The Grass Doctor

what is the best grass for my yard and when should i plant?

I live in Georgia and have a very mostly shady yard. The yard is now moss covered and we want grass. What is the best type of grass for my yard? When should we plant? Do we need to get rid of the moss first, if so how? If we decide to sod instead of sow seed, can we do that now in the spring?

Public Comments

1. You can buy grass that is made for full shade. Ask at your local gardening store. In Ohio, the best time to plant is in the fall. When you are at the garden store, ask them that question too!
2. If you've got moss, the first thing you've got to do is lay down lime. Buy it in bags and lay it down with a drop spreader. Kentucky bluegrass will do fine from seed. But, you've got to lay down the lime first because no grass will grow where there's moss. Seed any time. It doesn't matter. Now is good. Sod is better, but you still need to treat with lime or you're wasting your money.
3. Here's a great article on ridding moss from your lawn/garden. As a matter of fact the site JackEden.com is a great site for finding yard info although it's mostly geared toward the mid-atlantic area, specifically Baltimore-Washington area. Most of the advice given on this site can be used anywhere in the USA though. Here's a link for the moss article: http://www.jackeden.com/cgi-bin/sheets/viewdata.cgi?id=1015546066 Hope this helps!
4. Where in Georgia? Call your local county extension office or look online. I've included a link with explanations of the grasses for your state. Click on each one and see which one best describes your situation. Choosing the right grass will make your lawn easier to manage, less chemicals, less work. Odds are it won't be centipede since that likes full sun. Best wishes!