The percolation test is quite simple -- Dig a hole about 1 foot deep. Pour it full of water and wait... Observe whether it soaks in... Then, once it has soaked in -- fill it up full of water again and let it soak in again.. If it all soaks in within a few minutes -- you may be draining too fast and the grass dries out too fast... If it doesn't drain within a day... you have other problems.... Sometimes clay soils will soak in great on the 1st round, then will become impermeable after the 2nd or 3rd round -- as the clay saturates... It can also help point out problems in the subsoil like pure coarse sand, big rocks and hard-pans... (Gosh, my lawn drains fine here, but doesn't drain at all over there... I wonder why?) The 2nd test is outlined on here somewhere -- but it is to determine your soil makeup.. You take a mason jar about 1/3 full of dirt (No rocks and sticks).. Fill it mostly full of water.. Shake it up really good and let it sit overnight... Then shake it up really good again and let it sit again... It will separate out into various layers.. Sand and rocks on the bottom, silt in the middle, clay near the top, and light organic material on the top or floating... You then measure the layers with a tape measure and it tells you the soil makeup... These tests will help lead you in the direction of which amendments will help vs which ones will hurt... If your soil is all sand and already drains too fast.. Adding more sand won't help anything... but adding a little Clay would help quite a bit... and vice versa. Thanks John

Cottonwoods produce prodigious amount of "fluff." Last year I was trail hiking when the cottonwoods were doing their thing and the trails looked like they had snow on them: FataMorgana

The active ingredient is imidacloprid. And the only thing this product will treat at this time of year is grubs/larvae and chinch bugs so not a "time release poison" when used in this manner. Instructions also say to water thoroughly immediately after application with 1/2 inch of water. No wasting at all....just the manufacturer's/vendor's instructions. All of this is clearly outlined on the product label.

Another option is hanging an outdoor rug. They won’t fade as quickly and it looks like a 8x10 one could fit there fine. Try TJ max or home goods. The shower curtain idea will be less $ but I’d be afraid it would fade quickly in the sun (but that may not be an issue in the location).