the essentials in brief
- Low-light conditions cause deficiency symptoms in many plants. Some types of grass do well with less light. the Lägerrispe is a species that tolerates the most shade of all grasses.
- Mixtures with shade lawn seeds should bear the RSM seal. The test winner is Shadow lawn from Wolf. Discount offers also do well in terms of germination.
- Spring is the ideal time to sow a shadowy lawn. It is important to prepare the ground thoroughly and to supply the area after the sowing. As an alternative to sowing, shaded lawns can be laid as rolled lawns.
- The maintenance includes four times Fertilize as well as regular watering during the summer. A shadow lawn is generally mowed monthly.
Growth in the shade
Shade is not a good condition for lawn growth
When light conditions are reduced, most plants suffer from deficiency symptoms. Only a few are adapted to low-light conditions in the shade. Grasses also strive for light, develop fewer runners and put their energy into the growth of the stalks in length. The high humidity in the air and soil, which is favored in shady garden corners, increases the susceptibility of the grasses to fungal diseases.
also read
- Easily create shadow lawns - this is how you sow properly
- What helps against moss and clover in the lawn?
- The most important types of lawn at a glance
Further influencing factors:
- Competition from trees
- limited supply of water and nutrients
- Leaf fall prevents air circulation
Where shadow begins
The light compensation point indicates the amount of light at which photosynthesis takes place ideally. According to scientific findings, this is between 1,000 and 2,000 lux for lawn grasses. For orientation: in Würzburg, a strength of 11,000 lux was measured at lunchtime on a fully sunny February day. After the extensive spread of a shading fabric, the amount of light has decreased by 70 percent to 3,500 lux, which is still sufficient for a healthy metabolism.
What types of grass are suitable for the shade?
The decisive factor for grass growth is the amount of sunlight available. In order for the species to thrive and grow healthily, the area should not be completely in the shade. Even if the shadow lawn is intended for locations with little light, the species often cannot develop in full shade. In these extreme habitats, consider alternative plant species like ivy or moss. The following grasses are suitable for shady areas:
| Latin name | Expectations | particularities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common bluegrass | Poa trivialis | moist and nutrient-rich soil | very cut compatible, closes gaps quickly |
| Red fescue | Festuca rubra | low demands on soil, nutrients and light | displaces weeds, ensures vital sward |
| German ryegrass | Lolium perenne | normal Garden soil with a good supply of nutrients and water | very quick germination |
| Lägerrispe | Poa supina | loose, fresh and nutrient-rich soil | unmatched high shade tolerance |
| Meadow panicle | Poa pratensis | high nutritional requirements | forms dense and hard-wearing sward through runners |
What to look for when buying
As with everything there is also with Lawn seeds great differences in quality
You should pay attention to quality so that the shadow lawn thrives well and does not show any deficiency symptoms. Choose tested lawn mixtures that are adapted to the special conditions. In order for a lawn to thrive in shady locations, the grasses should be shade-tolerant or shade-resistant. Products with 100 percent natural ingredients prevent unnecessary pollution for pets and wild animals.
Digression
What is behind the name RSM
These criteria are evaluated:
- Ability to scarring and scar density
- Competitive strength compared to other types of grass
- Resistance to disease and drought
- Capacity for regeneration and growth rate
Companies and Products
Various gardening magazines compared the different mixtures for shade lawns in the test. Time and again, a test winner emerges who can convince in various categories. But if you focus more on price, you will get a high-quality product with good germination results with the Gardenline shadow lawn from Aldi, for example. These are the most common products on the market:
| product | lot | advantages | disadvantage | Available at | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| wolf | Premium lawn "shade and sun" | 2 kg | RSM quality | high water demand | Obi |
| Compo | Seed (R) shade lawn | 2 kg | natural growth stimulators | many negative experiences regarding germination | Stretcher |
| Kiepenkerl | Shade lawn | 10 kg | Shadow lawns also suitable for the sun | no seal of approval | Hornbach |
| Greenfield | Shadow lawn | 0.5 kg | low maintenance | contains additives | Hornbach |
The Wolf shadow lawn proves to be the test winner and therefore the best shadow lawn. The mixture is characterized by good shade and sun tolerance and effectively suppresses weeds. the Sward is very resilient. The only disadvantage turns out to be the lack of drought resistance of the grasses.
Tips
Grasses that are compatible with shade are also available as turf. With this variant, you benefit from a quick growth time, so that the lawn can be stepped on after a short time.
How to create a shadow lawn
Shade lawns can be sown from spring to autumn
Areas that don't get a lot of light need a little more design leeway. There are various perennials and ferns that grow in places with little light. If you want to create a shadow lawn on such areas, you have to consider a few aspects. Good soil preparation is of great importance before starting the Sow shadow lawns.
Of all the grasses that grow in locations with little light, the Lägerrispe has the highest shade tolerance. Even with a light reduction of 50 to 75 percent, your degree of coverage is 80 percent after three years.
Timing and preparations
You can spread the lawn seeds in the garden from April to October, with spring being ideal. During this time of year, trees have little foliage, so enough light falls on the ground. In the hot summer months you should not sprinkle the lawn seeds in the bed, as there is a high risk of drying out. As soon as the hot temperatures in autumn have subsided, you can also start creating a new shady lawn. In order for the seeds to germinate ideally, the temperature should not fall below twelve degrees even at night.
