Shade GardeningShade Gardening

The Good,The Good,The Bad,The Bad, The UglyThe Ugly

3/07

Plants Need Light to Grow

Direct SunlightReflected or Filtered LightShade = Muted Light, Not Absence of Light

• How muted the light = degree of shade• Ever-changing

Time of day Seasons

Types of Light Sources

Best is morning!• Direct sun• Sun is lower, less intense, not blocked

Midday sun is high, more intenseHow much sun reaches plants?

• Foliage density• Branches — how distributed• Reflected only — bounces off leaves, trunks

Even petunia will not grow here!• Seasonal patterns

Full in summer — sun is high Medium shade in spring or fall

Sun at lower angle

How Did You Get Into Shade Gardening?

• Inherited it from prior resident• Put up with it — want to change• Plants grew large — shade plants below

Approaches to Shade Gardening

• You have shade — doing well If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Don’t make radical changes

• Don’t want to put in garden, just add some interest Add color to foreground Add path or other item of interest Do spot planting

• Have shady area set aside, want to do it right

There is Hope!

Do YOU Appreciate Shade Gardening?

• Type A — Frustrating Doesn’t grow / bloom fast enough Not enough to do — shade takes care of itself Remedy:

Put garden in sunniest area Let more light In

• Type B — Suited to shade gardening Reduced work — relaxed pace Does not need as much maintenance Remedy:

Increase area for shade gardening Place for hammock!

Shade — Always Changing

• Some light filters or is reflected• Amount of light — varies seasonally and daily• Landscapes change over time

Trees / shrubs grow — shade area

“Good” of Shade

• Foliage doesn’t burn• Flowers you get last longer — colors more intense• Less weeds — most are “full sun” plants• Plants grow slower• Less maintenance (deadheading, etc.)• Wide plant selection — not just “bloomers”• Protects new plants until established• Less insect problems — insects more active in sun• Dead leaves under trees — winter protection

“Bad” of Shade

• Plants rarely bloom — Concentrate on form, foliage, color, texture

• Less plants to choose from versus sun plants• Need to plant more densely to get quick results

Grow more slowly — take time to fill in

• Plants suffer from root competition• Area under trees — messy from falling leaves, etc.• Snails / slugs• Mold / mildew• Cannot grow perfect lawn• Need to be creative to brighten dark areas

Facts of Shade Life

• Branches or structures block air movement• Less weeds• Insufficient sunlight leads to leaf drop• Tree roots compete for water and nutrients• Not always caused by trees — also structures

“Ugly” of Shade = Root Competition

• Robs moisture / nutrients from plants• Hard to grow in root-jammed soil• Hard to dig• Perennial weeds grow by rhizomes (not seeds)

Hard to remove (cutting causes growth) Hand pull or dig them out

• Never-ending challenge

What to Do, What to Do?• Amend soil• Try buried containers (remove bottoms or use degradable)

Dig larger-than-usual planting hole Line with newspaper — temporarily keeps roots out Sink pots between roots — plant in them Water new plants heavily first summer to establish root system

• Try containers above the soil Start plants in sun to get them to bloom Move to shade when flowering Move back into sun when blooms begin to fade

• Creeping ground covers / vines (non-invasives!) Fewer holes to dig / fewer plants to water

• Start with full-grown plants with large root balls More digging but better, competitive roots

• Remove no more than ¼ of small, secondary roots Clean cuts — more healing — less tree damage Keep roots intact 4 to 6 feet from trunk

• Last resort, remove trees

Study Your Site — Different Times of Day — Different Times of Year

• Do soil test!• Make sun map• Not sure what kind of sun you have?

Petunia test Blooms / flourishes = full sun Grows but does not bloom well = part sun / part shade Struggles to grow = shade

• Watch for changes. Anticipate amount of sun area will receive.

• Do you have leaf drop?• Prune to allow more light / air in.

Remove lower branches (crown raising / limbing up) NMT lower third of lower branches Stay on ground! Higher, use certified arborist

Right Plants — Right Light!

• Choose right plants — right plant for right place! Shade tolerant Estimate future height / growth pattern — make shade?

