Question
We planted some fescue last Sept. It was doing wonderfully but this summer despite us having way cooler than usual temps and lots of rain and watering alot, it seems to be dying in spots. We also noticed it being a kind of yellow color in spots and not uniformly green. We took soil samples and applied all the correct fertilizers in the correct amounts to no avail.We have lots of Oak trees but I believe the lawn is getting enough sunlight. Our soil is not too great. Lots of clay and rocks--can grow weeds wonderfully lol! What could be our problem and what can we do to correct it as it is nearing grass seed planting time again here.
Thankyou so much for your input!
Cindi

Answer
Hi Cindi;
Make good, loose, rich soil.
Roots can't get through clay very well, and water doesn't soak into it to water the roots.You need to loosen it up.
Two things tell me you need to work on enriching your soil,and trim some branches from the oak trees, to get more shade on the grass.
When the soil is rich and it gets plenty water and sunlight, you will have a lush lawn, and weeds won't grow.
We have clay soil:
Till it all up, till in some bark mulch, peat moss, and humus.
You can get bags of Landscapers Mix. This is a properly proportioned mixture of peat moss, humus, and bark mulch.
For clay soil, I would mix at least half and half, and  throw in a few more bags of bark mulch. Bark mulch is really good for loosening up the soil, and as it composts, the soil will stay loose, because it will have good nutrients in it.
Grass is light green to yellow in spots:
The light green to yellowish grass means it is deprived of some nutrients. Usually it is iron it needs. Get some Chelated iron and follow the directions for use. Grass will start greening up in a matter of days.
It grows weeds very well:
weeds love poor soil. They do not thrive in rich soil. Make very rich soil, and the weeds won't grow. Those that do come up will fade away by a couple of mowings.
 To make rich soil:
Fertilizers don't enrich soil, they just feed the things growing in the soil, to make up for nutrients the soil doesn't have.
When you get the soil nice and rich, you won't need fertilizers.
I haven't put fertilizer on my grass for 10 years, and my grass is dark green, thick, and weed free.
All I use is sugar. Sounds crazy doesn't it???LOL
Fertilizers kill beneficial microbes that enrich soil. /dry molasses (you can use plain table sugar. I like it better) keeps them alive.
Each little microbe enriches the soil, and if you don't kill them, they multiply and their lil chilluns make rich soil.
Earthworms enrich the soil, and believe it or not, cockroaches are great for the soil. The make bigger tunnels than the earthworms, and keep the soil aerated. Helps prevent thatch.Roaches live in the soil, sooo keep them there, and I will tell you later how to keep them from coming into your house.
Insectices kill bad bugs, but they also kill good bugs you want in your soil
Don't use poisons, and grass snakes, toads and lizards will keep your lawn more bug free than the insecticides do.
Since I went organic, this is our lawn care program.
Spring, put down sugar in the proportion 1 pound per 250 to 300 sq.ft. Top dress with compost, and water it all in well.
Mowing,edging during the growing season.
Fall, put down sugar and water it in.
That's it.
We spend our time enjoying our yard and garden, where we used to spend all our time working in it.
Leave the grass cuttings. Mow when you will remove no more than 1/3rd of the height of the grass blades.
Water deeply, to a depth of at least 6 inches, and re-water when the top 2 inches are dry.
Deep watering encourages deep root systems, this helps protect from heat, cold and drought damage.
Shallow watering makes the roots come to the surface to get water, and heat and cold and drought can kill out all your grass.
Those roots on the surface are the biggest reason thatch builds up.
We had to de-thatch 39 years ago, when we bouht this place. We haven't had to do it since.
   It is near grass planting time here:
Great time to till it up, till in some good looseners, and plant that seed.You can put the dry molasses or sugar down when you till, or after you seed, doesn't matter, just get it into the soil.
Next spring will surprise you.
With that clay soil, probably a good bit of the fertilizer you put down, runs off. Clay just won't let water get down there.
  How I keep roaches, and spiders out of my house:
I grow my own herbs for ooking, and most of them will also repel some insects.
Once a month, I put a small piece of rosemary (about 2 or 3 inches long) on each cabinet and pantry shelf.I put a 3 or 4 inch sprig under the fridge, washer and dryer, and any place roaches can come into the house and/or hide.
Fresh herbs make so much difference in the taste of foods, and help with other things. A large container planted with lavender at each doorway is attractive, and keeps house flies out of you house when a door is left open. Put a few spriga of lavender on the picnic table to keep flies away from the food. I tuck a small bouquet of lavender, rosemary, and mint in between the waterbed mattress and the liner. The heat from the waterbed mattress makes the aroma waft around you as you sleeo, very relaxing. Crush them a little before tucking them in, more aroma.
If you want to know how to keep cats from using you flower beds for a liter box, and your shrubs for a mailbox, chop up some lemon peels and scatter them where you don't want the cats. Everytime I use a lemon, I do this.
For fire ants, chopped up orange peels. Orange oil is the main ingredient in fire ant killers
Hope this helps. If I left anything out, or need to clarify anything, write any time.
Charlotte