DO YOU HAVE A SHADY LAWN??

Do you have a shady lawn? Do you always have problems keeping grass from thinning out? Well if you own a home and have a lawn, by now you have received a call from your local lawn care company trying to sell you 5-6- even 7 applications per year. Then they will add aeration and grub control and all this is mostly a waste for any lawn that is mostly shade.

The 1st mistake people make is thinking they need a Pre-Emergent.  Pre-Emergent is just a barrier that prevents some annual grasses mostly common for preventing crabgrass. The problem is, is that crabgrass doesn’t grow in the shade. It prefers warm soil conditions and dry soil, which is why you see it mainly by the edges of curbs and sidewalks. Don’t have pre-emergent applied if you have a shady lawn!!

So what do you need?  When setting up your seasonal applications ask for starter fertilizer only rounds 1 and 2. This will allow you to do any necessary seeding, and the starter fertilizer is high in phosphorus which will help with root development.  You don’t want a lot of nitrogen during the spring.  This just causes a great deal of top growth during the wetter months, which will basically get matted down and eventually thin out. You can see that in the picture above.  You only want high nitrogen application, which some call a “winterizer” around late October into November. This will feed the lawn throughout the winter months.  Try this tip as well as asking for spot spraying only for weeds and you will notice your lawn thickening in the shaded areas and a much better color as well!!