Conservative Political Forum

General Category => Repair and Maintenance Support => Topic started by: Cryptic Bert on October 11, 2010, 10:45:43 PM

Title: Any landscapers out there?
Post by: Cryptic Bert on October 11, 2010, 10:45:43 PM
My lawn is crap. The back garden has terrible drainage and parts of it are shaded. The parts not shaded grow nicely and green the rest is crap. The front garden is dominated by a large tree and most of it is shaded and the grass is terrible. Any tips? I might just put an in ground pool in the back to eliminate the problem. However I have been informed that I have to put an extension on the house first to create a new master bedroom so I may be stuck with the lawn for a few years...
Title: Re: Any landscapers out there?
Post by: Elfie on October 12, 2010, 08:29:40 AM
Quote from: Cryptic Bert on October 11, 2010, 10:45:43 PM
My lawn is crap. The back garden has terrible drainage and parts of it are shaded. The parts not shaded grow nicely and green the rest is crap. The front garden is dominated by a large tree and most of it is shaded and the grass is terrible. Any tips? I might just put an in ground pool in the back to eliminate the problem. However I have been informed that I have to put an extension on the house first to create a new master bedroom so I may be stuck with the lawn for a few years...

Well lets see,,, are you using shade grass seeds and fertilizing?  You could plant total shade loving plants around the tree that spread... Something like hostas right off the tipm of my head...
you might have to till up that bad drainage section and throw in a mix of peat and sand, just off the top of my head... but first and foremost you need to decide what you really want to do with it....
Title: Re: Any landscapers out there?
Post by: Solar on October 12, 2010, 08:51:39 AM
Like Elfie said, till it up, it may be a clay and compaction issue.
And the tree species has a lot to do with this, if it is a root runner, it can layout a web of roots that can cause issues, or if it's an oak, it will kill everything that tries to grow under it, depending on the variety of oak.
Also pine, Cedar and Redwoods are highly acidic, and not much grows under the drip area of the needles from rain.

If the tree isn't all that important, cut it down, till up the soil, and lay some sod.
Or pave it and make a tennis court. ;)

I took horticulture in college for a year, and the one thing I learned was, look at what lived there before man ever arrived, and those are the plants you should consider, and that goes for grass as well.
You can't force Mother Nature to bend to your needs.
That's why we don't grow cherries or pear etc, the soil is not conducive to supporting certain kinds of plants, not to mention weather.

Elfie is right, there are some grasses that grow better in the shade, but they usually don't tolerate traffic.

Post a pic if you can, I'm sure someone here has an eye for decorating, God knows I don't. ;D
Title: Re: Any landscapers out there?
Post by: Elfie on October 12, 2010, 09:05:21 AM
a pic sure would help.....also what planting zone would make a big difference.
:)