Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: April 9th, 2019, 10:31 am
- Location: Brown Deer, WI Zone 5B
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Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
This will be my 2nd summer. I noticed this happened last year on the north side of the house on a small strip that is mostly shaded.
I went to rake up some residual leaves (nothing major) and pick up branches, and pretty much that whole side is dead...and rakes up like carpet. Is this common before the grass comes back in the spring? My grass in the front doesn't do that. When I rake across it, there is nothing but dirt under there. I don't see any grubs either.
I went to rake up some residual leaves (nothing major) and pick up branches, and pretty much that whole side is dead...and rakes up like carpet. Is this common before the grass comes back in the spring? My grass in the front doesn't do that. When I rake across it, there is nothing but dirt under there. I don't see any grubs either.
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
If you're confident that some type of critter isn't eating the roots. (Cinch bugs, possibly?) I do believe certain types of fungus (root rot?) could be one possible explanation. This article, while focused on warm season grass in Texas, explains a method to test for Cinch bugs:
https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/wp-content/u ... tsheet.pdf
https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/wp-content/u ... tsheet.pdf
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: April 9th, 2019, 10:31 am
- Location: Brown Deer, WI Zone 5B
- Grass Type: ryegrass, fescues
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
Are we allowed to upload pictures?
- turf_toes
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
Click on the blue link reading “add image to post”
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
Shaded area makes me think that you may have poa trivialis. It tends to appear to disappear during the heat of summer only to return when temps cool down. It also easily peels up like carpet. I could be wrong though. It likes wet shaded areas.surfnturf wrote: ↑April 13th, 2019, 12:16 pmThis will be my 2nd summer. I noticed this happened last year on the north side of the house on a small strip that is mostly shaded.
I went to rake up some residual leaves (nothing major) and pick up branches, and pretty much that whole side is dead...and rakes up like carpet. Is this common before the grass comes back in the spring? My grass in the front doesn't do that. When I rake across it, there is nothing but dirt under there. I don't see any grubs either.
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
When I saw the subject, I thought, "because it's sad."
Then I realized tear as in rhymes with fair, not rhymes with fear.
Then I realized tear as in rhymes with fair, not rhymes with fear.
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: April 9th, 2019, 10:31 am
- Location: Brown Deer, WI Zone 5B
- Grass Type: ryegrass, fescues
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
LOL. Yeah if my lawn could cry, it would most certainly be tearing up.
I found out that my issue is that I have layers of thatch...due to leaf buildup.
I found out that my issue is that I have layers of thatch...due to leaf buildup.
- turf_toes
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
You don’t have thatch.
Thatch is not a buildup of dead grass leaves. It is a buildup of rhizomes and stolons.
You are growing Rye and Fescue. You’ll normally rarely ever have to worry about thatch problems with those grasses. Neither of those grasses produce rhizomes or stolons. (With a few exceptions)
If the person who told you you have thatch issues is a “lawn professional,” my advice is to run away and never listen to anything he says again.
You may have issues with your lawn. But thatch is almost certainly not one of them.
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
Have you checked for grubs? I heard this can happen if grubs or some other insect destroys the roots
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Re: Why does my lawn tear up like carpet?
Last fall, I had confirmed massive damage from grubs...this is exactly what happened. I could very easily just scrape the grass off with my foot. Check for grubs. Many times also accompanied for pencil like pock-marks from birds digging for grubs.
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