On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 18:23:19 -0700, "Steve T"
wrote:

Live in California. My lawn is well established, 15 years+. Noticed that the
lawn is dying in certain areas. I go to rake and the area comes up.
Something eating the roots. Lawn appears to be just laying on top of soil. I
have used Scott's Summer Blend fertilizer and followed up with Ortho
Diazinon a few weeks later with no help. Newer areas continue to appear. Any
ideas would be appreciated. Thank you, Steve T.

You omit some important info. What sort of turf (grass)? Have you had anything
that might pass for a drought? Has the grass been exposed to any sort of
chemical (particularly salt) as from a discarded water heater or other
appliance? Has grass been exposed to any type of petrochemical (oil) as might
occur if an automobile were parked on it or water from the gutter splashed on
it? Have you added any `dirt' recently from other than a reliable source? Have
you checked for `brown spot'? Take a tin can with both ends removed and twist
it into the soil in a problem area, fill it with water, and see if any little
bugs or worms come to the surface. I suspect that a few days of good rains may
solve your problem. Droughts make wonderful opportunities for various fertilizer
and pest remedy peddlers.