Appreciation post: my shady backyard finally grew grass

I spent about $200 on different seed mixes over 3 years and nothing took in my shady corner... then I tried a fine fescue blend from a local nursery in Portland. After 6 weeks of just keeping it damp and letting it be, I've got actual green patches back there. Has anyone else had luck with a specific shade mix that actually worked for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_chen8d ago

The $200 over 3 years thing is worth a closer look. Fine fescue is great for shade, but it needs really consistent moisture in the first month to actually establish, not just 'keeping it damp.' If you were watering every other day with a light sprinkle, you might have killed the earlier seeds by letting them dry out once or twice. Also, soil microbes matter a ton in shady spots. If you threw down seed over compacted clay or old leaf mulch without scratching the surface, it probably just sat there until birds ate it or it rotted. Glad the Portland blend worked, but the real trick is often in how you prep the bed first.

finleyl558d ago

Totally agree on the soil prep thing, I made the same mistake my first time trying to seed a shady corner. I just tossed seed on top of some old leaves and compacted dirt, and yeah it was like a bird buffet for weeks. Once I actually raked the surface and mixed in a little compost, the fescue took off way better.