How to prepare the ground:
- Chop flat and loosen thoroughly
- Remove weeds, root remains and stones
- Organic Slow release fertilizer work into the substrate
- Barren soils with peat-free Lawn soil to enhance
- Apply a five-centimeter layer of humus
- Level the substrate and with a Lawn roller condense
Sowing seeds
Ideally, bring the grass seeds with you Gritter the end. Work the surface first in lengthways and then in crossways. A quantity of 25 grams of seed is spread per square meter. Then cover the area thinly with garden soil and carefully press the substrate on with a board. Water the freshly sown lawn every day for the first few weeks and avoid drought.
Tips
Due to a lack of light, the regeneration capacity of shaded lawns is fundamentally lower than that of useful lawns under better lighting conditions. You should therefore wait with the tread load until a continuous sward has developed.
Maintain shadow lawns
Shadow lawns should not be mowed too often
Although shady lawns prove to be easy to maintain, you should pay enough attention to the area. There are a few aspects to consider, as these special growth conditions can quickly lead to a species shift.
Basic care tips:
- annual scarifying between April and May combats moss and weeds
- Spread some lime every year to prevent moss growth
- Remove leaves in autumn to allow air to circulate
Fertilize
The nutrient supply with a long-term lawn fertilizer should take place as early as possible in the year, before the leaves of the woody plants sprout and shade the area. In terms of time, you can orientate yourself on the forsythia flower. It is fertilized a maximum of four times a year in March, May, July and September. In autumn, you can use a fertilizer that is concentrated in potash, which improves the winter hardiness of the grass.
Water
Shaded areas hold thaw and rain water longer than sunny areas. Therefore, you should only water the shadow lawn when the substrate dries out. In the summer months you should regularly check the soil moisture, as it can dry quickly on hot days even under trees. The right amount is of great importance, as the combination of lack of light and high humidity can promote undesirable accompanying flora or diseases.
How to pour properly:
- once or twice a week in summer
- water penetratingly and root-deep
- ten to 15 liters of water per square meter are ideal
mowing
The lawn is mowed regularly but not too often. An interval of three to four weeks between mowing dates is ideal, when you cut about a third of the leaf mass. You should not fall below a cutting height of six to eight centimeters. The grasses benefit from a larger photosynthetic surface, which means that they can better assert themselves against weeds and moss. Remove the clippings directly from the surface so that it can breathe.
Overseeding
If algae and Moss in the lawn you can scarify the area from May next spring. In this way you comb the moss growth out of the sward. Since this method often creates gaps in the lawn, you should immediately reseed fast-germinating shadow lawn seeds.
frequently asked Questions
What do I have to pay attention to so that grass shadows thrive properly?
Every lawn seed needs light to germinate
Even shade-tolerant grass species need a certain amount of light in order to germinate. If the seeds are not exposed to sunlight at any time of the day, a layer of moss will develop over time. This means that the grass seeds have even less chance of germination. In the vicinity of conifers, shade grasses also have limited growth opportunities. The shallow-rooted woody plants compete with the grasses for water and nutrients in the upper soil layers.
Which shade grass mixtures are cheap and good?
Discounters such as Aldi or Toom have seasonal offers for lawn mixtures for shady areas, usually in spring. Despite the low price, you should pay attention to the species composition and quality. Not all mixes are equally good for shady areas. The shade grass mixture from Grandiol, which Lidl occasionally offers, has positive reviews regarding the success of germs.
Cheap mixtures with good experiences:
- lord: 10 kg shade grass mixture for approx. 50 Euros
- Pegasus: 1 kg of shaded lawn mixture for around 10 euros
- Cheese: 10 kg of seed mixture shadow lawn for just under 40 euros
How does shadow lawn grow in the sun and in the shade?
There are grasses that cope much better with darker locations. This includes the Lägerrispe, which is only included in mixtures for shade lawns to a small extent. Shade grass mixtures thrive very well in light shade. However, these areas are less resilient than a lawn in the sun. In full shade, the vitality of the grass decreases and moss prevails. There are also differences in care. Shadow lawns should not be cut deeper than two to three centimeters so that the grasses still have sufficient photosynthetic surface available.
What do I have to consider before creating a new shady lawn?
It is important that the air circulation in the soil pores can take place optimally. The substrate should not be too compacted. Loosen the area thoroughly and remove coarse components that negatively affect the root growth of the grass. By adding sand, you can loosen up heavy soils so that waterlogging does not build up. A balanced supply of water and nutrients ensures healthy grass growth. The substrate should not be too acidic. Measure with a pH meter whether the value is in the neutral range between 6.0 and 7.0.
Under which conditions do shadow grasses germinate optimally?
When sowing, pay attention to weather conditions that have a positive effect on growth. If the weather is too cold or too hot, the seeds will not germinate or the seedlings will die quickly. Soil temperatures between eight and ten degrees, which persist over a longer period of time, are ideal. Drought is a major stressor during the first two weeks after germination. The substrate should be moist but not wet during the rooting phase. A phosphorus-based starter fertilizer is suitable to support root growth.
Is it easy to maintain a shady lawn?
A well-established lawn in the shade proves to be comparatively easy to care for. A balanced supply of nutrients and the right irrigation are important. Since grasses in the shade are not compatible with deep cuts, certain cutting heights should not be fallen below when mowing.
A cutting depth of six centimeters is recommended for regular mixtures. Shadow lawns with poa supina can be shortened to three centimeters. In low-light conditions, the degree of grass cover can drop below 80 percent if the care is not right. Clear areas should be re-sown in spring so that the lawn remains visually appealing.