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.

"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.

Did you water in the diazinon immediately? It only lasts for about
12 hours if it's in the sun, without irrigation.

--
GO# 40

I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all soaked
in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is causing this
problem? Thanks, Steve T.
wrote in message
...
"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.

Did you water in the diazinon immediately? It only lasts for about
12 hours if it's in the sun, without irrigation.

--
GO# 40

I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all soaked
in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is causing this
problem? Thanks, Steve T.
wrote in message
...
"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.

Did you water in the diazinon immediately? It only lasts for about
12 hours if it's in the sun, without irrigation.

--
GO# 40

"Steve T" wrote:
I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all
soaked in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is
causing this problem? Thanks, Steve T.
wrote in message
...
"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.

Did you water in the diazinon immediately? It only lasts for about
12 hours if it's in the sun, without irrigation.


I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all
soaked in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is
causing this problem? Thanks, Steve T.

It sounds like grub damage, but I only know the Great Lakes type
turf, I'm in Ohio. Grubs are pretty easy to find right below
the thatch layer, where the soil starts.

They will be curled up in a C. They look like funky land shrimp.

Try pulling some turf up right at the edge of the brown area, where
it starts to get green again. You should find a few or more, if
that's your problem.

--
GO# 40

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.

vonroach wrote:
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.

I've never seen drought eat the roots.

--
GO# 40

I agree it sounds like grubs. With severe grub damage, the grass
pulls up like carpet. Lift up the grass in some border areas around
the damaged spots with a flat spade and see if you find grubs.

I don't know the grub cycle specifics for CA, but here on the east
coast, next few weeks is the time to treat with Diazinon if that's
what you're using. The grubs are young and feeding near the surfact,
so they are susceptable. Applying Diazinon earlier is generally not
effective for grubs.

The other choice is Grub-X which works for several months and should
be put down earlier.





wrote in message ...
"Steve T" wrote:
I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all
soaked in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is
causing this problem? Thanks, Steve T.
wrote in message
...
"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.

Did you water in the diazinon immediately? It only lasts for about
12 hours if it's in the sun, without irrigation.


I did with the Scott's but frankly can't remember about the Diazinon. I'd
like to think that I followed the directions to make sure it got all
soaked in. I assumed the problem was below the lawn. What bug(s) is
causing this problem? Thanks, Steve T.

It sounds like grub damage, but I only know the Great Lakes type
turf, I'm in Ohio. Grubs are pretty easy to find right below
the thatch layer, where the soil starts.

They will be curled up in a C. They look like funky land shrimp.

Try pulling some turf up right at the edge of the brown area, where
it starts to get green again. You should find a few or more, if
that's your problem.

Not to mention I think the OP might have figured out what happened
without our help if it were caused by oil or a water heater. And
since when does water from a gutter have toxic petrochemicals capable
of killing a lawn?


BTW, for the OP, putting fertilizer on a lawn at the first sight of
problems is often the worst thing to do. Nitrogen, warm temps, and
water tend to promote fungus and disease. Personally, I never apply
fertilizer during the summer.




wrote in message ...
vonroach wrote:
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.

I've never seen drought eat the roots.

On 13 Aug 2003 12:53:57 GMT, wrote:

I've never seen drought eat the roots.
Never seen dry roots? You're lucky.

On 13 Aug 2003 15:22:29 -0700, (Chet Hayes) wrote:

And
since when does water from a gutter have toxic petrochemicals capable
of killing a lawn?
I have when my frugal neighbor shovel accumulated gutter water on to his lawn.
Effects still evident 3 years later. Another one emptied an ice chest off the
patio and the salt put the grass to sleep forever around the patio. If it can
happen - it will.

vonroach wrote:
On 13 Aug 2003 12:53:57 GMT, wrote:

I've never seen drought eat the roots.
Never seen dry roots? You're lucky.

Read what I said, don't twist it into what you want it to say.

I've -never- seen a drought eat the roots, but I've seen grubs
do it at least ten thousand times in the last 26 years of
chemical lawncare. Dry turf does not peel up like a throw
rug, unless it's been dead for a very long time.

Try reading before flapping your pie hole.

--
GO# 40

vonroach wrote:
Droughts
make wonderful opportunities for various fertilizer and pest remedy
peddlers.

As long as you don't wait too long, then the control products
are useless. In that case, I change hats and sell you a new lawn.

Pay me now, or pay me later. (It's much cheaper to pay me now)

--
GO# 40

On 13 Aug 2003 23:50:48 GMT, wrote:

I've -never- seen a drought eat the roots, but I've seen grubs
do it at least ten thousand times in the last 26 years of
chemical lawncare.

Then I take it you are in the business? I've been involved in `lawncare' for
over 40 years in a number of settings, myself, and am firmly convinced that most
lawn ailments (like many of their human counterparts) will `cure' themselves
with time and patience. I've seldom seen sod where one couldn't find a few grubs
if one tried.

vonroach wrote:
On 13 Aug 2003 23:50:48 GMT, wrote:

I've -never- seen a drought eat the roots, but I've seen grubs
do it at least ten thousand times in the last 26 years of
chemical lawncare.

Then I take it you are in the business? I've been involved in `lawncare'
for over 40 years in a number of settings, myself, and am firmly
convinced that most lawn ailments (like many of their human counterparts)
will `cure' themselves with time and patience. I've seldom seen sod where
one couldn't find a few grubs if one tried.

I'm talking about grub -damage-, like in dead turf. If you think
that will cure itself, you're nuts!

--
GO# 40