What grass is good for shade in GA??

[Nilesw]

I am about to over seed my lawn which is mostly moss and weeds now. It is a pretty shady and moist area. I have read that creeping red fescue might be a good idea but I was wondering what the people here would recommend. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks
Niles

 

[MarkV]

Niles,

Fescue is what everyone uses for shaded areas in my part of Georgia. Generally Fescue will do better starting out in the fall but I would give it a try now if I could keep it watered. Young Fescue has a hard time with the summer dry spells.

MarkV

 

[have_blue]

I live in Lousiiana, and this is not a grass-friendly state. We have dry spells and humidity that cause trauma and disease that most grasses can't tolerate. My yard is also very shady, and I've tried everything to get nice grass established. I've had my best luck (by far) with centipede. It's slow the first year, but takes off good in the 2nd year and beyond. It has good color, and needs little or no fertilizer. St Augustine was 2nd best for shade and disease resistance, but is coarse looking and grows too darn fast. I had to mow it twice a week during June and July.

 

[chucko]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What grass is good for shade )</font>

depends on how tall you are. In Fla we use trees for shade /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[fivestring]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[GareyD]

Ace Hardware has a "Some big name professional golfer that I can't remember" /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif mix that I used on a 80% shade corner of the lawn...

A mix of really fine bladed and creeping red fescue...a shame it doesn't seem to grow as well in the sunny areas....that shady corner is the best looking part of the yard.. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

GareyD

 

[EddieWalker]

I just bought some Zoiysa from an add in a magazine. I figured it was cheap enough that I could live with getting ripped off and give it a try.

Our local Saturday morning gardening radio DJ says Zoiysa it's really the best thing out there, but for some unknown reason nobody uses it.

Anyway, I planted it in 4 inch sqares two weeks ago instead of the one inch squares recommended. It arrived all dead looking and brown. After watering in the morning and evening for a few days, I started getting a few green blades.

Now I water just in the evening, and somedays I don't water at all and it's doing better everyday.

Most of my lawn is mixed St. Augistine and rye. The rye dies off in summer and the St. Augistine is spreading, but it's very coarse. The Zoiysa is fine bladed, soft to the touch and is supposed to be low maintenace. The add says you only have to mow a couple times a year, but I'm not believing that until it happens.

My soil is mostly clay, but the topsoil is decent enough.

Good Luck,
Eddie

 

[fivestring]

<font color="blue">"The add says you only have to mow a couple times a year, but I'm not believing that until it happens."
</font>

That's my kind of grass! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Mowing more than once a year is a pain.

 

[gws]

hmm. After thinking about this question I would say VERY tall grass is the only way you going to get a good shade out of it.

 

[Poppa]

Along the lines of Chucko and GWS, I would have to suggest Bamboo. Grows tall enough and so fast you can actually hear it. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Mike