# Bet yall can't figure out what's causing this...



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

For the last two years i've had what I call a "death strip" in my yard. The grass is green then it will just die. it's about a 15-20 foot long 1-3" wide strip of grass that dies.

I just 100% identified it yesterday. Let's play a game...I'll let y'all take guesses at what it is, but it's certainly not what you would suspect...

First person to guess correctly gets a free beer on me (i'll send you 5$ paypal). Ill answer if no one has gotten it in 24 hours or so.

*Edit: We have a winner!* @randy got it!

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4057&p=74294#p74315

My response: 
The window on the house is reflecting the sun and basically acting like a magnifying glass over that area. It scorches the grass and kills it! If it doesn't get overcast today I'll take some pictures/video. I took a picture of my temperature gauge and the ambient temperature is ~80F. In the area where its starting to reflect ~99F. By the time it hits 1 PM its 110F+.

@Ware If you think this is a problem let me know.


----------



## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

A gas line not buried deep enough???


----------



## Amaxwell5 (Jun 6, 2018)

Ground rod for the house?


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

My guess: Piece of treated lumber underground, maybe from a foundation planting bed that used to be there.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

Good guesses but nope!


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

Where does the eave above dump the rain?


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Delmarva Keith No where around this area. The gutter downspouts are on corners of the house. This is in the middle.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

kur1j said:


>


A natural gas leak can kill vegetation. Did you have a leak on your service line?


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Ware Nope it's not a gas leak.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

And we ruled out a piece of rebar or other construction material/debris that would fail the screwdriver test? We already have several threads dedicated to those finds.


----------



## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

Delmarva Keith said:


> Where does the eave above dump the rain?


Edit. Never mind he answered


----------



## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

It's the Russians.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Ware 
It's not rebar or trash underground.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Okay, last guess before I get to work... the bermuda left that strip and invaded the landscape bed? :lol:


----------



## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

A leak from a sprayer?

Weird, I've got similar strip that is a little
Wider that goes down my front hill and into my hellstrip. I have no idea what has done it.


----------



## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

The line is caused by dead/damaged grass.

Please send beer money to [email protected]


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Redtenchu said:


> The line is caused by dead/damaged grass.
> 
> Please send beer money to [email protected]


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

A big beetle you accidentally sprayed with glyphosate that drug itself, dying, across your grass before it finally expired.


----------



## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

City folk, or someone with the gas/electric company is out tracing line and is using a paint gun. The paint that is being used is killing the grass.


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

Ware said:


> Okay, last guess before I get to work... the bermuda left that strip and invaded the landscape bed? :lol:


It was tired so it went to bed.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

Ware said:


> Okay, last guess before I get to work... the bermuda left that strip and invaded the landscape bed? :lol:


0_o. That's cold...haha. I just got some stuff to try and take care of that. So soon that won't be a problem! 

I told my wife and she laughed at your post and said that you got me good haha.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@Redtenchu I guess I should have been more specific to ask what is actually causing the dead grass .

@pennstater2005 Haha nope.

@viva_oldtrafford I went down that path when i was trying to figure it out last year...but nope not the cause.

If someone hasn't gotten it later today I'll give a few more hints.


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Is it a vole or some type of rodent?


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@pennstater2005 nope, not a vole or rodent.


----------



## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

It has something to do with your underground irrigation line.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@randy Nope! Good guess though. Irrigation line runs along the house. The control wire is in that area, but closer to the house. Irrigation line or the irrigation control line is not the cause of the "death strip".


----------



## Durso81 (Apr 10, 2018)

A pissed off neighbor who has trained there dog to pee walking in a straight line.


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Irrigation rain gauge is causing a shadow.


----------



## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

Your windows are reflecting the sun at very high intensity. It hits that spot, but then as the sun moves is shaded out by the window sill... so it only affects that one strip.


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Was it caused by your reel mower? Maybe it was leaking something?


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@randy You got it! But you went a little too far .The window on the house is reflecting the sun and basically acting like a damn magnifying glass over that area. It scorches the grass and kills it! If it doesn't get overcast today I'll take some pictures/video.

PM your paypal and I'll send you the money!


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@pennstater2005 Randy got it .


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Damn @randy! Finally!


----------



## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

@kur1j That's what I meant in regards to very high intensity. We had a similar problem where it started melting a strip of siding and then one day I saw the intensity from the window on my grass. So that's why I guessed the way I did. My going too far was an attempt at guessing why it only happened in that one thin line and no more.

I'll send you my email, but I live along the 95 and the 40 in NC (close to Raleigh). If you are ever planning to travel that way, I can wait and you can buy me a beer in person... lol


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@randy Probably won't make it in thst area soon but send me however your prefer to have a few bucks tossed your way electronically! All in the fun!

Now the hard part is figuring out how to fix it haha. Need to do some tinting or something to distribute the light.


----------



## randy (Jun 29, 2018)

You can put a screen over the culprit window and it shouldn't look out of place to anyone but yourself. Get a screen frame the same size as the window and double side tape it on.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Too bad you can't angle them to hit the neighbor's unkempt lawn :laughing:


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Too bad you can't angle them to hit the neighbor's unkempt lawn :laughing:


That would make a killer domination line.


----------



## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

That's amazing, good call.

I have a customer with a killer window, but it kills a rectangle, not a line.

Drove me crazy till i happened to be there at just the right time. I thought it might be herbicide burn, cuz i use a flat tip when i spot spray. So a rectangle would be my fault, but why would it only (and always) be that spot, and not several places around the property?

Then one day i saw the reflection.

Great sleuthing you all.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

took pictures of it.

Lines up perfectly.



90F ambient temp.


113F+. I saw it spike to 116 but wasn't fast enough to snap a picture.


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

kur1j said:


> took pictures of it.


Wow! What a difference in temp! No wonder it's getting scorched :evil:


----------



## Killbuzz (Apr 30, 2017)

This happens every year to a spot in my front.


----------



## Guest (Jun 30, 2018)

It's usually from the coated Low E windows from what I've read. Supposedly it's has caused grass/ pine straw to ignite from getting so hot.
https://www.wral.com/energy-efficient-windows-blamed-for-starting-fires/16558762/


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@firefighter11 very interesting. So it states that they added "solar screens"? Is there something that you can do to fix it where it doesn't look silly?


----------



## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

I was going to suggest an outdoor solar screen. A lot of people around here use them.


----------



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@dfw_pilot Is there anything that will go inside? I have a feeling our HOA would have a fit.


----------



## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Your HOA would have a fit on you trying to save energy and put up screens? I'd ask before assuming so. Our HOA allows them on any side or rear window. Windows facing the front need to be approved based on color. Bottom line, check first.


----------



## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Wow. We def have that happen around here but I've never seen it in such an exact straight line.

Do you think that is what may be happening below. I'll have to go out and check during the day.


----------



## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Nice fluke


----------

