O u t d o o r s

garden

doctor

How do I get grass to grow under my trees?

I have tried to grow fine-leaf fescue but it dies

out after a few years. I thought about

perennials or groundcovers instead, but I’m on

a budget and all those plants cost too much.

To give shaded grass a fighting chance, raise your

mower’s height; promptly remove fallen leaves in

autumn; fertilize at half the rate you fertilize sunny

lawns; overseed with shade-tolerant grasses every couple

of years to thicken turf; and prune low-hanging limbs.

If your lawn can’t survive even with these steps, then

you should consider shade perennials instead. For

inexpensive plants, shop garden centers for hare-root

perennials, attend local garden club sales or plant swaps,

and ask friends for divisions from their plants. After you

get some established, divide them to create more plants

to spread around your garden.

1 0 4 AUGUST

2010

B E T T E R HO M ES AND GARDEN S

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T ra d e m a rk s o w n e d b y S o c ié té d e s P ro d u its N e stlé S .A ., V e ve y, S w itz e rla n d