What Is Happening To My Grass?

Hello All,

I am desperately seeking some advice as to what is happening to the grass in my garden. Slight background history, Hubby and I moved into our home two years ago, where the garden did not have grass but more concrete slabs and plants. We have since re-designed and for the first time this year in April, we sowed the grass seeds. We had wonderful grass growth throughout summer but started noticing over the past month and a half, patches, but a severe dead patch near banana tree.

A few things to note, where the severe dead patch is, the garden does get limited sun. I have also noticed some small bugs in the area - they look like small mites (translucent type bodies?). The patches around the garden have small soil mounds as if something from underneath the earth has surfaced - is this normal?

I have attached a few pictures but can add more - The picture of the banana tree is so you can see the location of the now dead patch. Not sure if the Banana tree may affect the grass?

 

Are the small mounds worm casts?
I doubt if the banana has much effect on the grass apart maybe from shade.
Just wondering where you are in the country and how you plan to protect the banana over winter.

 

Possibly bad drainage??

 

Thanks for the above. I just googled Worm Cast and yes, those are the small mounds I can see around the garden. I assume this is normal? Sorry amateur gardener here. Maybe the shade is the issue for the big patch of dead grass. The banana tree was inherited from the previous owner and we have managed to keep it alive for two winters by ensuring the roots/base are covered during the winter

 

Thank you for replying. I don't think there is a drainage issue as when it goes rain, the soil dries quick enough once it stops, but I will keep an eye on this just in case.

 

I think possibly around the base of the banana it's a shade issue and maybe a bit of the grass needs removing around the base.
Clutching a straws but maybe cranefly larvae .

 

What type of grass seed did you sow, Do you still have the box ? It does look like a shade or water issue , the sun lower now so even less light .

 

the grubs with translucent bodies sounds like they could be chafer grubs. They feed on the roots of the grass during Winter / early Spring and the grass then dies before they leave the area in Spring/Summer. Usually an application of Nematodes before Winter sets in can help control them.

 

Doesn't really fit with chafer grubs, chafer grubs also tend to be down in the ground with the daddy long legs larvae munching away.

Serious lawn growers can get quite excited about worm casts, I avoid the problem by letting the grass grow quite long so I can't see them.
Well done for keeping your banana alive, especially over last winter; I presume you are somewhere relatively mild and sheltered.

 

Common in lawns and new turf. Cover an area with a carpet offcut of manageable size. Leave for 48 hours. Roll back and examine ground for the grubs.
If you can do this daily, when starlings are about (2pm ??), they will soon clear the area revealed, and learn you have their larder!

 

Thank you the more we look at where the patches are, it does certainly look like shade could be an issue. I think we did not sow the right type of grass seeds (had no idea there was one specific for shady gardens).

 

We used these seeds: Miracle-Gro EverGreen Multi Purpose Lawn Seed - to be honest, we had no idea you could get different seeds for shady gardens, but I guess we need to re-sow next year with the appropriate seeds?

 

Just a thought about these “mites”. Are they lozenge-shaped, about 2-3 mm long? Do they have lots of legs?
Memories from a failed nature study of woodlice at O-level. The newly emerged woodlice when they emerge from eggs carried under the mother’s “skirts” are translucent, and very, very small. I suspect that they get their pigment from their food as they develop… If this is the case, they are totally harmless, and are not damaging the grass. But they are indicating that the grass is dead/dying, as they feed on decaying matter.

Photo of a woodlouse for reference. However, there are many different species of woodlouse. Some are paler, even at their adult size. They can also be different shapes and sizes

 

This is the one! This is the exactly what we have, although I have seen them for a while, but your point on them indicating the grass is dying or dead makes total sense as it was the first time I noticed a lot of them. I did think they could have been woodlice but had just never seen such small ones, and also translucent, before. Good to know that they aren’t the cause which means another possibility eliminated. Thank you so much and actually felt like a got a good nature lesson out of that

 

The banana roots are also bound to take nutrients and moisture from the grass - especially as the grass is 'new'. This awful wet weather we've been having - and people walking on the sodden grass doesn't help either.

I think that Pete has a point. Try spiking the lawn with a hollow tine - to get rid of compaction and drainage issues and come spring apply a lawn fertiliser to get the grass greening up.

Or - stop worrying about it entirely and make a feature around the base of the banana - a raised bed for annuals perhaps - making sure to keep some space between the bed and banana stem. Lawn problem no longer an issue and additional colour in the garden.