Question
I layed down a fescue sod about 6 months ago. The landcaper applied a thin layer (~1/2") of top soil before we layed the sod. I am lucky if the grass grows 1 inch in 2 weeks. It is getting plenty of water. I am in a warm, dry climate and the soil is decomposed granite. Is there anything I can do to promote better, greener growth? Should I spread some top soil on top of the grass? Should I fertilize more? SHould I mulch?
Help!!!
Tim

Answer
Hi Tim;
Decomposed granite????
how can rock decompose?
Put a spade in the ground, and see how hard it is to get a spade into it.
If it goes in fairly easily, with just a puch on it with your foot, and it goes in ok, your soil is ok.
If it is very hard to spade up, you probably have way too much clay in it. If it has too much cklay, the water is going down to the clay layer, and draining off.
Also, the roots of the grass are not strong enough to penetrate the clay to grow.
Also, what do you call plenty of water?
I water to a depth of at least 6 inches to engourage a deep root system. Deep root systems guard againse heat, cold and drought damage, and prevents thatch buildup.
Thatch will not let water or anything else into the soil. It is a waterproof pad of dead roots, and debris they trap.
when just the top couple of inches of soil are wetted, the roots come close to the surface to get water.
Watering that deep, I only water once a week. even in our hot North Texas summers, the roots are down where there is still some moisture.
If you determine your soil is loose enough, scrap the chemical fertilizers etc, and go organic.
Put sugar, at the rate of 1 pound per 25- sq/ft of lwan and garden. That niuriches beneficial microbes that enrich the soil. Then water it in well.
Yu can speed up the enrichment by applynng lava sand. that has all kinds of nutrients in it, and alfalfa meal also os very good. Corn gluten is a great weed and feed. It prevents fungus from growing, and rich soil is weedfree soil.
Weeds love poor soil, and won't thrive in rich soil.
When the soil is rich, and weeds that come up will fade out and die. No more weed pulling.
fertilizers don't enrich soil. that feed the vegetation, and wear out, the you have to reapply them. they also kill the beneficial microbes.
When you make a healthy enviornment for lawn critters like toads, lizards, grass snakes, they eat all those harmful insects like grubs, slugs, ants etc.
Write anytime if  can be of more help.
Charlotte