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Q
I have a large Amber tree which throws a lot of shade onto one section of my Couch lawn, and the lawn is struggling and dying in this area, what should I do?A
All lawns need direct sunlight every day to survive, and Couch requires more direct sunlight than any other grass type. These are the options which you have to try and get the lawn growing again in the shade.
Prune the lower branches of the tree and try to let in more direct sunlight every day. If this helps, then further aid the lawn to grow in the shade by mowing the shaded area at a much higher height. The longer green leaf will allow the lawn to gain greater photosynthesis under low light conditions.
The shaded area may need to be planted with a new lawn type which is far more shade tolerant. A Buffalo lawn tolerates shade very well, and will blend into the Couch where shade meets sun, but it is also possible that the Buffalo may eventually dominate the Couch, even in the direct sunlight.
Alternatively, if you're still looking for ideas for a lawn with a lot of shade, you could put down a Cool Season grass which will not tolerate the sun, but will tolerate the shade and will not spread into the surrounding lawn, Ryegrass is often a good choice for this purpose, but it will need to be mowed at a higher height than the Couch.
If the entire lawn area is small, then replacing the entire lawn with a more shade tolerant variety may be a good choice.
Another option may be to put sown a ground cover which can be walked on, played on and even mowed with a lawn mower if necessary, Dichondra repens is perfect for this purpose.
And finally, you could of course remove the lawn entirely from this shaded area and plant a new garden bed in it's place.
