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SHADE-OVER® |
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Overview |
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Shade-Over® is a MayFord proprietary mixture developed specifically for
the Southern African region. Many years of trials conducted at our local
research station, as well as decades of field experience have contributed to the
success of this mix. Shade-Over® is designed to cope with low light
intensities under trees and on the south side of walls, areas that are often
bare when the rest of the lawn is Kikuyu. This grass mix will stay green
throughout the year, no matter how cold it gets! Even frost or snow won’t force
the grass to turn brown (go dormant). It is also important to know this type of
mixture can cope with the hot times of the year. This is why long term local
experimental trials are so important. We need to be sure that the grass looks
good all year round. |
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- Shade-Over® has all the advantages associated with a well formulated
mixture such as: the ability to thrive in a wide variety of growing conditions,
and reduced susceptibility to disease without compromising on the overall
uniformity of the lawn’s appearance.
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The trend towards having smaller gardens surrounded by high walls means that
lawns often have to grow in shadier conditions than they are adapted to.
Commonly used grasses such as Kikuyu cannot tolerate low light intensities. |
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Shade-Over® is quick to establish from seed. Germination can be expected
7 to 10 days after sowing and reasonable coverage in 6 to 8 weeks. This lawn
takes a few months to reach full maturity. |
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Alternatively, you could choose to use instant lawn. |
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Shade Over® is a “bunch-type” grass that thickens out by means of
tillering and does not have any runners. The advantage of this growth habit is a
non-invasive grass, requiring much less edge trimming. This also means adhering
to the recommended sowing rate is essential for a dense lawn area. |
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Shade-Over® is designed to grow in full shade and semi-shade
conditions. It is compatible with another MayFord grass formulated for
full shade and semi-shade known as All Seasons Evergreen®. The
combination of All Seasons Evergreen® and Shade Over® covers the
complete spectrum from shade to full sun while maintaining a uniform appearance. |
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It is not necessary to install an irrigation system when you establish a
Shade Over® lawn. It can simply be watered with an ordinary garden hose
and sprinkler. However, it cannot survive long periods of drought. This is
seldom a problem because transpiration rates are lower and the soil tends to dry
out more slowly in the shade. |
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Shade-Over® is a permanent lawn that will usually only need
interseeding if the grass is damaged by something like a dog digging a hole. It
may thin out as a result of mowing too low a cutting height or if the light
intensity is exceptionally low. Interseeding the lawn once a year or thinning
out the tree canopy would be required. |
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Although Shade-Over® was developed to deal with shade problems it will
happily grow in full sunlight during the winter months when
deciduous trees loose their leaves. In fact, Shade-Over® will grow under
any type of tree including Pine trees, where many people assume that the
pH will be too low (too acidic). |
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Remember that shade is not only created by trees, but walls create a lot of
shade too. |
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There is however a limit to the amount of traffic any lawn can tolerate.
Pathways always develop where traffic is “funneled” through a confined space and
the shortest route will carry the most traffic! |
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In certain circumstances, dog urine can cause patches in the grass, but these
are easily dealt with. |
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Back To Top |
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Establishment |
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When? |
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Almost all year round, although best times are spring and autumn. Avoid very hot
or very cold times of the year. |
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Remove existing grass |
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This is not an issue since most sun-loving grasses, like kikuyu, can’t survive
in the shade anyway. |
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Soil preparation |
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If the soil is dry water the area thoroughly a day or two before you begin
soil preparation. |
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Spread Super Phosphate at a rate of 50 g* per m² the entire area. (50 g
is approximately one medium sized handful) *This is a general recommendation,
made in the absence of a soil test. |
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Dig the area over incorporating the Super Phosphate to a depth of approx. 15 cm.
At this point you could dig in some compost. This is not generally necessary and
can cause problems if the compost contains weed seeds and is not well rotted.
