Why Shade Tolerance Is Often Underrated As A Feature For Lawns
ShareWhen it comes to grass in Australia, most people are looking for the species that will last the longest with very little water or that can handle a whole bunch of foot traffic without deteriorating. Obviously, those are two major features that should not be dismissed, but one feature that is commonly dismissed is the shade tolerance of different types of lawn. There are a number of reasons why shade tolerance is so important, even in Australia. If you are looking for a new lawn and can't figure out what to get, here are a few of the reasons why you should keep shade tolerance in mind.
Shade Tolerance In Winter
Shade tolerance doesn't just have to be shade from trees and foliage, it simply refers to how long your grass can stand with no direct sunlight. In winter, the maximum sunlight hours can decrease by a significant amount no matter where you are in Australia. Not only does the sun come up later, but it takes longer to get to the apex and is there for a shorter period, which means even though the weather might forecast 10 or 11 hours of sunlight, you might only have 3 or 4 when the sun is directly shining down on the grass, and that is not enough for many different types of lawn.
Even Growth Across Your Garden
While you might assume that your entire lawn is virtually always in the sun, the truth is that often the edges and certain patches throughout might only get a couple of hours of daylight due to the odd positioning of trees, fences and other features. While most of your garden might survive comfortably with low shade tolerance because it is out in the sun, the parts that do not cope well will wither and die. If you want an even growth, then it can pay to choose a type of lawn that will last as good in the sun as it does in the shade.
Ease Of Maintainance
This is not a hard and fast rule, and there are some exceptions, but most of the time shade resistant lawn varieties are easier to maintain because they grow much slower. Less sunlight means less photosynthesis which means a slower rate of growth. That means less lawn mowing for you and a much steadier growth that looks better for longer. If you don't like the idea of being out on your mower every Saturday morning, then a shade resistant type of grass is probably the route you should take.