Question
Two years ago I had new sod and a sprinkler system installed in my back yard.  Unfortunately, we have a lot of shade and a 65 pound dog in the yard. Last September, the grass was looking very bad--patchy, brown, mostly dirt--so I sewed new seed made for shady areas, starter fertilizer, and compost.  I watered faithfully.  All I got was dirt.  Now it is March here in Westminster, Colorado.  I have fenced off the grass area (now dirt) from the dog, but I still have the shade(six trees in a yard about 75 feet by 35 feet).  Is there anything I can do to resurrect my lawn?  Rototilling is out of the question because of the sprinkler system. I've read that I should start with a soil analysis.  Can you tell where to get that done? Please help! Thank you!

Sheila

Answer
Sheila -

I think the shade may be your problem, but you should indeed start with a soil analysis. You can do this yourself at home; all you have to do is purchase a pH tester, which you can likely buy at a garden supply store or online. Once you've got that, you can test your soil.

Here is a link that provides a good snapshot of the steps you need to go through: http://www.wikihow.com/Test-Soil-pH

You can also contact someone at your local agriculture office to conduct a soil test for you.

Once you know what your soil pH is, you can add the proper nutrients to help stabilize your soil. If you have questions regarding what to add, you can consult the person from the local ag office, ask someone at a garden store, or even let me know.

Best of luck, hope this answer helps!

Thanks,

Steve