went to Lowes and bought 40 # of contractor grade grass seed.

Biggest problem with grass seed is getting it to stay in place until it sprouts. On slopes or areas where the slope water drains and runs through, this is a problem. Just hope ours sprouts before the upcoming big rain Wednesday night. Have had about the right amount of slightly rainy days since spreading the seed for that to happen.

My neighbor got a good stand of orchard grass on a flattish area of a slope just on his side of the hill down our back properties.

Ralph

Yeah, I was thinking a fescue of some sort. Thanks

 

[Stan B]

So with that, I want something to take hold on the ground that I can keep managed with a mower. A bit of sun gets in there during the summer, but not a lot in some areas. Is there a type of grass or clover that will take hold?

In my state in the US we have "soil conservation districts" which, among other functions, sell native trees, seeds, and offer land management classes. If you have something similar nearby, they may know what works well in your area for your specific purpose, soil conditions, etc. Good luck!

 

[RalphVa]

One good ground cover is bugle weed, ajuga, for shadier areas. Haven't tried getting seeds for it. It just appeared around here. Doesn't need mowing. It is not a native. Fine or red creeping fescue seems to be.

Ralph

 

[kenmbz]

The Ajuga is nice, and for a weed somewhat controllable. I also have Vinca (periwinkle)and that spreads slowly in the shade.
I have the same issue with downhill water. The Vinca and Ajuga seem to suffer when tread on though.

 

[EddieWalker]

Instead of grass, what about a spreading, low growing flowering plant? Since my part of the world is so different then yours, I can't recomend anything, but here in East Texas, we use vinca, wild violet and/or monkey grass around our shade trees and then put in a border or edge it, where the grass starts. Larger shrubs are also added to really give those areas some color, like azaleas.