What To Do When Sod Will Not Grow

As an Arizonan, you know adequate sunlight isn’t usually a problem for your outdoor plants. High temperatures and consistent seasonal weather make caring for Arizona sod grass fairly easy. However, if you have a multi-story home or large structure such as a covered patio or shed, your lawn may not be getting the sunlight it needs. To ensure your yard stays guest-ready at all times, ditch the trouble spots in favor of decorative alternatives.

Arizona sod - What To Do When Sod Will Not Grow

Stepping Stones

One of the most common causes of a spotty lawn is lack of sunlight as a result of too much shade from trees or the home itself. Pave the perimeter of your backyard with stepping stones and fill the gaps with small rocks. As an added bonus, you can train your pets to use that area for urination—another common cause of dead sod patches.

Outdoor Furniture

When grass just won’t grow where you need it to, turn the area into a place of entertainment. Not only will you encourage foot traffic in the right places (read—off your beautiful lawn), you’ll have a relaxing space in which to eat, chat, and unwind after a long day. Consider buying a picnic table and chairs or scouring yard sales for a hammock.

Water Features

Add a touch of zen to your yard with a water fountain or koi pond. Have a pool? Line the shaded side of your home with stones and install an outdoor shower head for rinsing off chlorine. Whichever water feature you choose is guaranteed to look far better than a patch of unnourished sod. It may even inspire you to redecorate other areas of the yard for a polished look.

Trees, shrubs, or cacti

If you have a particularly large area of shade, create a border with decorative bricks and add shade-tolerant and/or drought-tolerant plants to the space. You don’t have to fill the area entirely—simply install rocks between plant life. A succulent garden is an excellent addition to any desert landscape and won’t require much maintenance.

Home gym

Turn your shady spots into an outdoor exercise area with rubber pavers. Take advantage of the fresh air and use the space for a weight bench or squat rack. Don’t want to invest in expensive hardware? Buy a cheap storage chest and stock it with things like a jump rope, set of dumbbells, kettle bell, yoga mat, and football or volleyball for an impromptu game.

Fire pit

Whether you build it or buy it, an outdoor fire pit adds romantic ambience to your yard for those nights you want to bundle up with your significant other. Perfect for shaded corners, a fire pit with chairs formed in a semi-circle can give the impression you never intended for grass to be there in the first place. Check out our article with some Backyard Fire Pit Ideas to get you started.

Rocks, rocks, rocks

If all else fails, install decomposed granite, river rock, pea gravel, or woodchips in the entire area. Rocks are a low-maintenance option that allows for a defined focal point and little maintenance (namely weed growth and debris collection). Determine your budget upfront and shop by square footage as you’ll have no shortage of styles from which to choose.

Everyone loves a lush grassy lawn, but you may have to accept that parts of your yard are not meant for grass. Use these ideas to turn those areas into a beautiful space that complements the remainder of your sod lawn.

Contact us if you need sod in Phoenix, Tucson and surrounding areas of Arizona. You can call us at 602.626.9959, email us at info@evergreenturf.com, or check out our Facebook page today.

Comments are closed.