HELP! Newly-installed lawn didn't survive winter
 

We got our back lawn resodded last summer, and it seemed to take well
(i.e: Most of it knitted together and it grew to the point that it
needed to be mowed regularly). When the snow melted off of it this
spring, however, it came back VERY spotty; Most of it appears to be
dead, with just a few sporadic green patches. We've had a fairly wet
spring, plus we have watered it ourselves, too. Our back yard is
fairly shady, but the grass didn't seem to mind that last summer. Any
ideas what went wrong, and/or what we could do? Thanks!

Ben

HELP! Newly-installed lawn didn't survive winter
 

"Ben" wrote in message
om...
We got our back lawn resodded last summer, and it seemed to take well
(i.e: Most of it knitted together and it grew to the point that it
needed to be mowed regularly). When the snow melted off of it this
spring, however, it came back VERY spotty; Most of it appears to be
dead, with just a few sporadic green patches. We've had a fairly wet
spring, plus we have watered it ourselves, too. Our back yard is
fairly shady, but the grass didn't seem to mind that last summer. Any
ideas what went wrong, and/or what we could do? Thanks!

Ben

The answer to your question may depend on a few things Ben. Where are you?
In the north spring is really just kicking in now and new sod has an
immature root system. It normally takes much longer to come back in the
spring than a mature lawn.

The other variable is the amount of shade that it has. Sod is grown in wide
open fields w/ zero shade. If you've got a kentucky bluegrass/perennial
ryegrass lawn then it will want these same conditions. When laid in shade
the sod will often survive the first season and then start to thin. This
would mean that it's time to overseed w/ a good quality shade seed. As the
sod dies off the seed will take over.

Peter H