Best Dense Shade Grass Seed
When you are looking for the best grass seed for dense shade areas, consider Black Beauty® seed mixtures from Jonathan Green.
The Jonathan Green name has represented genetically superior grass seed, innovation, integrity, determination, and a commitment to excellence since 1881. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the absolute best, so all of our products are rigorously tested to ensure that they perform to the highest standards.
Our Shade-Tolerant Grasses
How much sun does your yard get? Different types of grasses will tolerate different levels of shade. Most of them love sun and need at least six hours of direct sunlight to thrive. Shade-tolerant grass mixtures, however, can thrive in sporadic sunshine or partial shade.
For dense shade areas, Jonathan Green has developed our own Black Beauty® Dense Shade Grass Seed. This blend consists of several different shade-tolerant grass seed varieties, including Black Beauty® turf-type tall fescue grasses, and naturally insect-resistant varieties that deter pests. It can thrive in medium shaded areas and in areas with up to 70% shade. It is able to establish in dry or sandy soils where other grass seeds have failed, but grows best in drier soils.
Our most shade-tolerant turfgrass mixture is Black Beauty® Shady Nooks Grass Seed, the most shade-tolerant turfgrass mixture on the market. It survives well in either damp or dry soils, of up to 90% deep shade, where other grasses fail. Shady Nooks seed grows well right up to the base of trees, and requires less fertilizer.
Because shady lawns receive less sunlight, they perform less photosynthesis. This means they need less food and do not respond well to overfeeding, especially with high nitrogen fertilizers. We recommend Jonathan Green’s Veri-Green Starter Fertilizer for Seeding & Sodding which contains phosphorus to encourage deep, dense root growth.
Get Acquainted with Your Soil
Soil is the foundation for a beautiful, healthy lawn. It should be loose and crumbly so that the tiny fibrous roots of the grass plants can penetrate it. No soil will ever be perfect, but with some extra TLC, you will have a lush, green lawn in no time.
Test the pH
Take soil tests periodically to monitor pH levels in your lawn. You can do this with a pH tester you will find in most garden centers and hardware stores. Our Soil pH Test Kit for Lawns is also available in the JonathanGreen.com online store. The lawn’s pH should be in a range between 6.2 and 7.0.
Loosen and Amend the Soil
Jonathan Green MAG-I-CAL® Plus is a natural, humate-rich, three-in-one “soil food” that will loosen hard soil, stimulate soil microbes, and adjust soil pH. It is designed to break up compacted soil for better air, water, nutrient, and root penetration. The product is available for acidic soil or alkaline soil. Use it every season to keep your soil biology and chemistry balanced.
Mentioned Products
For information about the best dense shade grass seed, you can read the comments at jonathangreen.com, or ask your local independent retail store, and they will tell you that you won’t find a better-quality seed for heavily shaded areas than Jonathan Green’s Dense Shade or Shady Nooks Grass Seed mixtures.