• Let more light in Remove large plants casting shade Top / trim hedges Prune overhanging branches Exploit reflected light — white or light surfaces Enlarge open spaces so plants get more light

Flowering plants need 4 to 5 hours of direct light Transplant = risky; but continuing = failure

Improve Soil

• Do soil test first!!• Add organic material to hold moisture• Improve soil texture (sand, lime)• Add topsoil or manure

Plan Your Garden!

• How does shade affect your garden? Young trees will make more shade as they mature How much sun will an area receive?

• Consider root competition Hard to dig up / divide plants

• Consider plant spacing Don’t grow / fill in as in sun — plant more densely Number of plants affect on growth rate / coverage Ground covers may not fill in completely Plan on ⅔ plant’s mature size in shade

If light shade, use full diameter in planning• For transition areas, use plants that can take sun or shade• Plan for upcoming major changes

If older tree will be removed, don’t do major flowerbed changes underneath it.

“ A little forethought before planting will avoid disappointments later on and go a long way to creating the effect you have in mind.” — D.A. Brown, The Shade Garden

The Fun Part - Choosing Plants!

• Easy — Plant for reduced light• Hard — Plant for poor, dry soil under trees• Buy larger not smaller, cheaper plants

Plants grow slower in shade Instant results by “head start” Downside: Harder to dig larger holes!

• Those that do well in less light• Don’t choose bloomers

Few bloom readily or heavily in shade Occasional, seasonal bloomer okay

• Match plants, shrubs, ground covers to your shade• Pick for foliage, texture, and color

The Fun Part — Choosing Plants! (cont’d.)

• Replace old trees with new ones Deep, less aggressive roots Try evergreen foliage for off-season color

• Use ground covers as filler material Creep like carpet Use sparingly; not as dominant feature

• Vary heights, shapes, colors for interest

Time to Plant! Choices, Choices, Choices… Add to existing planting bed OR start from scratch?• Redo existing bed

Remove sod (recycle elsewhere) Sharp shovel — cut into soil 2” — slide shovel under sod —

lift off Remove weeds / undesirables

Entire root system or will re-sprout! Add compost, peat moss, decomposed manure, chopped leaves,

organic material Mix into top 3” — 4” of soil If soil has clay, 6” — 8” of soil Work together to 8” to 12”

Finish with thick mulch layer (also re-buries seeds) Pull sprouting weeds

Pros / Cons of Redoing Existing Bed• Ineffective and impractical• Too much work — too slow• Traumatic to soil’s microorganisms• Turning soil leads to weeds sprouting (soon!)

Moves dormant seeds to surface and light• Chops up and spreads invasive rhizomes• Trees react to root cutting and soil disturbance

To them, it’s pruning Grow many more roots within weeks

Take over bed again Once again competes with your plants!

Fast and Easy Approach — Build New Bed on Top of Soil

• Get best soil you can — Extension agent has sources Friable Good structure No weeds From open pile with organic material added, turned

repeatedly so weed roots and seeds are burned off Not in plastic bags — living soil must breathe!

• Condition soil — will take several seasons Collect, compost falling leaves

Pros and Cons of Fast and Easy Approach• No unnecessary root disturbance• Little digging!• Easy to accomplish• Like Mother Nature, layers organic material• Weed-free, root-free.• Leaves original soil intact

Old soil becomes new subsoil Subsoil microorganisms move up to new soil Layer (like in nature with fall leaves)

• Does not destroy natural microflora• New plants grow in fresh, top-quality, weed-free soil

Steps• Day before

Mow lawn or chop back vegetation Compost residue to enrich soil

Get soil delivered Buy plants, put in shade, water thoroughly

• The “Big Day” Temporary weed barrier to protect new soil layer

Cover bed with 5-10 sheets of newspaper No light — weeds die, decompose Overlap edges, cover tears Ink okay, no lead

Soak to prevent blowing away Cover with 8” soil (12” if no tree roots to protect)

Plant!

• Will take 18 months to establish• Just push soil aside — plant the plants• End with fairly thick mulch layer• If unable to plant right away, cover bed

with mulch to keep seeds out• Stand back and enjoy!

