The Grass Doctor

What is the best way to grow grass on a 50 square foot area?

I need to know what the best type of grass to grow on a moss covered hill that is quite shady. Should the moss be removed? Also, keep in mind I have never planted grass before. Thank you.

Public Comments

1. The ground has to be thoroughly prepared for growing the grass. Moss and any other weeds have to be removed. Dhoob grass is the best for the lawns. Work in some good organic manure in it before putting down the grass. Good luck.
2. I agree with the above poster that the moss should be removed and the soil thoroughly raked to stir it up. The best kind of grass for your area definitely depends on where you live. In most of the country, so-called cool weather grasses like bluegrass and fescue are the best. For a shady area, fescue would probably be your best bet, though Thermal bluegrass works well in shade and is unbeatable in it's attractiveness. If you choose fescue, seed at a rate of 1.5 lbs per 100 square feet. I would seed your area VERY heavily, considering your area will be completely bare, you want to get really good coverage so that your grass will be thick enough to choke out weeds. Fescue is a clump-type grass, so you want to get the seeds close together so the clumps will form an even, thick carpet. If you use bluegrass, you don't have to seed nearly as heavily because bluegrass seeds are way smaller than fescue seeds. Also, bluegrass has rhizomes, meaning roots that spread, so it will form a thick carpet easier than fescue. Secondly, i would put on a top dressing of a product called Turface. It is hard-baked clay chips that will keep the seed from washing away and it also holds the moisture in, which helps the grass germinate. The grass will grow right up through the turface and you won't even know it's there. Also use a starter fertilizer. Whatever your local garden center sells is probably adequate. Water water water! You need to keep the seed as moist as possible while it is germinating. Water your area twice a day for 5-10 minutes. Fescue germinates in 5-10 days depending on the night temps (50 or above it will germinate quicker). Bluegrass takes longer, up to 3 weeks. Keep in mind that since you stirred up the soil with a rake, that is stirring up a lot of dormant weed seeds, so you might get a lot of weeds coming up while your grass is germinating. You won't be able to spray anything on the weeds until the grass is up and you have mowed it a couple of times. Then you can use any broadleaf weed killer to treat for weeds. Hope this helped!
3. for that small of an area i would remove the moss and lay down sod.
4. Grass, even so called "shade mix" needs at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. Trying to grow grass in the shade is very difficult. Grass and moss like exactly the opposite growing conditions. Grass likes deep, fertile, well drained, neutral to alkaline, soil in full sun. Moss likes shallow, infertile, moist, poorly drained, acid soil in shade. If moss is growing well and there is no natural grass, it means the conditions are right for moss and wrong for grass. You will need to reduce shade by removing or limbing up trees and shrubs, and improve the soil by adding compost or topsoil before attempting to grow grass. Starting a lawn from seed is tricky. For such a small area, lay sod once you have added soil and removed shade creating trees.