my grass has died

I live outside Houston TX. It rains alot here. I have six trees in my back yard. When we moved here a year ago there wasn't any grass in my backyard. We layed St.Augustine grass down last fall. Now I'm at my wits end because it is just dirt again. My question to anyone who can help me is: Is it the type of grass I'm using, too shady to grow, or because its too wet. All my surrouning neighbors have green grass. Please help, I want to keep up with Jones'

Hi Nicolbd, so sorry you have a bare lawn again, the trouble could be caused by a few things, was the ground well prepared for a lawn, if it was not dug and raked to a deapth of about 3 inches and then compacted then re raked to a fine tilth, then maybe the ground is too hard compacted for water to penetrate the under the turf/grass, and the roots are not getting any moisture, also at the prep stage, you would normaly add a general multipurpose feed to the soil the grass is to grow on, so the roots get some nutriants for the grass roots to establish.
Even though you get a lot of rain, check that this water is not just being shed off the grass or the grass roots will just dry out.
IF you have big trees growing where you laid the lawn, this is a lot of competition for NEW grass, the trees sap up all the food, water etc.
Did the grass ever grow, did you cut the grass too soon, too short or did it just give up from the start?????
I am unable to say IF this is the type of grass for your situation, if I were you, I would visit/phone the parks department, a golf green/ keeper or lawn company to pick the brains of the experts, I know there is no shortcuts to a lush lawn, it takes a couple of years, lots of nurturing, care, carefull cutting and feeding to get the look you want, so go for expert advice within your area, maybe chat to the neighbours who have well established lawns as from garden to garden, the soil can differ. Hope this helps get you started in the search for your problems,and enjoyment of a nice lush lawn. good luck. WeeNel

Thanks Weenel. There wasn't any grass in the back when we moved here. The front lawn is beautiful. We are new to this, being our first home. My husband and I just layed the sod on top of the old soil and watered daily for about 3 days. It did well for about 2 months. Once the leafs fell and rain came it began turning brown. In hopes that spring would come and it would green up again, I waited and did nothing. Now spring has passed and so has my grass. I did see at wal-mart a type of seed made for shady areas. I read on the package something about anti fungus coating. It also said use a balanced fertilizer. Would that be a 13-13-13? What type of tool would I use turn the soil? Should I add any thing else to the soil besides fertilizer? Let me know what you think. Thanks again- Nicole

