A side-effect of a lack of sunlight is that it results in the lawn being more subject to moss infestation as the turf is damper due to the lack of the sun’s drying effect.

The other main stresses on the lawn are caused by the roots of trees and shrubs which overhang the lawn. The roots of these trees and shrubs compete with the grass for both water and nutrients. Large trees can  lose hundreds of litres of water a day by evaporation through their leaves. They replace this water by drawing it up from the soil and through their roots. The trees’ root system can deprive grass roots from being able to take up suffi cient water. Trees can also prevent rain from reaching the lawn and soil as it can be intercepted by their leaves and branches and then lost through evaporation. Trees and shrubs also take up nutrients
from the soil and so the lawn suffers because there are fewer nutrients that are available to the grass roots. All lawns need some degree of sunlight for suffi cient growth and if this level of sunlight is not available then the lawn will not grow properly and it will be impossible to establish / maintain the lawn. If this is the case then an alternative ground cover plant should be considered along with other alternatives such as bark  mulch, synthetic turf and gravel.

Some measurements to reduce shade effects are:

• Overseeding
• Choose suitable grass mixtures containing tufted hair grass, red or hard fescues (see Barenbrug mixtures)
• Water thoroughly (roughly once a week in the hottest parts of the year)
• Mow higher than lawns that receive full sunshine
• Only remove 1/3 of the grass