Grass die off from kid feet
Brooklyn.
KBG and TF
Small lawn 400 sq ft.
Before and after pics attached.
Sodded my small KBG/tall fescue lawn last spring over hard clay soil in NYC. It established beautifully and came back great this spring, but I’ve always suspected the roots were shallower than they looked.
Before this, I noticed in some areas if you tugged lightly on the grass, it felt a little loose and not fully anchored, while other areas felt super dense and carpet-like.
This Mother’s Day we had a big party with 8 kids running circles on the lawn for hours, and now I’m seeing major die-off/browning in some sections.
Does this sound like shallow rooting + compaction from traffic on clay soil? Or could something else be going on?
My current plan is to core aerate in the fall, topdress with compost and sand for leveling, and overseed weak areas. Anything I should be doing now besides deep watering and staying off it?
Anxious to bring this lawn back to life!!