# Worth it to reno with tree roots everywhere?



## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

Hey all, my 625 sq ft front yard has 3 trees right in the middle of it. Every time I've had to dig up an irrigation head, it's just a massive nest of tree roots that I have to cut through. Super PITA.

Anyway, this section of my lawn looks like garbage IMO (the rest is great!). It's TTTF with some random ugly circle patches of fine fescue in random spots. I absolutely hate how it looks and want to reno it this summer.

My question is, since it's infested with tree roots, am I just wasting my time and money by gly'ing/top soiling/seeding? I feel that it looks gross because of the tree roots, and you can see from the pictures that it starts looking better the further away from the tree you go.

I've got a patch on the other side of my driveway that's a nice green with no trees nearby.







Other side of driveway:


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## JML (Jul 26, 2021)

I think you've already answered your question. The tree isn't getting any smaller, so the roots will only get bitter. The big tree is really your main culprit. I'm surprised it hasn't destroyed the sidewalk, driveway, sewer line yet.


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## Rxrep (Jun 9, 2021)

I don't think it would be a complete waste of time. The turf that you currently have is not good quality so you could probably improve on that. However, it's not an ideal situation, obviously. The only experience I personally have with this is my son's house. He has one side of his property that is what you described., infested with tree roots. I help him out with the lawn and what I've noticed is that we have to run the irrigation longer on that side...which would make sense. Good luck.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

In that situation, I'd rather reseed bare spots, and/or overseed areas as needed. The grass you have there already is tolerant of the roots and shade, so if you seed spots, you'll want to overseed with similarly tolerant seed, like a Tall/fine rescue mix. You can also top dress the roots from time-to-time when seeding, but it will be tough. A Reno in this situation would be even tougher.


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

I don't think it looks so bad and I'll bet your neighbors don't either. Maybe you could do a slight renovation to replace the fine fescue with a more shade-tolerant TTTF then go to a taller cut so that the roots are not so noticeable.


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

Rxrep said:


> I don't think it would be a complete waste of time. The turf that you currently have is not good quality so you could probably improve on that. However, it's not an ideal situation, obviously. The only experience I personally have with this is my son's house. He has one side of his property that is what you described., infested with tree roots. I help him out with the lawn and what I've noticed is that we have to run the irrigation longer on that side...which would make sense. Good luck.


Yeah, I think part of the reason why it looks garbage (to me) is I didn't really irrigate it based on the tree roots sucking up a lot of the water. I've since adjusted my Rachio to water to a 4" depth vs 3, so hopefully that will help it out a bit.

But I really really really hate the look of the random fine fescue patches. And I also just don't like how fine fescue looks anyway, regardless of the patchy state of it.



Green said:


> In that situation, I'd rather reseed bare spots, and/or overseed areas as needed. The grass you have there already is tolerant of the roots and shade, so if you seed spots, you'll want to overseed with similarly tolerant seed, like a Tall/fine rescue mix. You can also top dress the roots from time-to-time when seeding, but it will be tough. A Reno in this situation would be even tougher.


Yeah, it's semi-tolerant of the roots/shade, but I hate how it's just grass salad out there. I'd much rather nuke it and get my SSS mix of 90% SS1000 Tall Fescue Blend / 10% Midnight Kentucky bluegrass down since it looks SO much better. It's what I have in my back yard currently and it looks great, but I'd rather not do it if it's going to be a waste and not able to develop because of the tree roots.



Old Hickory said:


> I don't think it looks so bad and I'll bet your neighbors don't either. Maybe you could do a slight renovation to replace the fine fescue with a more shade-tolerant TTTF then go to a taller cut so that the roots are not so noticeable.


My neighbors yard (the one by my driveway patch) is essentially a crabgrass/kyllinga/poa farm, so I don't think they care how my lawn looks :lol: Makes it fun trying to manage the weed-creep during the growing seasons though!


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

I would create some nice planter around middle tree and over seed bare spots or as needed rest. I have same situation on my left far corner took me many years and deferent type of seeds to get grass going. 4th millennium and raptor ttf hold very well in there.


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

Kissfromnick said:


> I would create some nice planter around middle tree and over seed bare spots or as needed rest. I have same situation on my left far corner took me many years and deferent type of seeds to get grass going. 4th millennium and raptor ttf hold very well in there.


Like a hard edge around where the roots are popping out, and dump mulch over it? Decent idea...

Maybe I'll just gly the awful FF and reseed those spots. Only thing that sucks is my new seed is so much nicer than what's already there...


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

spaceman_spiff said:


> Kissfromnick said:
> 
> 
> > I would create some nice planter around middle tree and over seed bare spots or as needed rest. I have same situation on my left far corner took me many years and deferent type of seeds to get grass going. 4th millennium and raptor ttf hold very well in there.
> ...


I went simple way to hide roots. Looks good enough. And yes it tons of roots under the grass in that area.


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## Stegs (Aug 29, 2017)

for that little area, cant you bring in loads of nice topsoil and build it up?


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

Kissfromnick said:


> spaceman_spiff said:
> 
> 
> > Kissfromnick said:
> ...


Yeah that looks nice. Our roots come out quite a bit, so it'd have to be a pretty big blobby circle. But I am sick of the roots dulling my mower blades :lol:



Stegs said:


> for that little area, cant you bring in loads of nice topsoil and build it up?


I've definitely thought of that, but figured the tree roots would just grow themselves upward into the soil again.


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