How To Grow Grass Under Trees
Growing grass under a tree might be difficult, but it is doable with the right care. Grass does not grow well under trees due to the shade and lack of sunlight. If you decide to take on the job of growing grass around your trees, here are the ideas to help you succeed.
How To Grow Grass Under Trees
1. Choose a Shade-Tolerant Variety
Most grass does not grow well in the shade so it is very important to choose shade-tolerant grass that thrives in your area. It is important to note that even shade-tolerant grasses require about four hours of sun per day. Your local garden center will know which types are best grass seed for under trees where you live.
2. Let in the Light
Pruning low branches and thinned out the density of your tree will let more sunshine in and enhance the likelihood of successfully growing grass under the tree.
3. Feed Your Lawn
Although common sense would suggest that grass grow in shady areas needed more fertilizers, it requires less nitrogen than grass grown in the sun. As a result, in shady areas, use less fertilizer and instead add a good layer of organic compost.
4. Keep It Long
Grass grown in shade should be kept about an inch taller than grass grew in full sun. This will allow your grass to have a little more surface area for soaking up any sun that comes through the leaves.
5. Water Appropriately
Most homeowners will discover that growing their grass under a tree needs extra watering. This is due to many factors, including a lack of rainfall and competition between the grass and the tree. For the health of the oak and the grass, it is typically recommended that you put your grass at least 15 feet from the tree.
6. Practice Stress Reduction
If you wish to grow grass under trees successfully, you must limit any stress on your grass as much as possible. This includes not allowing your dogs to urinate on or near the tree, reducing traffic, and using as little herbicide as possible.
Alternatives to Natural Grass Under Trees
Many homeowners believe that growing and maintaining natural grass under trees is simply too difficult. One option for shade is to use a drought-tolerant ground cover that requires little water and adds color and texture to the area without the high maintenance requirements of natural grass. A non-living ground cover, such as gravel, bark, or wood chips, could be used. It might also be a living ground cover, such as creeping thyme or shade-tolerant sedum.
Natural grass is an excellent choice for people who wish to have a grass lawn under trees that may be affected by too much moisture in the soil, such as oak trees. If you want a lush, green lawn that will appear just as beautiful and full beneath your trees as it will in sunny places, artificial grass might be a fantastic alternative.
If the majority of natural grass lawn alternatives aren't what you're searching for, you might want to consider artificial grass. Synthetic grass has the appearance of grass but does not require the mowing, aerating, weeding, fertilizing, reseeding, or edging that natural grass does.