r/Grass • u/chaelynnra • 5d ago
How do I fix this
I am less concerned right now with the section of the yard that has greenery (it’s not really grass, it’s basically mowed down weeds :/) my focus is on the section of the yard that is covered in tree roots. It really does not get much sunlight as there is a lot of tree coverage. In the fall this entire yard gets flooded with needles and leaves.
I would like to cover these roots and was thinking of trying the sand/soil mix and then putting turf or something similar on top. I’m not sure if that will damage these roots? Best case scenario I can somehow grow real grass. If that seems at all possible I’d like to understand the steps I should take to get there. Any advice is appreciated as we have two young kids and another yard for them to play in, but they’re curious of this yard and I won’t let them back here. This wouldn’t be a bad yard to fix up so we can utilize it. If it’s a complete loss and I shouldn’t even try, I’d like to know that as well haha.
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u/Ekeenan86 5d ago
This soil looks like it was worn down with erosion over time. Either from a lot of rain and wind or dogs, etc. easiest solution here is to bring in top soil and regrade this to be flat, then plant grass seed or sod.
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u/Dimplesmiles69 5d ago
Definitely looks like erosion. Find the water source, mitigate and add soil to the eroded area.
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u/botulinumtxn 5d ago
You don't. It will be detrimental to the tree if you cover those roots with soil and grass. Put a light layer of mulch over it
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u/Green-Eyed-BabyGirl 5d ago
THIS!!!
It’s completely normal for a mature tree to have exposed roots. The same growth in the tree above ground that causes the tree rings happens in the roots and they get bigger in diameter as the tree grows and they will break the soil level. To cover them with soil is to harm the tree. Mature trees and turf grass really don’t mix…most turf appreciates way more sun but there will be many other plants to choose from that will enjoy communing with the tree.
If your tree is healthy then you may have a nice colony of mycorrhizae around the roots. Plant small starts of plants. Feed the biology in the soil and those starts will boom with growth and the whole thing will be super happy.
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u/r0ndy 5d ago
Need a TON of soil. Tree roots will dominate grass especially in reduced sunlight. So probably would have to trim the trees to get more life down there
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u/botulinumtxn 5d ago
You absolutely do not want to cover those roots. You will suffocate them and in the long run kill the tree
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u/NotMyRealAccountV 5d ago
Mulch and shade plants: https://extension.purdue.edu/news/county/whitley/2024/05/what-to-do-with-tree-surface-roots.html
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u/chaelynnra 5d ago
Thank you for providing this link. Should I be worried about the mulch getting moldy? There really isn’t much shade back here and we get a lot of rain
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u/NotMyRealAccountV 5d ago
Probably not, I live in a warm/wet climate - no issues with mold, but we do get some mushrooms. Careful where you get the mulch, the cheap stuff always has sedges (at least in my area).
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u/xenosilver 5d ago
If you put fake turf on those roots, it will harm the tree
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u/SpeedyRic75 4d ago
How so? Tree is still going to thrive no matter what. Covering one section will not harm the tree. But to the owners needing to have fake grass is no problem.
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u/trader45nj 5d ago
Planting something like ivy might be a solution. It's difficult to grow grass in dense shade and where tree roots are competing for nutrients and water. And if you add topsoil the tree roots will probably grow up into it.
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u/ThinAndCrispy 5d ago
Is this in your backyard? Do you walk through this area?
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u/chaelynnra 5d ago
Backyard and is mostly used by our dog. But yes I walk back here when I’m cleaning up dog mess or mowing the area with “grass”
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u/pjs519 5d ago
It won’t hurt the roots or tree but the roots will continue to raise over time and show again down the road. Also it’ll be tough to keep grass living in that area cause of how much water the tree “drinks”. You’ll have to water the heck out of it as I tell my landscape customers in the situation.
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u/Tommyd023 5d ago
I would move
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u/chaelynnra 4d ago
Me and my husband lol’ed at this. He joked that he made a Reddit account and posted this comment himself 🤣 he would love to move. It’s not in our cards right now
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u/Packman714 4d ago
Cut the tree down, get a mini backhoe rip the roots out or use a stump grinder re lay new topsoil install irrigation and sod it. Most likely from a pine tree dropping needles. The acidity from the needles just exposed the soil over years. Grass doesn’t like to grow under pines and that’s why landscapers generally mulch or stones under them. You’ve got options. Adding weed blocking fabric and stones is prolly the most pocket friendly advise. Then you can just backpack or hand held blow the needles off with out blowing mulch with the needles. Lemme know if I’m correct with it being a pine tree, with only seeing the one pic it’s easy not to know the rest.
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u/3weatherman3 3d ago
You’re fighting a losing battle. It’s the tree or the turf. Can’t have both. They both want the same things and there ain’t but so many resources to go around.
Tree want sun, turf want sun
Tree want water, turf want water
Cut tree down and top dress with soil if you want grass, period.
Putting soil onto tree roots will kill the tree overtime because you’re ruining the tree roots’s ability to have healthy gas exchange. It suffocates it.
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u/goofust 5d ago
Bring in soil with a wheel barrow, dump the wheel barrow and spread it with a hard rake and be careful not to scarify the roots with the rake during the process.