Did you plant the same fescue throughout the lawn? If the area in that picture is all the same grass, there's something going on in the area that isn't growing. If it's salt, you can try adding some gypsum, watering it in well, then really soaking it to try to flush the sodium out. I think if I were you, I'd take some soil samples. I'd get three tests done. One with soil from the area in the picture that is doing poorly, one from the area that does well, and one from the area where the dog was. The soil test may tell you what needs to be done. Do you live in an area with low pH? I would think most (if not all) of Kansas would have high pH. I didn't do an extensive search, but a quick scan of articles on extension.ksu.edu had a lot on lowering high pH, but I didn't find anything on raising low pH. I wouldn't add any more lime unless you're sure that's the problem. I think it's much more likely to be a problem with high pH than low pH, especially since I see some similar patches further up, near the sidewalk (concrete can leach into the soil, raising pH). That could also be in agreement with the idea that it could be a salinity issue, since ice melting salts can cause that.

Lassiter, Your screen name looks familiar, maybe I talked to you before...? The are 3 effective ways to kill Bermudagrass: 1.- Roundup + tiller (you must fertilze and water bermuda before applying it) Grass needs to be happy and growing, not streesed out. 2.- Dig it out (labor intensive, but very effective) you must dig down and around to at least 12 inches. 3.- Soil Solarization (this method is very effective, but requires more knowledge and patience) Are you sure you working with 1,300 sf of lawn to replace/covert? That sounds rather small for a yard. Did you measure the lawn yourself? If in fact you're working with 1,300 sf, you are better off buying 2 or 3 pallets of Bluegrass or Fescue sod for $100 each and be done with it. Below is a picture of soil solarization Also, there's a link that explains soil solarization, please click on there. Let me know if you have any other questions. Here is a link that might be useful: Soil Solarization

S'pose I autta throw in my 2 cents.... Virtually every single house (with very few exceptions) in my neighborhood has bermudagrass. 99% of all the homeowners with bermudagrass mow around 1-1/2" to 2" up to maybe 3" with rotary mowers, and most the lawns look okay. Some mow way too infrequently & their lawns really look like $#!+. Very few mow very low/short (one guy in particular with a Lawn Boy about a block away) and no matter how hard he tries he leaves the dreaded rotary swirl marks. If you really want the thick dense short fairway looking bermudagrass there's only one way to do it..... Buy a reel mower. Keep your Murray....you say you got it running again? Mine's 8 years old now, I use it from time to time to mow the neighbor's lawn (he's up in years & health not so good) and I also use it to do clean up in spring/fall. You could use yours in that area of creek frontage & stuff. Now that it's running again, take care of it. Change the oil each year. Keep the blade sharp. Always use Sta-Bil in every can of gas you buy for your lawn equuipment. You can use your rotary Murray to mow while you decide what reel to buy. (Or while you look for a reel to buy.) You've obviously read many of the posts in this forum so I won't belabor the opinions of which brand is best. (But the Tru-Cut is best) 8^) Is it foolish (or necessary) to really want both? Nope. Keep ur current rotary. If you really feel you need to upgrade the rotary, go ahead, but if you take care of the one you have, it'll last longer than you think. Splurge for the reel so you can have the golf course look you want (Buy a used one if you don't wanna spring for new, I did & only spent around half.) I get many comments of praise from friends/relatives who come by to visit, but what really makes it worth it is when folks I don't even know just stop to tell me how good it looks. It seems to make it all worth while. You can't make it look like this with a rotary: My 2 cents.... Good day, Dan

Your plan seems reasonably complete but I would change the order - site prep first (clearing out any existing plantings, layout of features, grading/excavating, lasagna conversion), then the hardscaping. Planting is always the last step in a landscape renovation other than any mulch application. Not sure what kind of lawn type you have now, but if a Bermuda grass, the lasagna method is not gonna work. Even digging out the sod and flipping it over and piling on other layers will not kill the Bermuda. It will remain around forever and create a huge weedy grass issue. If a Bermuda grass lawn, you will need to kill it off somehow before attempting the lasagna layering. Otherwise, I agree that mowing the lawn short is not a requirement but might make work easier. Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar holds a 'California Friendly' gardening contest each year. These are conversions of water consuming landscapes into eco-friendly, drought tolerant but still lush and attractive waterwise and fire retardant gardens. Whether or not you choose to enter the contest, looking at their album of gardens from previous contest years could be a great inspiration. And they carry a wonderful selection of appropriate plantings. Worth a Sunday drive for a visit if nothing else ;-) And I'd suggest you post in the regional California Gardening forum your request for sources for materials. Locals will have a much better idea of directing you to appropriate vendors for your needs. Craigslist is a good resource as well. As I stated in your previous post, this is really more of a landscape design issue than necessarily one just focused on soils or organic gardening. You've got the concept nailed down pretty well..........it's only the methodology (organic or not) that is up for discussion and it is certainly possible to accomplish your intent without resorting to chemicals. But don't get too wound up in the "organic" mindset. Sometimes this terminology can get confusing and interfere with the most efficient process to achieve your intent. This is more an issue of sustainability or designing your garden to accommodate your climate with minimal input and recycling materials to create the effect you want. And the recycling can/should include the hardscaping and mulching as well as the lasagna layering. Here is a link that might be useful: California Friendly gardens