Hi Nicol, WeeNel again, you answered your own question, just laying the turf on top of solid packed soil meant that the grass roots were unable to get down into the top soil and gather neutrients and water.
Three days watering is like a glass of water in a lake but you have learned from this and that is what gardening is all about.
To prepare the site again, you would be better hireing a tiller or as we call them in UK, a rotovater, you want to use this to break up the hard packed soil, then get a spade and walk all over the area and simply whack flat any large clumps of earth, this also removes all the air pockets that later on, cause the ground to sink into hollows/dips,
after all that larking about (but important prep work) you need to go over it all with a rake, removeing any stones, weeds and flatten any lumps of soil you will bring to the surface, then you and husband/man get your boots on and do a lovely little walk/dance UPand DOWN in lines (Better useing your heels and like a duck waddle)good for toneing the thighs and calfs, Ha,Ha, Ha, you do this over the who;e area, this removes all pockets and firms the soil under,but wont hard pack it like it was before.
Lastly, you have to rake it all again, (just the top half or inch of treaded soil, again remove any stones and weeds, now it should represent a fine tilth of soil, use a long plank of wood, (LEVEL AND FLAT) lay on the new lawn area and check for any dip or humps and either fill these dips in with soil from any humps (this is important as when you eventualy cut your grass, the humps wont get shaved off and the dips wont be missed by the mower.)
Once you are happy with all your hard work, it is time for the exciting bit, scatter some multi/general feed all over the area, (GO BY THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PACKET) lightly rake it in (GENTLY so you dont disturb your leveled earth, then it is time to either lay your turf, or scatter grass seed, (AS YOU WORK, USE YOUR LEVELING BOARD TO STAND ON) you dont want to create hollows after all your hard work, if laying turf, lay it like a brick patern so all the joints are not in the same place, some people start in the centre, some at an edge, (as you join the LENGTHS, lay the turf about an inch overlap (SHORT ENDS ONLY)and cut through this with old bread knife so you dont have gaps. But LONG sides only, pat and push gently against the first length laid. As you work along, always in the same direction, you will see the need for standing on the board as you wont be moving the turf appart, as you are spreading your weight while working on the new laid turf, soon as you are finnished, even if not all laid, water the grass, NOT THE BARE SOIL. when you have done, trim all the edges etc, really soak the turf (remember the turf is a living plant and it has been cut off from it's root bed to be rolled up and transported to your door, proberbly a feww days, what turf is not laid and still to be used, try keep it out of the hot sun. DONT ORDER YOU NEW TURF TILL ALL YOUR PREP IS DONE, better to sit and waite a day or so that have it stored in your yard all rolled up drying out and going yellow from lack of light.
TO make your lawn from seed, everything is exactly the same, up too scattering the feed and rakeing it in. At that stage, you scatter the grass seed of your choise, IT will tell you on the package what the spread of seed should be per square yard, so dont think that extra will make it better. if unsure what the weight of seed per Sqr yard looks like, use the kitchen scales as a guide, lay canes out to show the square yard or string, this will make it so much easier to guide you, as you progress, you just move the canes or string, when you have scattered the seed, give a GENTLE rake, just to very barely cover the seed, you then water, as you have used seed, you will have to use a softer less powerfull nozzle on your hosepipe so you dont wash the light seed away.
It will only be 5/7 days when you will notice a tiny hint of green appearing, keep up the water every night/early morning, (Cooler and less evaporation then) dont walk on this neww grass shoots, IF weeds come through, try not to pick them as you can do that once ALL the seed has germinated and the grass has toughened up a bit, keep up watering, any large weeds now, you can use your board to walk on and pull them out, two fingers flat around the weed so you dont pull up a large patch of soil, DONT cut the grass till 5/6 weeks, maybe just once a week, and JUST a light trim, (RAISE THE MOWER BLADES) so you are only trimming the tips off, cutting like this for another month or so, will give the roots a chance to get deep into the soil, you must keep up the watering IF you have not had some good heavy showers, Dont be tempted to throw more feed on your new turf or seeded grass or you will burn the tender shoots, the feed under ground should be plenty for the whole summer, Dont use any weed killers for the first year at all as the same will happen, you have plenty time to sort out feeding/weeding starting autumn/spring.
This is so long and drawn out, I am convinced you will be saying "WOW" why did I ask, but if you break it down into stages, it is more work than than knowhow, you will end up with a lawn that you sit back and say "WE DID THAT" however, on saying all that, a lot of people dont have the time, the patience or the confidence to have a go, they also want instant results maybe for kids, looks or want guarentees come from a profesional landscaper, but whichever way you go this time around, it is the time consuming preperation, before the the lawn is seeded or turfed that will give you good results, constant care for months after that people dont think is important that causes the failures to arrise, so be patient, know that grass is a living plant, just millions of little seedlings all together to make a lawn, all fighting for root space, water, light and a trim, then fed now and again. Would you be able to get to the librery and pick up a book on lawn making and care, it will prob give you diagrams whick I am unable to give here, Uk has a huge BQ hardware/garden stores that used to have handout Sheets in store, that will give you general hints and tips, but prep before and care after is the most important 2 things and there are no shortcuts I'm afraid. Over in UK, we would waite till end of summer to make new lawns as the strong heat has passed and the soil is still warm for germination and growing.
Hope this has helped you make up your mind which way to go this time, so good luck, hope you have a lovely lush green lawn for NEXT spring. WeeNel.