Bermuda Grass – Lack of Direct Sunlight

Q: I have a backyard area of sparse bermuda grass. The area gets about two
hours of overhead direct sunlight each day. Is there any hope for a healthy
bermuda lawn in this area? Would fescue work? 

A: With only two hours of direct sunshine in a day, the bermuda grass is never
going to look great. Some of the new bermuda varieties tolerate four hours of
sun but most need six hours of direct sunshine to thrive. Fescue might grow in
the area but it will always struggle in this amount of light. In other words, the
fescue won’t grow vigorously enough to avoid having dying grass clumps
occasionally. These spots will be prime places for weeds to grow. If you use
weed killer to control the weeds, they will weaken the fescue further. You’ll
end up on a treadmill of planting, weed control, reseeding, and maintenance
jobs, like mowing and watering, that have little margin for error. You can’t
force grass to be healthy! You have to start with choosing the right plant for
the right place, which in your case may not be turfgrass. Consider mondo
grass, Asiatic jasmine or vinca vine instead. Or, if you are hard-headed, you
can try planting fescue in mid-September.