Why Does Grass Keep Dying Where a Tree Used To Be? How To Solve

When cultivating a lush layer of grass in your yard, few things are as disappointing as a big patch of dirt or yellow or brown patches on your lawn. If you notice your grass keeps dying where a tree used to be, there’s a good reason the dead patch is only popping up over the stump and roots still below ground. In most cases, the grass suffers from a lack of nitrogen directly related to the previous tree. Consider hiring a lawn treatment professional to remedy the problem.

Why Does the Grass Keep Dying Where My Tree Used to Grow? 

When your new grass is continually dying off in the same spot where there used to be a tree, it’s a good sign microorganisms are working hard to help decompose the remaining stump and roots below the soil. Unfortunately, those microorganisms use a lot of nitrogen, leaving your soil light on the nutrients your grass needs to survive. Sometimes, lawn mushrooms can accompany dead grass because they’re feeding on the dead tree.

When it comes to making grass green again and reducing or eliminating any mushrooms sprouting in the area, the best solution is to increase the amount of nitrogen in the soil.

How to Grow Grass Where a Tree Used to Be 

Ready to restore the brown patches in your lawn? Follow these steps to turn grass green again.

Test the Soil

While most of these issues are related to nitrogen-consuming microorganisms feeding on the decaying tree matter, it’s possible your grass is suffering from another issue. Testing the soil can help you identify whether a lack of nitrogen is causing the problem or it’s another culprit. If you have plenty of nitrogen, you may need to hire a lawn care expert to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem.

Remove as Much Wood as Possible

The best way to clear out a tree and its roots is to hire a company to grind the stump. Be sure they grind it at least 4 inches deep and, ideally, even further. Once the stump is ground down, use a shovel and wheelbarrow to remove the wood chips from the area.

If you had the stump ground down before your first attempt at growing grass, remove any dying or patchy grass above the area, take out the soil above the stump, and inspect whether any wood chips are still there. If the stump is too close to the soil line, you may need to grind it down further before you can grow grass in the area.

Refill the Hole and Reseed

Fill the hole with nitrogen-rich manure or compost rather than topsoil. Manure and compost can help you ensure there will still be nutrients left for your grass while the remaining microorganisms continue to help decompose the tree stump and roots. Fill the hole slightly above the soil line to create a small mound to accommodate the soil settling.

Reseed the Area

Even with nitrogen-rich compost or manure in the hole, your lawn will still need continuous nitrogen boosts for an extended period. For a natural solution, mix clover seed with the grass seeds, as this lawn-friendly greenery hosts bacteria in its roots that restores nitrogen into the soil. 

Unfortunately, clover quickly uses up nitrogen, so it only becomes available to your grass if you leave the clippings on your yard after mowing. That way, the lawn can reabsorb the nitrogen as the clover clippings break down.

Fertilize Regularly

If you choose not to add clover to your lawn or can’t leave grass clippings after mowing, you’ll need to fertilize the area regularly. Sprinkle slow-release nitrogen when you plant the seeds and continue applying fertilizer every eight to 12 weeks as needed. If the lawn starts yellowing again, it may need a quick dose of nitrogen, so give it a liquid fertilizer it can absorb more quickly.

How to Prevent Your Grass From Dying Again

Your lawn will need nitrogen boosts as long as microorganisms continue to break down the tree below. Mixing clover with grass seed is a sustainable option, but many homeowners think of these helpful plants as weeds, and some people hate leaving their grass clippings on the lawn out.

If you don’t use clover, remember to fertilize every eight to 12 weeks to keep your lawn looking green rather than yellow. You may want to hire a lawn treatment pro who can help keep your grass green and mushroom-free, including the part above the stump. A lawn care expert can also help you with other grass-related issues, for example, helping you identify what insects eat grass in your area.