The Grass Doctor

What is good grass to plant under a evergreen?

I just bought a house with evergeens that grew to the ground. I have cut the branches up to 8 feet so they look like a mushroom now. I have raked out about 10 years of pine needles from under the trees. What combination of grass and fertilizer will grow under the trees? I know the pine needles kill grass, thats why I removed them. What fertilizer will counter the effect of the needles? Will "shade grass" work? Will I have to water more often? I need to know the process from front to finish. I have all neccesary tools including a rototiller.

Public Comments

1. The best type of grass to use would be fescues. Second best would be turf type rye grasses. My experience has been to fertilize the grasses under tall trees with a liquid fertilizer. The grass blades absorb the fertilizer more quickly, and there is less competition with tree roots. Water deeply and infrequently. Deep watering is essential to prevent movement of tree roots toward the surface. Shady grasses are usually more tender and will not stand much foot traffic, so keep off the grass when ever possible.
2. there's a reason that there's no grass under the evergreens.. actually several. 1- evergreens don't allow enough sun in to grow turfgrass. 2- evergreens make soil very acidic. 3- fungus usually dominates the biology in the soil, and gras requires a bacterial soil. the best advice I can give you is to mulch under the trees and plant hostas and impatiens around it... make it a natural area. You will become VERY frustrated trying to grow grass there, or you will kill your evergreens trying to.. so bottom line.. there is no good grass for this purpose.
3. The reason that the evergreens are growing in that spot is because the soil is acidic, If you try to make the soil less acidic you could kill or make your pine trees very sick A tiller around the trees will kill the surface feeder roots. Best thing is to cut the trees down