There are very few air pockets under the soil surface and grass.
Growing grass in clay shade.
These will grow in clay soil but some do best in a part sun spot.
Gardeners can start adapting cultural practices to fit grasses for clay and shade by mowing high to promote better root development.
Fescues and all the other grass types should be mowed back to 4 inches.
You can grow a pretty swath of lawn in a shady spot as long as you pick the right grass and take care of it properly.
Clay tolerant shade plants.
Pick varieties of grass seed carefully some tolerate more shade than others and some are tough to make suitable for high traffic areas.
Be sure to research before planting and check the sun availability in your clay soil locations.
Tall fescue festuca arundinacea grows best in clay soil.
Clay soil is made up of tons of small particles that stick together clinging to moisture.
Most turf grasses need at least four hours of direct sun to survive but specialized shade tolerant grass blends thrive in four hours of dappled sun or partial shade.
Ask your agricultural extension office for help if you need it.
Varieties that grow in a clay loam soil include annual ryegrass colonial bent grass hard fescue kentucky bluegrass perennial ryegrass and red fescue.
A cool season grass it does well when planted in either full sun or partial shade.
Clay soil is a very minor issue when it comes to grass because that area has two things going against growing grass shade and tree root competition.
Most grass seed will grow in various soil types.
Grass grown in the shade needs to be longer simply so it can photosynthesize.
Choosing shade tolerant grasses does not ensure success because they actually prefer sun.
Here is a list of grasses that grow well in clay.
If you want to try some part shade or full shade plants in clay soil the following plants may offer the best performance.
First determine what type or grass your lawn is made of.
Plant warm season grasses as plugs from.
Americans love their lawns follow some basic steps to make grass grow in red clay soil and establish a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.
However clay soil is perhaps the most difficult to work with.
You don t want to mix two types of grass but you want to make sure your lawn is tolerant of clay soil.
It ll have to be either the tree or the grass but it s not likely you ll be able to have both.
You re improving your soil but it s still clay.
Usually this is a mower s highest setting.