With almost no sun, it's unlikely that you'll be able to get any grass to grow. You may be able to get some kind of ground cover to grow, but I'm not really sure what would work with lots of trees and little sun.

I'm kind of surprised you can't get a shade-tolerant variety of grass to grow in any yard in Colorado, with our bright sunshine - even if the light is indirect. Are you sure it's the shade that's thinning out the grass? How's the soil? If it is due to shade, and the trees are old, maybe you could remove one tree from a strategic spot to let more sun in, or just limb some of them up higher. Arborists will be happy to lighten your purse for you a little ;-)

I'd bet that those old trees have a bazillion feeder roots right below the surface, and are *stealing* all the water and nutrients. There is a place down the road from us thats like that, but the guy keeps a decent lawn anyway. He fertilizes about every 3 weeks, and waters like crazy.

If you're willing to do that - or, you might consider a heavy mulch kinda thing, like shredded bark, and put your plants in containers.

Hi Diane,

I agree with everyone else! I suspect itÂs something besides the shade thatÂs giving you problems, especially if youÂre having a problem so quickly after sodding. When grass starts dying from lack of sun, itÂs usually a pretty slow, gradual thinning process. My first thought when I read your post was the same as DavidÂsÂthat the trees are using up everything the grass needs, especially the water. But if you really do have almost complete shade, adding lots of water and feeding a lot will help slow the dying process, but it wonÂt stop it. How about Davies suggestion of losing a tree or two? I could suggest some shade groundcovers, but I donÂt know of anything that will tolerate constant foot traffic by the critters, especially the way dogs tend to use the same "path" over and over. DavidÂs suggestion of a thick mulch might turn out to be the best idea if you decide to keep all the trees.

Sorry weÂre not more help this time, but welcome to RMG! WeÂre glad you found us here!

Skybird

Clover might work. If your soil is acidic, Dutch white clover is what you want. If it's alkaline, strawberry clover does better than DWC. Both are drought tolerant (DWC is supposed to be better at this than strawberry clover, but strawberry has done well in my lawn).

If you get clover seed, get inoculated (may say treated or coated) seed so it will fix nitrogen in the soil.

Clover is exactly what I seeded with and it has been wonderful. Less water, less mowing and puts up with the dogs. The other seeding I mixed in was Achilla. It couldn't care less if it had any water and surprisingly does grow in shade, not as well as the clover.

On average (unless a ton of rain) I mow the yard every couple of weeks, this isn't enough time for any flowering. The clover is a good nitrogen base. The Achilla remains soft and has short 2" leaves. Grass is still 50% of my lawn, but it is primarily an old mixture from the old lawn, enough to be a grass lawn. You don't know there is either of the other seedings unless looked at closely.

Digit's father has an Achilla lawn and both love the outcome.

Did I hear my name, mentioned?

Actually, Dad's achillea is somewhat confined to the sunnier areas of his yard. It very successfully crowds the grass in those locations. He is trying to get it established in the front yard which has a Western exposure but 5 trees. This is a fairly small area but 2 are honey locust trees and allow quite a bit of light to come in.

We've allowed a small patch of achillea near Dad's tomato garden to flower and they must now have lots of seed. The plants reproduce vegetatively but it amounts to a real "creep." This new seed should go a long way towards filling in an area on both sides of his camp trailer and I hope he gets some more started in the front under the trees.

Yes, it is a velvety carpet where it does grow. His border collie is now a Pet of the Past but she never caused it any real harm. And, it is very, very easy to keep mowed.

I've been the lawn-care guy for Dad this Summer and the grass needs mowed weekly, the DW clover usually just has flowers high enuf to get clipped, but it never really looks like the achillea grows enuf to reach the mower blade.

Welcome to RMG, Diane.

DigitSteve

Jeesh, I spelled it wrong and you never said a word Steve.

What about a compromise,personally I hate the idea of tree removal if you enjoy them.I also agree that most likely it's the feeder roots using the moisture.Unless we are talking trees such as black walnuts.
Is the yard small enough that you could cover it loosely with stone and plant the cracks with irish moss or even sweet woodruff which grows well in shade.No mud that way , some green for color.Both seem to handle dog traffic fairly well.

Ok, I'm intrigued by this thread because I have a related issue. Since we added a second big dog this summer the area just out of the garage door (which is how the dogs access the backyard) has taken a beating. The grass was a little thin here, but now it's more dirt (and mud when wet) than grass.

This area is under a big cottonwood, which is limbed up very high, so it does get some sunshine. But it is also on the north side of the house, so at times of the day gets total shade.

I had been thinking of reseeding, fencing off and then when the grass is established just leaving a little bit of fencing directly in front of the garage door, so the dogs would be less inclined to traffic this area right out of the door. I never thought of anything but grass. Would the clover really be tough enough?

Thanks,
Alice

That's a good question, Alice. I've been thinking about the DWC in both Dad's yard and my own. In Dad's, because for the 1st time in the 40 years he's lived there, I'm mowing his lawn. In my yard, because I've been curious about what the pullets are interested in eating when they are allowed out of their henyard. The clover is right in front of their door.

The areas where the clover is dominant are in full sun and where there's ample watering. I think that the clover can out-compete the grass because the plants have more extensive roots. They benefit from all the water while the grass really doesn't.

Dad's patch of nearly 100% clover is directly in front of the gate to his backyard. At one time, it had a thin layer of crushed rock. No one has ever parked there regularly except Yours Truly. I need to carry armloads of flowers in and out of that gate twice a week during the growing season. And, I park there most every day I show up.

It is a fairly wide gate and I try not to drive on the same ground each and every time. Obviously, the wheel traffic isn't sufficient to kill off the clover. In fact, there's little evidence of my pickup on that ground.

Remember, it has full sun and I'm usually only there for a few hours at a time. Both yards have shady areas (both wet and dry) and DWC is not in much evidence there.

d'S'

Wow guys! Thanks for all the input. We wouldn't consider taking out the trees. They are 100 year old elms and even though they aren't a tree I would plant, they go with the house. The clover idea intrigues me. On the side of the garage (back there) ivy grows just fine and it get no sun. The sickly grass is right next to the ivy. But even the areas that get a little bit of sun have very sparce grass. I know it gets plenty of water because most times the ground is damp. No sun to dry it up.

Is it easy to get the clover seed? I really like this option. Now I just have to sell the idea to my husband the lawn guy!
Thanks again,
Diane

Go to a good nursery and you can get clover seed prepackaged or scoops into bags. For me the clover grows well in most areas, even shade. It isn't expensive, so trying a small area wouldn't cost more than a couple of dollars.

It has a hefty root system, as Digit mentioned. My backyard has far more shade than front and the clover seems to grow better in back. Some digging out is required in areas not wanted, but doing so early on keeps this an easy deal. Or weed control along edges of lawn, walkways. The front flower beds have weed cloth, no problems with clover in those areas at all.

I do have an old, huge, apple tree that will never see any grass or supplemental ground cover within 3 feet. But it is in the far back of yard and even if the dog was playing there, by the time he gets to the door he has trudged across a good span of of lawn.

Another seeding I'd like is English Daisey. Low, flat, takes abuse. But can't get the seeds, on the noxious weed list for CO.

Thanks emagineer!
Diane