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Growing Plants in the Shade

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Posted in Yard Care 101

Hostas in Shade

Shady yards can be delightful. Trees help cool your home in the summer and add interest and beauty to your yard. However, that same shade can pose challenges when it comes to growing your lawn and other plants.

  • If you're determined to have a uniformly beautiful, green lawn throughout your yard, shade can destroy your efforts. Full shade, whether it is just beneath a favorite tree or the result of too much foliage, can hamper grass growth. You may need to reseed your shady areas each fall. At this time, the trees' leaves are thinning but the soil remains warm and moist - an ideal time to let the grass establish itself and get some sunshine. If you are tired of making lawn repairs in these shady spots, consider a layer of bark mulch or perhaps planting ground ivy or creating a shade garden instead.
  • When planting shade-loving greenery and flowers, remember that everything will grow a little slower in the shade. You may want to purchase larger, more mature plants. Place your plants closer together because they will fill in more slowly than sun-loving plants in other areas of your yard. Plants that grow well in the shade generally don't need as much fertilizer or watering as other plants.
  • If your shade is deep and comes from overhanging trees, you can lighten things up a bit. You can "limb up" a tree by removing some of its lower branches to let more light in. You can also thin the crown by first removing dead branches, and then others selectively to let some light in. Unless your trees are manageably small, these chores are best left to tree-trimming experts.
  • When it comes to growing plants in the shade, there are fewer insect pests to fend off. Major exceptions, however, are snails and slugs which can eat holes in plant leaves. A mulch with sharp edges, such as wood bark or pine needles, can help control them. You also can remove them from your plants in the evening (flashlight in hand) or use the old standby - a shallow container filled with beer which will attract and drown them.
  • What are some favorite shade plant choices? Hostas in their near infinite variety are always welcome in shade gardens where they can add variegated green leaf colors as well as flowers. Other shady perennial choices include astilbe, brunnera, bleeding hearts (dicentra), and lilly-of-the-valley. Popular shade-loving annuals include many varieties of impatiens and colorful coleus.
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