January 26, 2012
Greetings...For the second time in two or so years, we had to have our lawn dug up and replaced. We noticed the grass dying no matter how much water it got and when the landscaper applied fertilizer and the grass continued to die, I told him there must be something else wrong...
I realize I didn't take Horticulture in school, but it seemed pretty obvious that something was very wrong. Bless his heart, the landscaper did what most people do when they are stumped...
Make something up!!!
"Your dog's pee is killing it"
OK, problem with this theory is that only one dog (Moose) will occasionally go in the grass, Ginger never does. I also realize that the word "piddle" doesn't come close when it comes to a Great Dane. Gallons, river, flood, etc. could be used to describe the amount that is deposited. However, I still wasn't buying that as the reason for the whole yard dying. Spots, maybe, not every blade...
When that excuse didn't work, he decided it was rabbits. He thought those wascally wabbits were killing the grass. I'm still thinking he's wrong and suggested he get a soil sample, have it tested, and find out exactly what was killing the lawn...
He actually listened and came back with...
"Your grass is contaminated". With what, no one seemed to know. He's still blaming my Moosie and Im still defending her and even those wascally wabbits...
He made the decision to rip up the whole thing and start over with fresh sod. Hold on there a minute bucko, no new sod until there is a definite answer as to what killed the grass in the first place!
The lawn gets ripped up and he came to the door with a handful of "something". That "something" was the reason the lawn died and Moosie was vindicated...
Grub worms the size of your finger! I have never seen anything so HUGE in my life and seeing them in his hand made me want to hurl!!!
He had to dig down a foot, remove all the soil that was contaminated and cart the soil away. He then had to put chemicals in the dirt to make sure they wouldn't come back and kill off anything that may have been left. New sod couldn't get planted for two weeks and water activates the "stuff", so my dirt had to be watered three times a day...
UH-OH...Dirt + water + Big footed dogs = One freaking mess!!!
Luckily, after the novelty of running in the mud wore off, they left the area alone and the sod was put in two weeks later. So far so good. Nice lush grass again. TO be honest, IF this happens again, the grass is going for good even though I love having it. The landscaper claims the soil is fine now, but we'll have to see. Given the size of the Grub worms I saw, it wouldn't surprise me to see those suckers pull up in a bus filled with their buddies to chow down again!!!
I have a little surprise for you today. It's been a while since you've seen Moosie and Ginger. Flyboy was able to get the cutest picture of the two of them the other day. Pardon the unmade bed, but you can't make a bed in this house until those two are done with their beauty sleep!
Nothing swallows up a King-Sized bed like a couple of Great Danes. They make it look like a Twin!
Enjoy!
Jamie------------------Missed an Issue? Visit the Anything Goes Archives