Hello, Hubby and I bought our house 9 years ago, when we first bought it the front yard wasn't but a few patches of grass here and there. We have managed to get the front lawn to look pretty good, however we seem to have a problem area. We have a small front yard not really small but not big. We have 2 huge maple trees that grown in the front yard, We mulched right in between them but the grass that is under them grows so wonderfully at the beginning of the season and then usually mid July it seems to shrivel up, why I said shrivel is because it almost looks burnt, even the size of the blades just shrink almost to nothing and the blades have a rather soft feel to them. We don't water while the sun is shining on it, we don't fertilize it and the rest of the grass grows fine. The trees cover almost our whole lawn. We have tried many different kinds of seed and such even the one they sell on tv that "grows on cement blocks" even that didn't stop it from shriveling up. I did notice that this year though the area that died isn't as big as it usually is. it is only about a foot wide by 10 feet long of an area. Any ideas? Thank you so much
Hi coffeeDiiva, Here is something to ponder......... How often do you see grass growing in a forest? Maples have a thick canopy. It is difficult at best to get a good thick lawn to grow in shade, grasses need sun, though some will tolerate some shade. It sounds like your grass stops growing and dies off as the foliage fills out on the trees (no sun). grass also needs water and the trees are always going to win that battle. The best cool weather grass to grow under shade conditions, is creeping fescue. Then again, as the season wears on it too will thin out and you will have to reseed every year to maintain any kind of lawn. You may consider thinning out the trees some to allow the sun to break through a bit. Stay away from Blue grasses (Poa) they are strictly a full sun type grass. I think that is your best option, though you may want to talk to a knowledgeable person from a good garden center. Hope this is of some help. Ron
