Back Yard Creosote/Shade nightmare - suggestions?

The Picky Eater and I purchased an old house in great distress last year in Logan Square. One of the things I loved about it was the spacious back yard in which I could build the garden of my dreams.

Sadly, the back yard is full of creosote and is almost completely shaded due to two very, very large trees. Eventually, I'll need to take one of the trees out (it's not healthy and the roots are starting to cause foundation problems for my neighbor) and will have the bad soil taken out and replaced with clean soil so I can put my garden in, but in the meantime, it's a muddy eyesore. The only thing that seems to grow is dandelions.

Keeping in mind that the yard is going to be demolished and re-done (hopefully next season or this fall), does anyone have any suggestions for a quick, inexpensive fix for this season? I need something that doesn't mind bad soil and shade that will grow in quickly. I'm not planning on ever putting a lawn in back there, but if anyone knows of a grass seed that might work, I'd certainly try that out for the summer. Perhaps a fast growing, hardy, shade loving ground cover of some sort? Anything to save me from the dandelion/mudpit that is currently out there!

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

I have a very shady front yard and for my particular situation, I found a killer app: Scott's Turf Builder Dense Shade Grass Seed.



This seed is formulated with some Frankensteinian protective coating that means it uses less water (you can skip a day or two of watering, no problem) and germinates faster. An unadvertised benefit that I've noticed is that birds don't like it (probably because of its unnatural body armor).

It's expensive. It works. I very much doubt that it's "green" grass. You be the judge.

it takes years for a lawn or grass to grow in well( I know you dont want a lawn back there, but Im just sayin'). So it seems like kind of a waste of $$$ to want to try to grow grass back there for just one season. But its your home, and what you have to look at so I can totally understand that.

My advise, tips, Find maybe some prairie grass seed that does not need cutting, and try to plant that. It will be easy to get rid of when you attempt your garden project next year. Also use starter fertilizer when planting any grass. It will help any seed you do choose take, and grow quicker.

All of the above advice from a guy who lived in an apartment for 18 years and then grew almost an acre of a barren mud pit into a green lawn from seed in less than 2 years.

hope this helps, good luck, the property sounds great.

Gentlemen, thank you for the good suggestions! In all honesty, I'm thinking of my neighbors as much as myself as they have such nicely tended yards that I feel guilty subjecting them to the eyesore behind my house.

I'd just do what they do in AZ in the winter, and seed it with rye grass. It's not meant to last forever, and if it can grow in the crappy alkaline soil out there, it'll probably take in your yard.

But please don't worry about it too much. In our current climate, your neighbors are probably just overjoyed that there is a homeowner net door instead of a vacant foreclosed property. Anything you do will be better than the alternative!

Similar to Sundevilpeg's idea is to seed it with vetch. It grows easily (like a weed), but really fixes nitrogen into the soil when turned under. It's sometimes used as a cover crop that overwinters, then is tilled under to improve the soil. It's also used on sides of ditches to prevent erosion. It looks OK, has pretty flowers, but is definitely not short - more like a foot tall.

I'm not sure, however, how fussy it is. I get the feeling it's not....but I'm no expert on it. I used it a few winters in my garden, so just know how it helps there.

Annual, not perennial, rye grass will take off quickly and give a quick fill of somewhat coarse grass. It needs some sun. If the shade is light enough to permit dandelions to proliferate, there is enough sun for annual ryegrass to grow if not fully flourish. The seed is cheap and will still germinate for years if kept in a cool, dark place. Later on it can be used for a green manure that will winter kill.

Vetch would be a good option if the goal were to improve the soil. Since the soil will be removed, go with annual rye grass.

Fine perennial rye grass and fescues used in shady lawn mixes take too long to establish for a quick and dirty ground cover.

If you possibly can, get the soil change done this fall. Then go for a winter cover crop on the portions to be used for plants that are planted in May or later. Do not try a cover crop on areas to be planted with cold-tolerant plants such as onions, lettuce, radishes, turnips or cole crops.

I have a dead spot in my front yard under a tree. I planted ivy there, and it grew very well. I can't remember the exact type of ivy, but it was one that was marked for shade.

ekreider is bang on target. Annual rye is an atom bomb of the grasses. Let it grow (convince the neighbors that you're doing an eco-revival on your backyard) and it'll re-seed itself at the end of the year. Do that for a couple of years and I'd wager that your soil will be amended a bit for your efforts.

Geo

Geo wrote:ekreider is bang on target. Annual rye is an atom bomb of the grasses. Let it grow (convince the neighbors that you're doing an eco-revival on your backyard) and it'll re-seed itself at the end of the year. Do that for a couple of years and I'd wager that your soil will be amended a bit for your efforts.

Geo

I'm definitely looking into this, it sounds like a winner.

sundevilpeg wrote:
But please don't worry about it too much. In our current climate, your neighbors are probably just overjoyed that there is a homeowner net door instead of a vacant foreclosed property. Anything you do will be better than the alternative!

Considering that the previous owners had 126 cats, then the house sat abandoned for 2 years overrun with cats and drug addicts, yes, they are OVERJOYED to have us here.

ekreider wrote: If you possibly can, get the soil change done this fall. Then go for a winter cover crop on the portions to be used for plants that are planted in May or later. Do not try a cover crop on areas to be planted with cold-tolerant plants such as onions, lettuce, radishes, turnips or cole crops.

Ideally, this is exactly what I'm hoping to do, it all depends upon the cash flow situation and such. This house needs SO much work that I've been forced to push back my time line for the yard. How would you amend the planting situation if I need to do this in the Spring? I'm planning on putting in several beds for herbs/vegetables, then filling the rest of the yard with peonies, tulips, roses, foxglove, lilac, etc. Nice, fragrant, hardy old fashioned flowering plants/bushes that don't take a great deal of maintenance so that I can devote myself to the veggie beds.

Thanks again to everyone for the great suggestions!