Q: My front yard was sodded with bermuda ten years ago. Pine trees now shade most of the yard. What can I do to make the lawn more lush and pretty?

A: Bermudagrass is not very shade tolerant but I’ll give you three strategies to try. First, raise your mowing height to 2 – 2.5 inches to get more leaf surface area. Second, don’t fertilize as much. Twice per year is fine. Third, be super vigilant about weeds. Spot spray or pull any you see. Do not use weed and feed but use a pre-emergent religiously every spring and fall.