"Gerden Freedman" wrote in message
thlink.net...
see http://home.earthlink.net/~slalomx/index.html for photos of my two
problems?

#1 is a patch of brown grass in my lawn that has seemed to die, in the
last
two weeks it appears that I now have a bunch of these brown patches. What
could it be? Grubs? And if you know what the problem is, what is the
fix?

#2 is a photo of some sort of japanese maple. First, can you identify it?
Second, you'll notice that some branches did not sprout leaves this year.
Do I just consider them dead branches and cut them off? Or is this a sign
of a deeper problem.

Your help is always appreciated.


Brown grass suggests your problem could be urine from a animal...do you
own a dog? If so, spread "Tide", (thats right, the laundry detergent) with
your spreader. Its a very basic substance that will neutralize the acid in
the urine, if thats your problem. If you live in the North, Northeast or
Northwest, now is the time to attack your grub problem...with a follow up in
September...there are commercial products available at your local home
center. The rule of thumb for grubs is twelve or more in a one foot cubic
area for a problem. Are, or have, your neighbor's lawns shown similar
deterioration recently?

Your Japanese maple could, in fact, be a Norway maple and your problem with
it could be underground. Try digging some of the sod away from the trunk,
at its base. If you notice, root like tentacles wrapping around other roots
you may have a "gagging condition" that will require your intervention. Cut
the tentacles and hope. It may be a year or two before you learn whether
you can save your tree or not...If, in two years (three years tops) you see
no improvement in the tree's condition you will have to replace it as it is
dying and the cause is this "gagging condition".. in your tree's root
structure..