{"id":15546023,"date":"2024-07-26T09:24:35","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T13:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golf.com\/?post_type=article&p=15546023"},"modified":"2024-07-26T09:24:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T13:24:42","slug":"yardcare-superintendents-turf-trees","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/golf.com\/lifestyle\/yardcare-superintendents-turf-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"A homeowner wonders why his grass won’t grow. A superintendent has ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Superintendents \u2014 they\u2019re just like us! At least, they\u2019re not so different that we can\u2019t ask them for advice. In this column, we welcome readers\u2019 yard-care questions, which we pass on to turf-care experts in the golf industry.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following query comes from Daniel Marr, in Rochester, N.Y<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a strip of grass in front of our home between the sidewalk and the street where an old maple tree stands. The last two springs, I have removed three inches of soil 10-feet in length, screened the soil, put down Scotts PatchMaster and watered. I have had success with grass coming in nicely. Then the heat comes and the maple seems to take everything out of the ground in that 10-foot swatch and thins the grass out. We use slow-release nitrogen fertilizer four times a year on our lawn and the median. Anything we should do differently to maintain the grass year-round?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n \"An
\n An old maple has made life tough on the grass beneath it.<\/span>\n \n Courtesy Daniel Marr<\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Dear Daniel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location, location, location. What matters in real estate is important in turf care, too. And that median qualifies as a challenging site, according to Kevin Doyle, a field staffer in the Northeast region for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, Doyle says, cities like Rochester use salt on roads during inclement weather, and no cool-season grass <\/a>will tolerate high-sodium soil. As a consequence, \u201cturf failure close to roadways should be expected,\u201d Doyle says. It might help somewhat to dig up and sift the soil so that the higher concentrations of sodium at the top get distributed more evenly. As you water the grass seed, that will also dilute things. But you\u2019re not going to rid the soil of all that sodium. The scenario, Doyle says, is \u201ctypical here in the Northeast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there\u2019s the matter of the maple<\/a>. Beautiful, tree, no doubt. But, as you clearly understand from your question, trees and grass are often at odds. They compete for sunlight, water and other nutrients. In some cases, trimming tree limbs can be helpful, as it allows more sunlight through. But, Doyle says, that depends on the location of the tree in reference to the compass. \u201cIf the tree is east-west of the turf, some pruning might help increase the turf\u2019s access to sunlight,\u201d Doyle says. If it\u2019s to the north, however, blocked sunlight isn\u2019t an issue and trimming wouldn\u2019t make a difference. If the tree is to the south, \u201cit would impede the most sunlight,\u201d Doyle says, and removing the tree would be the best option. Actually, Doyle says, if growing grass is your top priority, removing the tree is the best way to go, period. Whether you\u2019d be allowed to is another matter. City regulations may prevent you from touching the tree at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, there\u2019s the matter of grass varietal. Your current choice, Doyle says, \u201cis not ideal.\u201d Given the shade issues created by the tree, you want turf that tolerates low light. And Bluegrass, which is included in the mixture you\u2019ve put down, \u201cis destined for failure.\u201d Fescue is much better at tolerating shade. What\u2019s more, Doyle says, the deeper roots it develops will help it survive better as it competes for water with the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So there you have it, Daniel. Sounds like you\u2019ve got your work cut out for you. But, like golf, if it weren\u2019t a challenge, it wouldn\u2019t be fun, right?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a tree-shaded site in Rochester, N.Y., a homeowner can’t get grass to grow. 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