Tree Roots and Chinch Bugs Keep Wrecking the Lawn
Numerous posts express frustration with lawn care challenges, including tree root intrusion, grass identification and health problems (chinch bugs, discoloration), uneven grading, and mowing difficulties. Users seek advice on solutions ranging from DIY methods to professional services.
SOURCES (60)
“I always start with a calculation: LxW (area sqft) x 0.25 (desired mulch depth - 3” - converted to feet) x 0.037 = total yards. However, sometimes the terrain or other site abnormalities indicate an eyeball addition or subtraction from this amount. If you’re only…”
“Not Boston Ivy. The petiole on your pic is too long. Look at OP’s pics. Petiole is short, almost non existent. Plus, if you look at the young, red leaves (also a characteristic of poison oak), you can also see the oils shine in the light. ID is poison oak.”
“Hello, I am looking to replicate/spread my favorite part of my lawn and favorite grass variant to these less fortunate areas of the lawn. Best way to do so? Plugs? Thank you. submitted by /u/Comprehensive-Baby14 [link] [comments]”
“HOA is upset about these bare spots but I have no idea where to even start. Have two large Southern Live Oaks with thick, long roots in the front yard that I’m afraid are sucking up a lot of moisture. The leaves from the trees also seem to be part of the problem but no idea how to get rid of the majority. Any advice is helpful. Soil is a lot of clay. Grass is St. Augustine. submitted by /u/AdRepulsive397 [link] [comments]”
“I had KBG sod laid a few months back and so far it's taken quite well except for these spots under my birch tree. Watering has been consistent at an inch a week and cannot figure it out. Any ideas? Thanks. submitted by /u/UTC76 [link] [comments]”
“Apologies, I'm not sure if this should be in gardening or lawn care. My yard is mostly wooded. However before we moved in they had to replace the sewer line so they dug up this long path in between the trees that goes from the house to the street. Now it's just overgrown with weeds and crabgrass and looks horrible. My neighbor suggested maybe a wildflower field? But after doing some research would I have to somehow take all of the weeds and everything out to get fresh dirt and start from”
“I need to do this too. My thoughts are to use a shovel to lift the edge of the sod up and use a tool like a camping wood saw to carve out soil underneath.”
“Minnesota - areas of my yard look like this. Do I need to aerate the grass and put new seed down? Or something else? submitted by /u/kickphil [link] [comments]”
“There are a bunch of bare spots in my lawn that I want to seed, but not sure what seeds to purchase. It looks like a few different types. submitted by /u/tmkang [link] [comments]”
“Anything is possible with time money and effort. What’s your reason for wanting to establish turf grass? It’s a mostly green yard now. Looks like lots of clover but that’s not necessarily bad. Do you have dogs? They will make it pretty tough to establish and maintain a solid turf grass back there. I’m in cool season climate but I’m doing my best to keep up with the damage the dogs cause, but my neighbors yards are the biggest culprits right now. I put a river rock perimeter around the whole back”
“I’m guessing you’re not using nearly enough soil. It takes way more than you think”
“When you say “many years”, is it possible that before that there was a fire pit that was mostly removes, but part of the base is still under there? When we redid our pool deck about 5 years ago, we took out the section that our slide sat on, but they only removed down to the steel rebar that the slab was poured over. I know it’s past time to water my lawn when the dead grass rectangle starts appearing. Can you drive one of those lawn market stakes down a foot or more, or do you hit something sol”
“Looks like a maple. Maples have shallow root systems that can suck moisture around the base especially during hot summers like we’ve had. Our neighbor has a maple and lawn looks great each spring until the tree comes online and there’s a distinct ring around the base where it’s taking water away from lawn.”
“as the title - Was confused why the lawn was never growing on this line. tried to screw driver test to see if it was rodents and found it was the root from the tree. what are my options here to get grass in this area? Dug up little to see if it was feasible cut and remove the root. it’s hard and bigger than I thought. not sure how it will affect the tree if cut out. Any guidance is appreciated. thanks for your time. submitted by /u/Medium_Strawberry_28 [link] [comments]”
“Bamboo is a type of grass. This may not be a fix, but cut to the ground and mow often. If I’m wrong, let me know. On a different note, you can find out who owns the lot next door through your county tax office. We can find out online in Ohio just by using the GIS map. You may be able to track down the actual owner and make a deal on removing it. Just a thought.”
“Anyone know what could be causing my grass to die around the swing set? submitted by /u/ImprovementLate4867 [link] [comments]”
“Why does it have to be fast? Are you moving out? If so, sod will be the quickest (most expensive option) solution. Otherwise, let the weeds grow through.”
“I have KBG in my side yard, which is almost fully shaded by my house and surrounding trees. Roots from nearby trees are at the surface throughout this area as well. How do I get grass to grow here? Do I need to lay more dirt? Get a shade seed mix? submitted by /u/throwaway7827821 [link] [comments]”
“Are your neighbors lawns also flooded? If not you need to dig a French drain and direct the water towards the sewer system.”
