Question
Our backyard has 5 tall elm trees and a lot of shade. In April 08, we had some landscaping done and the designer installed Fescue that covered most of the backyard. The new lawn grew very good until  July. After that even though watering didn't change, the lawn went downhill.  I am wondering why this happened and how to solve this problem. Waterwise I didn't even think it was economical. If we have to reseed, is this the right time?
Sincere Thanks,
Vaishali


Answer
Now's definitely a good time to re-seed, but I suspect your problem is simply excessive shade.  Even the MOST shade tolerant grasses need a certain amount of direct sunlight, and I very often see situations where people try to grow grass where there isn't enough.

I'd highly recommend getting some tree work done before giving the grass another shot.  A good arborist can thin out the branches and selectively remove 1 or 2 trees to open it up just enough for good grass growth.

Good Luck!

-C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com