Man-Made Shade• Inanimate objects / structures cut off sunlight

Buildings, walls, fences• Is dense shade — NO light filters through — all day• If lucky, some reflect useful light

Do petunia test!• Remedies

Plant in containers, then move them to lighter areas Paint walls white or pale color to reflect light If possible, remove object / structure

Designing for Shade — General Principles

• Emphasize texture, form, arrangements• Keep it simple!• Design around foliage, not flowers• Use variety of evergreens• Use 1/5 of plants to retain year-round foliage• Create off-season interest in trees with colorful,

unusual shapes or textures• Use subtler shades

Design EssentialsColor: Use color wheel or do what pleases you

• Analogous — soothing to the eye; 2 colors on each side of one color on color wheel

• Complimentary — exciting; colors across from each other on color wheel; contrast so they stand out

• Greens dominate — dark to lime• Dark colors — get lost in shade; surround with lighter

plants• Light colors — whites, pale, silver, light pink, pale

blue tone down excessive intensity and brighten

Design Essentials (cont’d.)

• Variegates — stand out, create “splashes of color” Some = less vigorous (white areas lack chlorophyll) Don’t use too many together Using many, separate with green foliage

• Get some color from flowers Plant in pots — move to sun to bloom — then shade

Cool and Warm Colors

• Put cools in bed front; warms in back for depth• Cool:

Calm / tranquility Makes areas seem larger Greens and blues — things look farther away

• Warm: Stimulates eye, so gives energy Stands out Makes areas seem smaller and closer Creates “sunshine” patches

Texture

• More impact — glossy rather than dull leaves• More interest — use varied textures

Fine leaved — ferns Medium leaved — astilbe Coarse / bold leaved — large hostas

• Want calm / tranquility? Use fine and medium textures

• Want striking look? Use fine and bold• First, plant by spots of texture to create “effect”• Second, repeat to create sense of harmony

Form

• Less likely to hold debris (leaf / needle drop) Smaller-leaved plants Plants with downward pointing leaves

• Most likely to hold debris Large-leaved plants Upward pointing or horizontal leaves

• Design around plant or outline of leaves• Consider growth patterns

Upright / columnar — best as shade accents Rounded, weeping, spreading — spaciousness

Plant SelectionHow do deciduous forest plants respond to available light?

Try to do the same!

• Perennials bloom 2-3 weeks in spring• Shade tolerant plants produce foliage / blooms while sun

penetrates overhead foliage, then go dormant• Select summer, fall, winter foliage for interest• Consider your personal taste• Suitable for your site?

Hardiness (we are now zone 8) Available moisture Soil types Extent of shade

• Resistance to pest, diseases, mildew, deer• Consider leaf shape

Understand Plant Tags

• Empty circle — full sun

• Half darkened circle / half light or light with cloud — partial shade

• Completely darkened circle / full cloud — shade

Do You Have Wet or Dry Shade?

Dry shade is most common

• Hardest to garden• Root competition — take water first• Umbrella canopy on large trees with heavy foliage• Naturally dry soils (sandy, stony) — water flows through• What to do?

Don’t significantly change soil within drip line as it will damage or suffocate roots.

Remove small roots Mix in lots of organic materials Fertilize heavily (one for tree, one for plants) Use organic mulch — retains moisture / prevents evaporation

Do You Have Wet or Dry Shade? (cont’d.)• Use drought resistant, shade tolerant plants• Landscape with water conservation in mind• Meet plant’s water needs, especially when freshly planted• Irrigation well

Mound 2” to 3” around plant Fill with water — let slowly drain After 1 year, rake soil even

• Slopes Terrace extreme slopes Use moisture retaining soils Keep mulch moist Run soaker hoses parallel Plant spreading plants at base (naturally moister)

Moist Shade — Shade Reduces Evaporation

• Easier than dry shade• Constant moisture — choose plants that like it

moist or wet• Better plant selection — more shade plants

tolerate moisture than dry conditions• Raise bed 1′ above moist area with well-aerated

topsoil• Provides constant water source!• Draw water away• If wet all year, few plants will survive –

cannot live while dormant AND wet

Turf — Why Won’t My Turf Grow?• Sun plant• Suburban trees maturing

Roots Blocking sunlight to turf

• Turf growth lags behind (less sun means less photosynthesis)• Weeds and diseases move in

Still want to try? Assess your site

• Shade >70% of day is hopeless!• Shadows from trees or structures• Tree shade

Root competition Prune

• Dry or wet shade?

