Question
Early in the summer, my husband used a weed killer on the edge of our property. After 2-3 weeks, we noted our lawn, nearest the "weed area" (which is separated by a raised flower bed) starting to turn brown. The brown started to spread across the lawn, the way water would flow under our property, across the lawn to the other side of the driveway. We thought he over-used this weed killer. But within 2 months, my entire front lawn is brown. It's not grubs as the roots are still intact. It looks & smells like hay. My husband thinks he may have over-fertilized & admitted he threw an extra bit here & there because more is better, right?...Anyway, my beautiful lawn, the one the entire neighborhood admired, is gone. Should I wait until the spring to see if it returns? Should we start pulling it up in the fall?

Answer
FOLLOWUP: I'd like to help you with this, but with the information I have, I have to guess at the 'weed killer'.  There are HUNDREDS of those on the market, and probably a few dozen more that are still in garages and sheds that are illegal now but were on the market at one point.  Ask your husband what he used.  And ask him what kind of Grass you have.  Then give me the facts, and we can move on from there.  Now, he MAY have over-fertilized, but it is more likely he used a Weed Killer that he WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO USE on your kind of Grass.  Right now, all I can do is guess because you haven't given me enough information.  I know you don't want this to happen again.  Neither do I.  r.s.v.p.,

L.I.G.

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Just guessing, but was the referenced 'weed killer' RoundUp?

'Residual Roundup Damage' is just one thing you have to watch for when spraying with Glyphosphate.  As researchers at Purdue University Agricultural College note: 'RoundUp can kill a lot of plants because the plant takes up the herbicide and transports it to the roots and other parts of the plant.  This is why RoundUp is such an effective herbicide.  While many herbicides do damage to the parts of the plant they come in direct contact with, RoundUp actually "penetrates" the entire plant and kills it to the roots.  This is great if you are trying to control Dandelions, but not so great if you accidentally spray your Trees and Shrubs with RoundUp.'

Your description of the progression of damage however does sound like this is a RoundUp Moment.  Any idea?

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER