Emil wrote:

Hi group,

I live in Zones 9-10 in Southern, CA. I have included some pictures of my
backyard grass. I have used Scotts Enriched Lawn Soil, but it didn't help.

I have 2 small dogs who use the yard, but I don't think their urine/feces
is the cause. The grass has always been like this since I bought this
house a year ago. I do water well, I followed the tips offered on this
group.

As you can see in the pictures, in some areas there is nice thick grass
growth, in others barely any. What are some low cost/good for the
enviroment (is there such a thing) steps I can take to improve the grass?
Should I put some manure? I notice at Home Depot they sell some products
labeled "Grass repair" or "Bare spot repair."
Should I buy those?

It looks alot like some areas of my lawn. I've got a dog too. Everytime I
sent my dog out to the yard, he does a circuit along the perimeter just to
check out "his" territory. He's worn quite a nice path in some areas.

I didn't notice any kill spots on your lawn so I'm guessing you water
frequently. That would certainly explain the lush green patches. You could
try aerating and then spot fertilizing on the less than lush areas.

I didn't see a dog house in any of the pictures so they might just be
napping against the nice cool block wall. Build them a doghouse or lean-to.

As for fixing the bare spots, don't bother buying any specialized products.
I've found they're a waste of of money. On larger dead spots that I want to
fix, I just flood it with water, rake it vigourishly, seed it and then
cover it with peat moss. After that, just water it daily and keep traffic
off of it until it's well established.

Lastly, don't worry too much about your lawn. It will take some time for it
to get better. With dogs around, it will never be perfect but I prefer the
company of my dog more than a perfect lawn anyway.

--
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