“TL;DR - How can I stop cottonwood from next door invading my yard? I live directly nextdoor to an empty lot. The property owner has a few few different rental homes in the neighborhood. His adult son lives in one of these homes with his own family, on the backside of the empty lot, and generally takes care of it. Last year they had a crew come in and clear out the lot including cutting down a cottonwood tree. This tree was right on our property line and we had that awful white fluff in our backy”
“many companines have began making a attchment for thier string trimmers to do exeactly this. essentially its just wheels to maintain a constant height.”
“I can’t keep these sprouts out of my lawn. Is there a product I can use to keep them away? They seem to be coming from the root system of nearby trees. Northern Michigan. submitted by /u/semp833 [link] [comments]”
“My yard needs a full reset, I have tree of heaven/paradise in the front and back, I got the front ones removed minus one stump (they are coming to remove it) and they allegedly are treating my yard for any sprout suckers with a mix of stump killer and diesel, but I want tall fescue in the front and back with some nice big flowerbeds. I need advice on the process for resetting the lawn because I know I need to start it here in about a month and overseed/fertilize the hell out of it and water a bu”
“I see a dead lawn and I want to paint it green. (Sung to the tube of Paint it Black) But seriously, they make green dye to lawns.”
“What’s going on with this lawn in Western PA? Is it just in need of water? Just started a few weeks ago. Thank you in advance. submitted by /u/Beneficial_Honey5697 [link] [comments]”
“I live in town with an elderly neighbor’s yard directly connecting to mine. He’s a nice guy, but for a variety of reasons, is unwilling/incapable of managing garden beds. He’s let it go for who knows how long and I’ve spent the past 3 summers tackling the beds that directly touch my yard. They’re full of poison ivy and I’m highly allergic, as is my wife. I’ve had to go to the doctor 3 summers in a row now. Trying to avoid roundup and paying a landscaping company, but if that’s what I have to do,”
“About 4 weeks ago I leveled several thin/low spots in my backyard using a garden mix/topsoil blend and seeded with a tall fescue mix. I had fertilized the lawn about 2 weeks before seeding, so I did not apply starter fertilizer when I seeded. I’ve kept the seed watered consistently, and most of it germinated. Some of the repaired areas actually came in really well and look great. Other areas, though, are filling up with what looks like crabgrass and other weeds much faster than the new grass, an”
“I'm in Central Iowa. My yard right now is about 50/50 grass and clover, which I love! This summer, I've noticed that the clover is growing much more aggressively than the grass. What can I do to promote a good balance so that I don't end up with a 100% clover lawn? I know that wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'm nostalgic for a good bit of grass in the yard. As it stands now: I have no idea what type of grass I have. I've never dabbled in any fertilizer or chemicals”
“I desperately need help with my current lawn. I have a tall fescue/ KBG mix in my yard and I am located in the middle of Ohio. I posted some pictures here to help explain my situation. Picture 1: Front lawn Picture 2: side lawn Picture 3: back yard that connects to side lawn. Picture 4 : massive dead area that is right on top of an old tree stump that was removed before I arrived. Picture 5-7: dead grass spots on top of pipe, ran from drain spouts put in last year. Ok so let’s start with front l”
“Hey everyone, first-time homeowner here. We just moved into our place in North Dakota a couple of months ago and I am officially in over my head with this yard. I have a mix of front-yard patchiness, a backyard disaster zone, clay-heavy soil, and a malfunctioning sprinkler system. For the front yard, I tried reseeding one area, which is the darker soil patch you can see in the photos, but the other bare patches are seriously struggling. In many spots, this dirt is literally rock-hard. I’ve been”
“What zone are you in and did you seed with the same type of grass that was already there?”
“I'm in Southwest Washington. These are in my back yard. Landscapers have cleared them and they keep growing back. I've tried to remove them at the roots but the roots are very brittle, and even the small fragments left behind will begin to sprout. I'd like to eliminate them, but unsure how. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! (I tried to take top photos then stem photos of three that look similar but slightly different. I'm not sure if they're all the same plant or not.”
