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greenymatt

dead patches...lawn problem

greenymatt
9 years ago

Hi guys, I have been trying to get my grass back and most seems to be greening, however i have patches that dont seem to want to budge. I have been using a good futerlizer and weed&feed, watering every morning. I am new to lawn care also.

Comments (5)

  • maplerbirch
    9 years ago

    What kind of grass do you want to have and why are you watering every morning? Most likely needs to be replanted.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago

    Also, is that the wedge between two pieces of concrete? Points like that are extremely difficult, but can be handled.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    9 years ago

    That strip is called a "hell strip" because it is hard to grow anything there. Usually watering is the issue because, being between two hot pieces of concrete in the summer, you have trouble keeping it moist. Still, we can help you. All is not lost. But we need some more information.

    Where do you live?
    Did you plant grass and if so, what kind of grass did you plant? Or do you know what kind of grass you have?

    I just zoomed in on it and it looks like neglected bermuda grass. It is also possible there was a chinch bug infestation last summer. They love hell strips.

    A word about watering. Daily watering is the worst kind. Sure you see people doing it everywhere, but they are doing it wrong. They end up paying more for herbicide and possibly fungicide. A much better way to water is to apply deeply and infrequently. Deeply means 1 full inch all at one time. Infrequently means once per week in the hottest heat of summer and backing off to once per month in the cooler months. For your area right now, I would put a black soaker hose out there and turn it on to a trickle. What is a trickle? A trickle means 1 cup per minute as measured at the faucet. It is just a little more than a drip. Turn that on and let it run for a full week - maybe 2 weeks - to moisten the soil down deep. The extremely slow rate will allow the soil to moisten but also allow air to move in and out. If that is bermuda and you live somewhere where the grass is still growing, then it should rebound in that 2-week period. You should start seeing greening along the runners on top of the ground.

    Another thing you can do to really improve your soil is to apply an organic fertilizer at least once per year. You can apply it any day of the year without fear of hurting anything. You can apply it the same day you apply a chemical fertilizer if you find that convenient.

    If that is bermuda, search the Internet for the Bermuda Bible. Memorize that and follow it. It's not that had to follow. There are a couple rules that boil down to mow low every week, water once a week, and fertilize heavily every month.

  • SimonR
    9 years ago

    Since the OP is a New South Welshman, I would surmise that the grass appears to be hybrid couch aka bermuda.

    I agree with the other posts regarding the issue. Parts of my centre driveway strip looks exactly like that, with lack of water penetration due to compaction, high radiant temperature and lack of sunlight from vehicles being parked on the driveway.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    9 years ago

    Simon! Welcome back!! How's your backyard doing (please update us...in another thread...with pictures!! I have more questions for you about sprigging).

    Okay, so it helps to know he's from South Oz and just coming into summer. Now is the time to get this in shape.

    Assuming that soil is hard, the soaker hose method I mentioned would work for you to soften the soil...if you can get black soaker hoses. Another approach is to spray the soil with baby shampoo or any clear shampoo (not cloudy with conditioners). Spray at a rate of 30 ml per 100 square meters. Then follow that up with 3 cm of water. Up here we measure that by timing how long it takes to fill a cat food or tuna can. I don't know what you have in the way of short cans but these are straight sided and about 2.5 to 3 cm tall. Once you know how long it takes to fill those cans, that is the time you will use for all future watering.

    That soil looks poor. Organic fertilizer can be used any day of the year, so that makes it very good for tuning up poor lawns and soils. A long time ago I started using the raw ingredients of organic fertilizer instead of paying full price for the commercially bagged fertilizers. I like to use corn meal and alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow). You should be able to get those at a feed store nearby. Apply those at a rate of 7 to 9 kilos per 100 square meters. If the soil is not moist when you apply, then moisten it. You don't have to wash it in or anything - just moisten it. If you used rabbit pellets, you might be afraid of attracting rabbits. Don't worry. Once you moisten the pellets, they swell up and make it impossible for bunnies to eat. After they swell up and dry out, then sweep the flakes down through the grass onto the soil.

    Here is a link to feed stores near Sydney. I don't know what you live but you should be able to figure out how that link works and find feed stores closer to you.