Question
I live in Arlington, Texas and I am starting a new yard and it has been suggested that I use Turffalo Brand turfgrass. My yard has large oak trees which keep half of the yard in the shade while the other half has a majority of the day in the sunlight. I was checking to see if anyone had some experience with this grass which advertises that it does well in sunlight and shade. The information from the Internet describes this grass as a buffalo type grass.

Thanks,
Chris

Answer
Hi Chris;
I don't know anything about Turffalo, but I do now they are coming out with new strains of grass that take more shade.
There is a strain og Bermuda that takes more shade. It is called Bermuda Tif.
My daughter had it in her yard in Little Elm, and she said it grew like the dickens in the shade.
I live in Iving, and driving or riding is a problem, so when I went over to her house, I was too tired to go roaming around in the yard.LOL
I know she had a nice lawn in her back yard, and she had quite a few trees.
I have St. augustine and my house faces the west, so I can't prune out limbs to give the grass more shade, because that west sun get mean in the summer, so I made a little raised area with stones, and planted Asian Jasmine in it.
In the front part, where it gets full to lots of sun, I have plants that attract butterflies etc, and some juniped spreaders. In the shades area, up against the house on the total shade side, I have ferns and other shade l;obing plants. Asian Jasmine will gro in total shade, and where it gets sun, it really spreads, so the area is nice and full, and almost all of it is evergreeen, so it looks that way the year round.
I found his on Howard Garrett's site
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QUESTION: Do you have any thoughts about using alfalfa meal as an organic fertilizer? I have tried to use only corn gluten meal and pellets and dried molasses for the past year or so, but my Bermuda grass lawn looks pretty weak. The area under my red oak tree is almost bare, while the other side (in direct sunlight) is in relatively good shape. Weeds continue to be a problem. I have an in-ground sprinkler system and use it several times a week. N.G., Denison

ANSWER: The problem you have is that Bermuda won't grow in shade. Try St.Augustine, ground covers such as Persian ivy or ophiopogon, mulch or the Turffalo variety of buffalo grass, which is bred to grow in shade.
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In my book, if Hoard says it, it's gospel.LOL
Except, he recommends dry molasses, ands I find plain table sugar works best.
Going organic is the best way to have a great looking lawn and garden, with less ork and less money spent.
i spend 2 to 4 hours per weekl, rather than the 10 to 20 hours per week I spend when I was struggling with chemicals, and I spans as much in a whole tyear as I used to spend per month.
If you would like a copy of my organic program, write me, and I would be glad to share it with you.
Charlotte