My mother-in-law has a side yard that’s completely shaded by some small Norway maples that grew too much.
I pruned them to let in more sunlight, added lime to adjust the pH during aeration, and scarified the soil to smooth it out and loosen the top layer. I didn’t add any topsoil since the soil test showed that the organic matter level was good.
I seeded the area, used starter fertilizer, and then raked and rolled everything in. I didn’t put anything on top.
The pictures are taken five weeks apart, and I used the Twin City shade blend.
Drew said:
Looks like you need to tackle the right side too now.
Yeah, the rest of their yard (5k sq feet) is crabgrass central. I didn’t have time this fall to address it. I’ll start with spring pre-emergent and feed the existing grass to thicken it up.
Zadie said: @Harley
Honestly, it looks like you got rid of a lot of the crabgrass. How did that happen?
Well, it’s October. In cooler climates, crabgrass stops spreading at the beginning of September and dies by the end of September or early October. It will stay gone until mid-May or early June, then come back with a vengeance.
@Harley
5k is a perfect size for DIYing, not too overwhelming. Good luck! Crabgrass is annual, so as long as you don’t let it go to seed, it will die off soon depending on where you live. It doesn’t like night temps below 55.
My one side yard has no chance. It runs north-south and is only about 15 feet wide, between my two-story house and a solid line of 40-foot trees next door.
It looks like you added some nice shade-tolerant fine fescue. While it might not look the best up close, or be ideal for playing soccer with your kids, it’s a nice grass. Good luck!
