My grass won't grow.?

Question

I like plant grass for my neighbors and stuff and have been able to do it every where but this one place (which is about eight feet by five feet space). The grass begins to turn a yellow down near the roots and then brown and dies. No dogs or other pets. Not always covered in shade or sun. My mom thinks it's soil.

Answer 1

it could be the soil or it could be getting over watered and the worst thing is that there might be a broken pipe under it but thats a big strech

Answer 2

Is the septic tank under neath? That on dry days and hot humid days will kill the grass around and on top of the septic system.

Answer 3

Have the soil tested.

Sounds like someone who lived there before poured something on the ground.

Another thing to try is to dig down about a half a foot to see if there is cement under the ground.  This happened to us one time...it was a drive way from long ago.

Answer 4

It that area has been sprayed with a soil herbicide, one that kills not only the weeds but also the soil microorganisms, then yes, it might not grow a lawn for several years.....up to 7 or so if the soil is heavy clay.

Also rinishing and dumping pesticides, but more often herbicides, kerosene, etc might be to blame.

Salt is another no-no......say someone emptied the water softener onto an area.  That is indeed hard to eliminate from the soil as sodium doesn't leach in alkaline soils.  

Subsurface problem could be a leaky gas line, a leaky water line, sewer line  keeping the soil saturated in that area, a rock or rock hard underlayer preventing drainage.  What about a septic system and it's leach field?  

Eight feet by five feet is about the size of a car.......any previous car repair going on there?  

Dig up some of the soil and try planting a quick growing plant....say beans...you can use dry beans from the store.  Also plant the beans in a known good soil or potting soil as a control.  If you can't get a thing to grow in the questioned soil, I'd be looking at some chemical contamination.  However, if you have the soil analyzed for chemical contaminant, you first have to specify what you think it might be....at least when I was doing soil testing that was the case...and back in the mid 80's those tests ran $150 each.  

So without testing you'll not know, but if you truly have a dead soil, best to dig it up and discard and bring in new....hoping it wasn't damaged elsewhere......or make a nice patio.

Answer 5

your mum is right... its soil

Answer 6

!HEY>>>LOOK

I had the same problem

I fixed it

i dug out the area only about 8 inches down

then i put plastic in the hole

i took dirt from a different area in my yard and filled the hole

The grass is growing great

GOOD LucK!

Answer 7

Probably the soil is too acidic in that area, or someone dumped something like gasoline there and it hasn't dissipated.  They sell products for neutralizing it.  Check with you local garden center or home improvement store.  They should be able to recommend a specific product.