Hi there,
I am new to this forum, and gardening is an entirely new venture for me.
What I have to start out with is a little yard, maybe 6 ft x 6 ft. I'm not sure how deep it is, perhaps 5 or 6 inches. It is now filled with dirt and woodchips. This area does not get a lot of sun, mostly shade all day and drainage could be an issue (I wouldn't know til the woodchips/dirt are removed) since most of my neighbours have artificial grass put in by the building management.
I would like to start out by growing some grass, as organically as possible since I have pets that feed on grass.
Since I have not the slightest idea where to begin this grass growing, my questions are:
- Is growing real grass in this area plausible?
- What kind of maintenance would be involved?
- Can I expect the grass to grow quickly/be green all year round?
and following that:
- What would I need to grow the grass? - just soil (what kind?) and seeds?
- What kind of grass would you recommend for this small shady area, and safe for pets?
- Would you recommend laying sod/instant grass instead?
Lastly, how would I find someone knowledgeable enough, but not too expensive, to help with this project? I am incapacitated to a degree at the moment.
Thank you in advance for your input.
-
nothumbs gardening
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:30 pm
- Location: California
Hello, nothumbs. Welcome to the forum.
So you want to grow some grass in an area that gets very little sun
and could have drainage issues. That is going to be a problem.
Grass needs sunlight and good drainage to grow well.
It may be possible to grow grass there if the shade is not too deep
or if it is open shade (no trees above).
The maintenance involved would be mowing, watering, and fertilizing.
The grass will probably not grow quickly in the shade. I'll deal with “green
all year round “shortly.
To grow grass you will need good, well-draining soil, seed, and seed starter
fertilizer. What type of grass you will need depends on where you live in California.
In northern Ca. a cool-season shady mix of bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue will do.
It will stay green all year long.
In southern Ca. it is more involved. A cool-season grass doesn't do well in the heat.
A warm-season grass thrives in the heat but turns brown in the winter. They are
not very shade tolerant. Then you have to overseed with a cool-season grass,
usually annual ryegrass, to keep it green. Laying sod would be an instant lawn but
much more expensive.
Lastly, I would go to your local garden center and ask them for recommendations of
gardeners who are knowledgeable and affordable.
I hope I've given you enough information to make a good decision on what to do.
Take care and let me know what takes place.
So you want to grow some grass in an area that gets very little sun
and could have drainage issues. That is going to be a problem.
Grass needs sunlight and good drainage to grow well.
It may be possible to grow grass there if the shade is not too deep
or if it is open shade (no trees above).
The maintenance involved would be mowing, watering, and fertilizing.
The grass will probably not grow quickly in the shade. I'll deal with “green
all year round “shortly.
To grow grass you will need good, well-draining soil, seed, and seed starter
fertilizer. What type of grass you will need depends on where you live in California.
In northern Ca. a cool-season shady mix of bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue will do.
It will stay green all year long.
In southern Ca. it is more involved. A cool-season grass doesn't do well in the heat.
A warm-season grass thrives in the heat but turns brown in the winter. They are
not very shade tolerant. Then you have to overseed with a cool-season grass,
usually annual ryegrass, to keep it green. Laying sod would be an instant lawn but
much more expensive.
Lastly, I would go to your local garden center and ask them for recommendations of
gardeners who are knowledgeable and affordable.
I hope I've given you enough information to make a good decision on what to do.
Take care and let me know what takes place.
-
microcollie
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 319
- Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 5:17 pm
- Location: Western MA
It sounds like some other ground cover might do better than grass, but being a northeasterner, I'm not the one to make recommendations about variety. Talk to someone at a good local garden center, explain your parameters, and I'm sure they could recommend something that needs almost no maintenance and would prosper in your conditions.