My back yard shares a border with my neighbour and his 12ft. high cedar hedge. The land slopes from his side to mine and the sun shines across my lawn to the trees. The edge of the lawn, along the steeper section of the border(slope ranges from almost flat to a drop of approx. 1ft.),is dead -- we're talking snuffed! Is the cedar the villan or do you think the neighbour is spraying something. I could probably ask him directly but the 12 foot wall is telling me something.

-- Mark Barry (barrymm@aci.on.ca), October 25, 2000

Answers

The cedar needles give off an acid chemical that leaches down the slope thus not allowing much to grow. Having such a slope like that will make it difficult for grass to grow especially near cedars. It can't hold nutrients long enough for your lawn to take. If your lawn gets minimal sun because of the cedars trying using a shady lawn grass. Remember that lawn seeds that sit in bags and stored away until next season loose there abilities. Throw them out and get fresh new seeds. I hope this answerd the question watch for my new web site coming soon. WWW.Mrgreenthumbs .com

-- jamie fransen (theoriginalmrgreenthumbs@hotmail.com), June 26, 2001.