Question
Follow up.
Thank you for your response.  I should have included the fact that this is a thoroghfare from the driveway to the garage at the back of the property.  We rarely need to drive back there but driving over some vinca minor is likely not a good idea. We do sit under the maples during a hot summer day.
But, if I used your idea, at least in part of the yard, how would you recommend replacing the current grass.  What I mean is this - I just now finished fixing up some dead spots with sod from preparing a different site for a flagstone walkway. No more than an inch below the soil are the roots of the maples.  They're fine but lots there.  I would not be able to till this up and I understand that it is not a good idea to add too much depth on top of maple tree roots as the tree will suffer.
So for the grass I have to keep there......any thoughts?
And for the grass I could replace further down the lot.....how do I prep it for ground cover plants?
Thanks again.
Angela
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Question -
Hello Kenneth
I live in Southern Ontario just SE of Lake Ontario.  My soil has a lot of clay.
In the past couple of years I started having problems under a row of maple trees that I planted about 12 years ago.
Each year it seems like I have to start from scratch with a load of soil and more grass seed.  
The trees border my fence on the south side. The grass gets the morning sun and some evening sun but none in the afternoon.
I apply the proper fertilizer both in the spring and fall.
I cannot water as I am on a cistern. The last seed I planted was for difficult/dry conditions and shade.  (this is not a wet boggy spot)
My question is....what can I do to gets this grass back to the lushness that it once was?  Should I fertilize more often?  I can't keep overseeding the same area (fairly large) each year.  There are not yet any maple roots near the surface of the lawn but I understand that this may be a problem down the road (I would estimate their height at about 20 ft.)  Are they taking all of the nutrients from the lawn?
Thank you for any adivce that you can offer.
Regards
Angela

Answer -
If the trees are on the south side, it means that the grass is planted on the north side of the trees. My guess is that there simply is too little sun for grass to grow adequately.

I understand it can be difficult to reseed, and if you can not water reguarily, then I recommend a good shade loving ground cover instead. Pathysandra, vinca minor etc. We have vinca minor under maples and it does wonderful and is evergreen. Once established it is VERY draught tolorant, too, and need no more sun that described by you.

I know it is not grass, but sometimes the effort and expense to keep grass does not match the result. Switching to a shade loving ground cover will in the long run give you a happier experience.

Grass, even the shade cultivars, are shade TOLORANT at best, and that requires extra work with raking leaves, watering, and reseeding annually. No grass is shade loving, and I therefore would say that maples (which have dense canopies) planted on the south side of a lawn would qualify for the switch to shade tolorant ground covers.

The only grass type which is moderately good at handling shade and also is partially draught tolorant is fine fescues (especially hard fescue), but it does not do well with maples. It prefers dappled shade such as that provided by large oaks for example or birch. It also require limited traffic and do poorly with compact soil which is hallmark by maples.  

Answer
To keep grass on the strip, loose the top 1/2 - 1" of soil and spread a seed mixture marked "shade" which MUST contain fine fescues. It is of no help to use sod which is primarily kentucky bluegrass (must have lots of sun). You will need to water reguarlily, if you are to keep it alive during summer.