Any Suggestions?????

[RTR]

This was sodded about 24 months ago. The builder obviously did not do a very good job of leveling the front yard. Huge washout problem in the rain. There is one patch inside the curve of the walk path that is perfect. Rain just sits there and does not run. The majority of the yard is sand and weed.Most of the green you see is weed. Customer says when he uses Scotts w/ weed control it will knock out all the weeds but then the yard is full of bare spots. Has also re-sodded in a few places but will not take. Tried to level previously w/ sand and the sand has stuck but the sod appears to be gone. Any thoughts?



This is where the "river runs through" towards the window of neighbor's.
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[RTR]

[Stephen M.]

I'm not sure how sod is grown east of the Rockies, but out West it is grown in clay. You know that clay doesn't perculate well, so that would be problem #1 out West. Even if its nice sandy soil under that clay layer, it makes the whole thing act as though its clay. Problem #2 is that since clay doesn't perc well, that's where all of the standing water problem comes from.

With sod lawns grown in clay, one has to aerate about every 2-3 months. If that doesn't work. then tear out the sod and either seed or hydroseed.

[MGO]

Not sure about your area.....but in my area (cool season grass) the following works very good:

1) Soil sample and test to find out what the soil needs (i.e. how much nitrogen, lime, etc.)

2) Aerate

3) Overseed (@ 5 lbs of seed per 1,000 sq.ft) (or maybe even slit seed)

4) APply fertilizer (starter), lime, etc. per the soil sample recomendations.

5) Fertilize throught the season as required (4 more treatments probably)

5) Do it again in the Fall. Aerate and overseed.

[RTR]

Thanks guys. This is in Georgia, south of Atlanta. Still clay,though Georgia red. It is not really a standing water problem as much as it is a "water running like a river" across. The neighbor's yards seem to be holding up well and from I get from them they do ZERO to the yard cept mow it! Same sod and builder on 5 houses in this row. I was thinking it may need some major work,like haulin in some dirt and leveling, then seeding or sodding. That is really what I was wanting to avoid also though. More than I can do for one, and more than the owner wants to spend. The back is even worse w/virtually no grass left at all. It has a rather large slope w/ no gutters so the rain hits the ground pretty hard and then runs. Do you think the sod would be fine if it could just root well enough? Say areate, then sod or would a strict fert. program boost it enough to establish the root base?

On Edit: The degree of sloping is not represented fully by the photos. The top right near the well cover can not be mowed with a ZTR or push.

[mariner]

zzzzzzzzzz