“part of my yard doesn’t get much sunlight and this algae (I think) is building up in those parts. how do I get rid of it and prevent or minimize it in future ? Thanks submitted by /u/kata-kaal-2567 [link] [comments]”
“Agree with everything except putting everything in the green bin. Yard waste is separate in Minneapolis. Branches like that should get bundled and tied with twine. Minneapolis Yard Waste”
“Based in the Chicago suburbs. Any idea what’s going on? submitted by /u/Willing-Speaker6825 [link] [comments]”
“Really only in the front part of the lawn submitted by /u/weedner [link] [comments]”
“There is a slight slope towards house, but the pavers have a slope towards the lawn. There are drain pipes under the lawn. But yes i have thought about it, we will see after some heavy rain comes at some point”
“Hi there! We just moved into our new house and I got this lawn to take care of plus one in the front of the property, but at this point this one is my main concern. There are a few pine trees around and I did not notice weeds just those patches of I guess dry grass. Previous owner had a dog and we do have one as well. Since this is my first time doing this I wanted the get some feedback and advice before messing this up lol. What would be the best way to proceed to start improving and maintainin”
“Looking for some advice from the lawn experts. I live on the northwest side of San Francisco. Before laying sod a few years ago, the yard was mostly sand, so I added about 6 inches of topsoil and then installed the sod. Unfortunately, the lawn has been pretty neglected this summer, and now it's almost entirely brown. I'm hoping it's not beyond saving and would appreciate advice on the best path forward. A few questions: Does this look dormant, dead, or salvageable? Would you recommen”
“Hey guys, I live in Vermont and plan on doing a complete overhaul of about 30,000 SQ FT in the fall. Kentucky Bluegrass or Turf Type Tall Fescue is what im debating between. Really want something that's dark green, can cut at 3-4 inches, can withstand 80-90 degree weather during the summer with little rain (Do not have any irrigation and lots of the property is unshaded). Also one thing im worried about is my current weed infestation. Do i need to do anything about that before scalping, leve”
“Does anyone have any bright ideas on how to keep dogs off my grass? They have ruined my lawn. There are huge dead spots on my yard along with piles of turds and flies that cause it to stink so bad that I can smell it sitting on my porch. I have bought a sign that holds poop bags and no one has used them. I'm getting ready to set up a camera since I'm not allowed to complain until I get proof. submitted by /u/Immediate-Maximum-75 [link] [comments]”
“I had old grass that I seeded very many times with Scott's. I had to remove some trees and seeded this new area with twin City seed company BLUE RESILIENCE Tall Fescue & Kentucky Bluegrass Mixture - 50 lb Bag There is a really obvious line where the new grass starts and the old grass stops. The new grass is really short and has not been growing very much at all. I think I've only really mowed it once. I have fertilized and watered it now and then when it hasn't rained in a few da”
“Location MA, mix of fine fescue and also over seeded KBJ. Issue is the middle of my lawn is all brown. 2 weeks ago the irrigation company increased water duration for that zone but I think it’s gotten worse. Is the grass already dead or is it actually being over water and this is some sort of fungus. Photos attached Also please forgive the weeds - if there a (toddler) safe selective herbicide that would work here please let me know too. submitted by /u/jc840 [link] [comments]”
“I had a drop spreader like a few years ago, purchased new. They take more passes and a little focus but worked great.”
“Moved into this house recently. Previous owners had a dog so there are a lot of spots I suspect are caused from dog pee. Looking for advice how to fix and put the lawn in better shape. Used Scot's EZ Seed Patch and Repair mix to fill in the spots but having a hard time actually getting the spots filled. Should I just reseed the whole lawn? Any advice would be appreciated! submitted by /u/stenfeio [link] [comments]”
“Had a tree service remove a huge tree today. They parked their bucket truck on the front yard and it made these tire grooves. I'm not going to call them back to fix it, the cost of removing the tree was too WAY too good to bitch about some grass repair. Just trying to figure out my options. Location: Chicago Suburbs submitted by /u/DarkShadow04 [link] [comments]”
“It seems like this is the general instruction coming from everyone so I’ll go that route. I do appreciate the input!”
Wouldn’t you want to till the high spots though? to make things level
“I scalped recently to level some low spots but my lawn is not an even green, what can be causing that, Central Florida, USA submitted by /u/potage94 [link] [comments]”
“I’m in Northern Indiana, about 1-2 hours from Michigan and Ohio borders. My back lawn is…an issue. The far back is thinner and easy to maintain, the front half by the house is easy to maintain. The rest? Wtf. It’s definitely several different types of grass, I think there is definitely some fescue that gets thick fast. There’s this other one though… I didnt get a picture before I mowed bcs I had to get it done. We had two weeks of inhumane heat, and when there wasnt that heat it was raining…so I”
“My husband and I were blessed to buy our first home. Unfortunately, the last owners made some questionable choices about the yard. We plan on having the stumps ground, ripping out the fountain, and completely redoing the grass. We’re going to place mulch around the trees and in some places that are heavily shaded. We live in South Carolina and have sandy soil. We have to put in grass to comply with our HOA. Our plan is to completely redo the lawn next March when spring comes. I would love advice”
“Our neighbor has two poplar trees that have been putting roots with shoots out into our yard. I planted these coneflowers three years ago and have lost three of them now to the poplar roots going under them. The first one I didn’t know what was happening and when I pulled up the poplar roots it pulled up and destroyed the coneflower roots in the process. The second one I was more careful to sever the root and only pull up what wasn’t already entwined in the flower roots, but it didn’t make it. W”
“I have been in my house for 6 years and been battling the lawn due to pour sod installation right before we bought it. We have a flooding issue on our street that I’m working to solve that has brought a ton of weeds to my yard. So now the whole yard is weeds and it is a nightmare to mow in the heat we have. With the weeds it’s hard to mow the half acre with a push mower and I need to do it every week or it’s knee high. I am thinking of using a non selective weed killer in August, and just comple”