As much as 25% of lawn grasses are grown in the shade. Growing grass in shade is best achieved by selecting grasses that exhibit shade tolerance and by using different cultural practices related to water, fertilizer, mowing height and removal of leaves and tree limbs. This seed mixture of cool season grasses is formulated to be shade tolerant and establish quickly with improved turf density.
Fine Fescue defines a group of grasses that originated in Europe with similar characteristics. The three most prominent fine fescues species are Creeping Red Fescue, Chewings Fescue and Hard Fescue. They all exhibit very thin blades with exceptional shade tolerance. Fine fescue grasses are popular in lawn seed mixtures with Kentucky Bluegrass and/or Perennial Ryegrass . This seed mixture consists primarily of fine fescue grasses. All 5 turfgrass varieties in this mixture have been tested in turfgrass trials with excellent results.
CLICK HERE to download Shady Lawn Grass Seed Mixture technical data sheet as seen below.
Grass Type |
Cool Season |
Turfgrass Climate Zones (see picture)
|
1-2 and cooler parts of Zone 3
|
Exposure |
Shade |
Establishment |
Fast |
Leaf Texture |
Very Fine |
Drought Tolerance |
Good |
Seeding Rate per 1,000 sq ft. |
6-8 |
SHADY LAWN Grass Seed Mixture
- Best shade tolerance of cool season grasses
- Improved drought tolerance
- Fine texture
- Improved disease resistance
- Fast establishment
Uses:
Home Lawns, Parks, Commercial Sites, Golf Courses, Medians, Cemeteries
Seeding Rates:
New turf: 7-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Overseeding existing turf: 5 to 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Best times for seeding are early spring and early fall.
Establishment:
Emergence: 5-21 days under optimum temperature range between 68-86 degrees, longer under cooler temperatures.
First mowing approximately 21 days after emergence (may be longer under cooler temperatures).
First limited use approximately 28 days after emergence.
For instructions on seeding and care: Establishment and Care of Turfgrasses
Specifications:
SHADY LAWN SEED MIXTURE
25% Celestial Strong Creeping Red Fescue
20% Heathland Chewings Fescue
20% Nanook Hard Fescue
20% Manhattan 7 GLR Perennial Ryegrass
15% Bewitched Kentucky Bluegrass
98% Minimum purity
85% Minimum germination
450,000 seeds per pound
Origin: Oregon/Washington
Celestial Strong Creping Red Fescue: Outstanding variety with excellent density, color and brown patch disease resistance. Was rated the highest in NTEP trial for overall turf quality.
Heathland Chewings Fescue: Compact, dense, disease resistant. Blends well with Kentucky Bluegrass. Top performer in NTEP trials for turf quality.
Nanook Hard Fescue: Dark green, very dense with excellent wear tolerance. High NTEP ratings in several turf categories and an A-List rating for low-input, sustainable turfgrass.
Manhattan 7 GLR Perennial Ryegrass: Best in class drought tolerance with rapid germination. Disease resistant. TWCA approved variety.
Bewitched Kentucky Bluegrass: Excellent color and density with good disease resistance. Rated #2 in NTEP trial for overall turgrass quality and #1 for wear tolerance. Exceptional drought tolerance.
Note: Depending upon availability, alternate varieties of equal quality and standards may be substituted.