Never leave compost as a layer on top of the soil as it dries out far more
easily than soil and will not allow the seed to stay moist enough during the
critical germination period. |
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Break down clods to create a fine seedbed. |
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Spread a balanced fertiliser such as 5:1:5 or 3:1:5 at 30 g per m² and rake into
the surface of the soil. |
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Check levels by rolling the area lightly and then filling in any hollows. NB. It
is very difficult to correct levels after the grass is established. Bunch
grasses do not have runners but tillers, which cannot be covered by a layer of
soil. Coverage would cause the plants to die. |
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Sowing the seed |
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Ensure that you have the right amount of seed, i.e. 1 kg per 25 m². |
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Broadcast the seed over the area as evenly as possible by either using
the 500 g or 1kg seed box as a spreader (see instructions on box), or if the
seed has been purchased in bulk bags, by spreading by hand or using a drop
seeder (a fertiliser spreader will do as long as you have checked that it does
not crush the seed). |
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To achieve an even spread, split the amount of seed into two, moving up
and down with one half and across and back with the other. NB You don’t
need to mix the seed with anything as it is bulky enough and pale in colour so
it shows up easily against the dark soil. |
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Covering the seed |
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Rake the area lightly (using a steel rake) so that most of the seed is covered
by no more than 1 cm of soil. Some seed will still be visible on the surface
which doesn’t matter. Seeds need light to germinate so don’t bury it too deeply.
Also, don’t cover with a layer of compost as it dries out too easily and may
influence the success of germination! |
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Compacting |
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It is essential to compact the area lightly. If you don’t have a roller, then
use something like a drum on its side or simply trample lightly under foot. This
step is very important as it brings the seed into direct contact with the moist
soil, reduces wash-aways, and initiates capillary action (the movement of water
upwards through the soil profile). |
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Watering |
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Keep the area moist at all times for the first two weeks. By then the
seed will have germinated and watering frequency should be reduced. You may need
to water more than once a day. Avoid puddles. |
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Back To Top |
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Maintenance |
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Mowing |
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Start |
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- When grass is 9 cm long. Set the mower at its highest setting (no less than 6
cm)
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Height |
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- Semi-shade: 5 to 6 cm
- Shade: 6 to 7 cm (the shadier the site, the longer the grass has to be)
- 1/3 rd RULE - Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time
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Frequency |
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Generally once a week (about once in three weeks in winter) |
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Type of mower |
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Rotary mowers are best for this type of grass (Reel type mowers can’t be set
high enough) |
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Irrigating |
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It is not necessary to install an irrigation system, an ordinary sprinkler is
adequate. The soil dries out more slowly in the shade so avoid over-watering. |
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Puddles should be avoided as they indicate that the soil is saturated. The
amount of water require depends on a number of factors such as the soil type and
season. |
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The grass will indicate that it needs water when it takes on a “blue-ish” tinge
and the grass blades curl in on themselves and appear narrower. |
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Fertilisation |
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50 g (approx. one handful) per m² of 5:1:5 or 3:1:5 four times a year (e.g. Jan,
Apr, Jul, Oct). Don’t forget the April application to avoid brown tips in
winter. |
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Slow release formulations are recommended as lawns do best when fertilised
little and often. |
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Pests and Diseases |
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Take careful note of the symptoms, i.e. spots on leaves, size and location of
patches etc. and phone the Mayford Helpline or speak to a specialist in this
field. Remember that insects and fungal diseases know nothing about straight
lines, so if you see straight lines look for a man-made problem! |
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Healthy, actively growing lawn is less susceptible to everything so don’t
skimp on fertilising (do not avoid regular mowing!). |
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Good air flow reduces humidity and helps to avoid disease (watch out for this in
shady areas). Don’t over water or underwater – both cause stress to all grasses. |
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Dog urine |
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Dog urine can sometimes cause scorching. This is more common with spayed bitches
and in very hot weather. If a brown patch develops, pull the dead grass out,
loosen the soil a bit, sprinkle some seed (available in small Top Up packs at
most nurseries), cover with a thin layer of soil (just scratch it in) and
trample lightly. |
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Traffic |
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This grass tolerates traffic very well. It is even used on rugby fields!
However, where traffic is excessive the pressure can be reduced by setting
paving stones or sleepers into the grass and just mowing over it. |
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Aeration and Top Dressing |
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Spiking or hollow tining: Use a garden fork or tining fork on highly
compacted areas. Push the whole length of the tine into the soil and lift
slightly to get good water and air penetration. |
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Top dressing: Never cover this grass with a layer of soil or compost, the
grass will die. |
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Back To Top |
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