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Dead grass

purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45
in Problem solving
Hello all, a few years ago I re turfed my garden, long story but basically it's never really taken.
This year it has formed a dead patch around what looks to be my neighbours tree.
Does anyone have any tips on how I can get the grass to grow without damaging the tree?
The soil is horrible clay, very hard and cracked. I do intend to introduce some sand and different soil and rotovate it at some point but I guess there's no point if nothing will grow anyway.
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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @purplegerbil There are areas where grass just won't grow and under trees is one of them. I do think that you can purchase grass seed for shade but no idea if it works.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45
    Thanks for the reply.
    It's not really shaded, if anything it's in full sun for the majority of the day.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    The combination of a tree and full sun is not good. The tree will be sucking up any moisture that falls there. If you can manage to get anything to sprout there, then it will need to be regularly watered if it is to survive. It might be worth going with something other than a lawn......maybe an ornamental grass suitable for very dry conditions.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    With the right amendments - ie loads and loads of organic matter,  clay is the best growing medium there is, but you'd need a lot of it to sort that area because of the tree and the aspect. Cracking and drying in summer, or in any long dry spells, is the problem unless you live in a consistently wet area, and it sounds like you don't. Grass will always be difficult to get right in there, and it's a huge drain on valuable water resources to keep watering it.

    It's pretty ugly at the moment, so it's worth doing that and then making a bed which you can plant up with things that will then suit your climate. You'll get plenty of suggestions for that if you decide to go down that route. Using some sleepers, or similar, to create a raised bed will also mean you can get a better growing medium and therefore a wider range of plants that will thrive there with less input.  :)
    It's also not a bad idea to paint the fence and that will give you a nicer backdrop to any planting. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45
    Thank you for all the advice.
    I intend to change the fence panels, the neighbours dug a pond and piled all the soil against it so most of the panels are now rotten. I will be putting taller concrete gravel boards in, I need to replace one of the posts first though as they managed to undermine that as well.
    I have a workshop just out of shot with a door opening against the fence so whatever I do there can only really run about half the length of the fence. Unfortunately I did all this before the neighbours replanted their garden.
    Just for good measure very soon after I laid the turf they drained their pond out all over it, complete with algae treatment. It's never really been the same since. I am pretty sure that the chemicals have long since washed through so don't think that's an issue any more.
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    I personally wouldn't try get a lawn to grow in that location - 

    If it were me, I'd go for a small raised bed, loads of manure/organic stuff, plant something you like that will tolerate dry conditions.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Have you got a wee photo of the space from your workshop and along the fence @purplegerbil? That will help with further ideas too. 
    The algae treatment and pond water will have helped the grass more than anything, but it'll be a bridge too far for the grass, especially if you're not in a wet enough area.
    The advantage of a raised bed is also that you can add a trellis or a screen of your own design [that handy workshop!  ;) ] and add that to the bed, and then grow some climbers which will also help to break up the fence.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45

  • purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45
    The plan is to have a patio area between the two sheds, I've currently left this to grow wild.
    I store scaffolding and ladders in the door nearest to the fence so I don't think I have an option to include raised beds along the fence as I need to access these regularly. Due to their length I can't store them anywhere else, the shed was designed with the scaffolding in mind.
  • purplegerbilpurplegerbil Posts: 45
    The area in the foreground where the slabs are is to be path/patio.
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