Why does this part of my lawn look so bad? drought?

[seiyafan]

I topdressed and overseeded my lawn with bluegrass last fall, the result was very good. But after the snow melted at the end of April I noticed that grasses in some parts of the lawn started to thin out. Here's what my front yard looks like today:




The right side of the lawn does get more shade than the left side, is this the main reason for the poor result? I am planning to topdress and overseed that part in early September with bluegrass again.

Here's a close up of the right side:

Left side:



My second question is that my backyard has been invaded by a type of grass about a month and a half ago, which looks like:


Ironically they are keeping most of backyard very green, is this a type of weed like crabgrass?

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Take soil samples at root level and compare soil moisture content of the two areas.

 

[shiftsuper175607]

Take soil samples at root level and compare soil moisture content of the two areas.

also, you could dig a spade full of grass in each area, and compare the roots. The browner grass may not have as good of root system developed or it did not get enough water, or a combination of those two things.

 

[MowerMark]

That is almost certainly UNDERwatering with or without compacted soil. Put out small cups and water again. Check the water level in the cups. I also use two different moisture meter probes. That browning can also be from excessive fertilizer.

Keep your mower blades semi-sharp and don't cut the grass so short.

 

[possum]

If both of those sides have been getting the same amount of water I would start looking for insect damage, rock under a thin layer of soil, disease etc. Are you sure that was bluegrass or a mix with rye in it? That is crabgrass in your back yard. Leave it grow and mow it regular. Come fall seeding time use the crabgrass to hold the ground and your seed.

 

[seiyafan]

Both sides have been getting same amount of water, the right side also get about 2-3 hours of shade time during the day, the left side is pretty much exposed all during the same time.

 

[MowerMark]

Both sides have been getting same amount of water, the right side also get about 2-3 hours of shade time during the day, the left side is pretty much exposed all during the same time.

How do you know this ?

 

[seiyafan]

How do you know this ?

Because I just let nature take care of the watering :smile: , this place has been getting about 1 inch of rain every week since late spring so I didn't bother with watering myself. But only half an inch of rain fell in the past 10 days and there will be 5 more sunny days with temp around 90 this week.

 

[seiyafan]

Are you sure that was bluegrass or a mix with rye in it? That is crabgrass in your back yard. Leave it grow and mow it regular. Come fall seeding time use the crabgrass to hold the ground and your seed.

I am pretty sure it was a mixture of 3 bluegrass types (Blue Note, Rugby and one more which I don't remember).

So that's the infamous crabgrass. Funny thing is that before the invasion my backyard looked pretty much like the brown part of the front yard, now it's very green!

 

[SeniorCitizen]

We could use a little history to help with the diagnosis.

About how long have you lived there and has this area always been different as we see it now.

Tug on some of the grass to see if it pulls easy. If it does grubs have cut the roots.

Soil - all soil doesn't retain moisture the same. To your knowledge was this area ever filled in with soil from another area?