How To Fix/Repair Rock Salt Burned Yellow Lawn!?

 

Hello All,


This question I am asking is not a problem that I have, but a problem
that I am trying to help someone with. I have an eldery 85 year old
neighbor, that I am trying to help out.


Here is the problem. Last year he says he spent $4,000 to have all brand
new "Kentucky Bluegrass" sod installed on his front yard.


In the winter, the neighbors next to him dumped piles of rock salt/ice
melter all over their driveway everytime there was a snowstorm, and when
they shoveled their driveway, and threw the snow up onto the edge of his
yard, all the rock salt landed on his grass, and now he has BIG Yellow
patches of grass, all on the side of his yard.


I feel really bad for the eldery gentleman, who lives alone, and never
has anyone to come over to help him out, and I want to try to help him
fix it. HE doesn't think that it can be fixed, because the rock saLt/ice
melt is now mixed in with the soil.


What about adding some topsoil as a "topdressing", and then new seed? I
have a bag of "Organic Topsoil", I could give him?


Would that "Scotts Patchmaster" stuff work? Or that new "Scotts EZ Seed"
I keep seeing commercials for?


I also have a bag of "Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss". Should I try
spreading some "Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss" on it for him??


What would be the best way to neutralize the soil of all the rock salt,
and revive the lawn, to turn the Yellow spots Green again?


ANY info. will greatly be appreciated!


Thanks!

 

MICHELLE H. wrote:

My guess would be huge amounts of water, to try to wash the salt down below the
grass roots.

 

Thanks for all of the great advice so far. I will tell the guy to give
his lawn ( especially the Yellow spots ) plenty of water.


To try to answer some of your questions, the Yellow sports are located
about 2-3 feet inward from his neighbors driveway who piled the snow and
rock salt on his yard, so yes, the Yellow spots are about 2 feet across
his property line.


As far as him SUEING his neighbors? The problem with that is, the
homeowners that threw the rock salt on the guys lawn, are long gone,
because their house was foreclosed on a few months back, and put up for
public auction, so right now the house is currently vacant, and who
knows where the other neighbors moved to??


Plus, I don't think the guy would want to sue them. He is 85 years old,
and keeps to himself. He never has anyone come over to visit him or help
him, so I usually ask him if he wants help mowing his grass or raking
his leaves or shoveling his snow, but he always refuses and wants to do
it himself.


But when I talked to him yesterday, when I was wishing him a "Nice
Memorial Day", he says that he doesn't know what to do or how to fix the
"rock salt burnt grass".


I think that "Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss" may help neaturalize the
soil, but I am not 100% positive about that??

 


MICHELLE H.;889343 Wrote:

When damage has occurred, flood the area with water as soon as practical
in the
spring to wash the salt or other material off of the grass and
leach it through
the soil away from the grass root area.  After two or
three heavy waterings,
plant seed and apply Starter Fertilizer to hasten
development of the planting.
Scotts EZ Seed is aslo a good option, then
you would not need the starter
fertilizer seperatly as it is in the mix.
Unless the concentration is unusually
heavy, this procedure will
correct the condition and replacement of the soil
should not be
necessary.




--
Jill R

 

Jill R wrote:

this is going to be an on going situation unless some means
can be devised to stop the run off from the neighbors next
to him dumped piles of rock salt in order to de-ice their
driveway NEXT winter.