Want to Start from Scratch?• Shade tolerant varieties• Fertile / friable soil• Rake or roll for good soil contact• Top dress — ½“ top soil or compost• Sow twice amount of recommended seed• Mulch lightly• Keep moist

Ease up when grass comes up Use water responsibly

Comply with restrictions Conserve water — prevent run off

Have Serviceable Lawn, Want to Improve?

• Roughly rake area

• Overseed with improved, shade variety at 1½ recommended rate

• Keep well watered practicing conservation

Turf Maintenance (Shade Tolerant Grass Up and Established)

• Moisture — need more than non-shade turf 1½“ weekly; penetrate to minimum of 6“ Turf competes with roots

• Fertilize Shade turf is “starved” even if fertilized

“Hungry” turf spreads slowly Leaves bare patches Weeds move in

Increase fertilizer rate by one-half Follow soil test report recommendations Cool season (Fescue, etc.) — Sept., Oct., Nov. Warm season (Bermuda, Zoysia) — Apr., May, June.

Mow — More Blade Surface, More Ability to Make food

• Let turf grow ½“ to 1“ higher than normal• Be careful!

Less blade area cut — less plant stress — roots grow and are better able to handle root competition

• Keep mower blade sharp and balanced!• Cut top third of blade — cut to:

Fine fescue / rye — 2½“ Tall fescue — 4“ Kentucky bluegrass — 3“ Bermuda / Zoysia — 1"

Prevent Disease

• Shade turf -- an easy target Stress of shade growing Poor growing conditions Most turf diseases — caused by fungi

Fungi love shade’s moisture E.g., powdery mildew

• Try: Reducing shade Increasing air flow

• Only real solution: Remove cause of shade!

Don’t Have Shade — Need It!

• Building on a sunny site If good type trees, keep some Create dappled shade by pruning lower branches Tailor garden to land

• Loss of shade tree (“Isabel Syndrome”) Replace with right kind, fast growing

• Shade plants with loose cover• Rapid growers can shade slower growers underneath• Success depends on local climate and season of year

South in fall, winter, spring — some time to recover South in summer — plants will burn

Don’t Have Shade — Need It! (cont’d.)

• Plant shrubs Grow / fill in faster than trees Less aggressive roots Make shade but not dense

• Plant vines• Plant giant or tall growing annuals• Plant tall “sun” plants to shade the “non-sun” plants• Add shade structures

Read More About Shade Gardening• Making the Most of Shade, 2005 Larry Hodgson, Rodale, Inc.,

USA• Taylor’s Guide to Shade Gardening, 1994, Houghton Mifflin

Co., New York• Gardening in the Shade, Christopher Starbuck, Missouri

Department of Agriculture, University of Missouri Extension• The Garden of Revival Expert, Dr. D.G.Hessayon, 2004,

Transworld Publishers, London, Published in New York• Reader’s Digest 1001 Hints and Tips for Your Garden, 2000,

The Reader’s Digest Assoc., Inc., Pleasantville, NY• Southern Living Landscape Book, 1998 and 2000, Oxmoor

House, Inc., Birmingham, AL• Ortho Home Gardener’s Problem Solver, 2004, Meredith

Corp., Des Moines, IA

Good, Bad, and Ugly of Shade Gardening• Described shade and light effects• Challenges and realities of shade gardening• How to garden in the shade

Working with what you have Starting completely from scratch

• Designing for shade• Dry or moist shade• Turf in shade• Don’t have shade — need it!

Want a satisfying challenge? Garden in the shade!

We have soil test kits!

Need more information? Call or Visit Us!

www.nnmastergardeners.org

Ms. Vanessa Connell Newport News Horticulture Programs Coordinator

757-591-4838

Master Gardener Helpline757-591-4838

Hostas under deck

Japanese maple, hostas and angel wing begonias

Main garden area with hostas, astilbe, japanese anemone

Birdbath converted for succulents

Main garden area

Japanese anemones

Spider wort and varigated lily of the valley

Dappled shade

Pond with heuchera, and lilies

Japanese painted fern

Hosta and heuchera

Millie garden with hosta and hydrangea