Tired of the brown

[Dragon Tamer]

I've got a rather large lawn, and usually my old man takes care of the lawn but he's unable to right now because of his surgery. As I've been mowing the lawn I've noticed a lot of areas where the grass doesn't really grow. It causes the mower to kick up a lot of dust and makes it a pain to mow the lawn. I was hoping some of you guys might have some suggestions on how I can get the grass to grow in these areas. To add to the complexity, the issue is different for various areas of the yard.

This is out front by the road, not really sure why this doesn't grow. The only thing I can think of is that it just gets too much sunlight (is that a thing?). It's exposed to the sun for most of the day. It's also at a high point in the yard so it's possible that water runs away from this area.





This area looks like it's okay, but the grass on this part of the yard doesn't really grow. It's not dead... it just doesn't grow either... This area gets exposed to the morning sun and is exposed for most of the day until about 5 o'clock.



This area is the opposite, it hardly gets any sunlight until about 4 o'clock in the evening. It's also on a slope so water doesn't really seep into the soil very well.



This area is also in the shade but doesn't have as much of an issue with water. There is an area further up the hill from this where one of the downspouts comes out under ground. That area gets too much water when it rains, all the grass around where it comes out is completely dead. There are two downspouts on that side of the house that go underground, but I don't know where the second one comes out. It's possible that it comes out there as well and is causing the same thing.

[Meatwad]

Might need reseeded and fertilized

[Drano]

Could be a problem with the soil. Find a place that can test it for you. They'll be able to tell you exactly what's going on in the soil in that area and how to correct it. Which fertilizer to use (the numbers are important), does it need lime, how much to use and how often. Lot of factors other than water and light need to be right for grass to grow consistently over your whole lawn. And everyone's soil will be a little different from the next and different areas of the lawn too. Leaves or pine needles falling on the lawn will release stuff into the soil and change that area chemically which may be part of why that area is giving you a hard time.

I work at a university so I just went to the agronomy dept (the peeps that study grass) one day and asked them. They gave me a plugger and a bunch of bags to put the plugs in and tested my stuff for free. 

I had my lawn going great for a few years until a few years ago. Too many irons in the fire lately to keep after it right. I'll get it back tho!

[Zoney]

This is absolutely because of global warming.

[Dragon Tamer]

Could be a problem with the soil. Find a place that can test it for you. They'll be able to tell you exactly what's going on in the soil in that area and how to correct it. Which fertilizer to use (the numbers are important), does it need lime, how much to use and how often. Lot of factors other than water and light need to be right for grass to grow consistently over your whole lawn. And everyone's soil will be a little different from the next and different areas of the lawn too. Leaves or pine needles falling on the lawn will release stuff into the soil and change that area chemically which may be part of why that area is giving you a hard time.

I work at a university so I just went to the agronomy dept (the peeps that study grass) one day and asked them. They gave me a plugger and a bunch of bags to put the plugs in and tested my stuff for free. 

I had my lawn going great for a few years until a few years ago. Too many irons in the fire lately to keep after it right. I'll get it back tho!

That's not a bad idea, my school has an agriculture department if I remember correctly. Maybe I'll pay them a visit and talk to them.

[Randy1]

Call your county extension agent or go to his or her office.  They are tied to one of the colleges in your state. This is the same place you can get your soil tested for a few bucks.  They will have a ton of information and most of it is free for the asking.  Take the pictures with you if you can.  If they have someone available they can come to your house.

[morfiend]

You could try overseeding with a good general purpose grass seed mix or you can try a cheap oldschool remedy.

  add 2 tablespoons of ammonia to 1/2 a bottle of flat beer,then add that to a gallon of water and spray the lawn. The ammonia will help fix nitrogen in the ground,this will "green" the grass and the beer,best to drink half and leave the rest over night,will break down the thatch and make it available to the grass to use.  It's cheap and it works,doesnt control weeds and may even make some grow better but it will green up the grass.  You can find these recipes at victory garden!

       

[BuckShot]

I landscraped in New England for a long time.

Soil looks compacted in the first and last shots.

DeThatch, aerate, maybe add some topdressing, seed, a little hay

It looks nice and green, but if you decide to fertilize I'd go with local composted chicken manure if you can find it. Put it down before a good rain.


If there are lots of pines nearby, put lime down every year or two. It will take a year or two to kick in. Go heavier on mossy areas.

My yahd's about nine shades of green. Whatever grows grows and gets mowed. When the wild Indian paintbrush starts I let those patches go until the flowers are done... Less mowing!

[MWL]

Make sure you don't have 'bugs'.

My lawn looked similar - didn't know what I didn't know and lots of the grass was eaten by cinch bugs.

I got a spreadable insecticide (similar to weed and feed in texture) - now the grass is growing again and naturally filling in the 'dead' spots.

Here's an Ortho link - http://www.ortho.com/smg/goART2/contentArticle/cinch-bugs-ortho-prevent-kill-lawn/32200019

[JimmyC]

Stop pissed on it when your drunk!

[XxDaSTaRxx]

This is absolutely because of global warming.

I know there are some... people like that on this board

[Karnak]

I wish I could get rid of the weeds from mine.  I manage to minimize weed success, but outright clearing them out seems doomed to failure.  Very vexing.

At least the weeds are green though, and from the road the HOA can't tell that they are weeds if I keep them mowed. 

[jeep00]

[Arlo]

I'm originally from West Texas. I don't see a problem.

[guncrasher]

I'm originally from West Texas. I don't see a problem.

you gotta quit drinking so much you arent in texas anymore  .



semp