How do I get my grass to look better and healthier?

Susan
by Susan

The grass in the front and side of my home looks really bad. The gardener feeds it, seeds it and it is always watered in the spring and summer months. We have three large trees on the property which casts shadows on the grass. What can we do to get back our green lawn? Should we pull everything up and start with new turf/grass or get a new gardener?the lawn is about 40 feet by 12 ft. I don’t want to remove the trees. Any ideas would be welcomed.

  6 answers
  • If your gardener is not tending to the lawn properly, time to shop for a new one. In my area gardeners aka mow and blow services are a dime a dozen. Most unlicensed and clueless on lawn and plant care. Spend a few dollars more for someone that knows about and cares about how your landscape looks.


    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0242-hiring-contractor


    Make sure the lawn is fertilized at the right time and gets enough water too.

  • Maybe try having your soil tested to see if the gardener is using the correct fertilizer. Also verify with them that they're using seed that's appropriate for the area you live and the amount of sun.

  • Oliva Oliva on Feb 05, 2019

    Hi, Susan,

    Although you may not need to cut down trees, their canopy may need thinned to allow more sun to strike the grassed area. If your trees are very large, note that trees such as Oak emit alleopathic compounds which interfere with growth of other plants.


    Maples should not be planted closer than 25' from your house, because the roots grow as long as the tree's height. They can lift concrete patios and interfere with foundations. Leaves left on grassed areas can interfere with grass growth.


    When was the last time your yard was dethatched and aerated? These can interfere with grass growth. If you have compacted clay soil, it is not properly absorbing water and can become very compacted.

    Milorganite can be applied monthly as a fertilizer, and will not burn your lawn.

  • Tammie Tammie on Feb 05, 2019

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  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Feb 05, 2019

    He's probably not a true gardener just a lawn service; fertilizer can actually burn the grass; be cheaper to get grass professional out to check it out first then tell lawn service guy the proper care he needs to continue; then if all else fails redo with new seed(last resort) if pro tells you to redo your yard straight off get another!

  • Karen Karen on Feb 05, 2019

    You can buy grass seeds for shady areas