Dead Lawn in Denver

Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Kinda at a loss on what to do with this dead lawn. The weather has been great in Denver, but our weather can change in an instant. With that being said, I'm hesitant to put in a sprinkler system since I'd have to be careful about having water in the lines and it freezing.

My wife keeps saying lay sod, but I guess I'd need a timed above ground sprinkler to keep it moist. We are mulching the majority of the back yard, and you can't see that area in the pictures.

On top of it, the soil is almost pure sand, so with sod, I'd have to bring in some topsoil etc. Any tips, etc would be appreciated! These pics are a week old. The yard has been cleaned, and that tree is gone.

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Jon Holdman

Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes

10y

Is this a fix and flip or rental? If either, do nothing. I just sold a house in Montbello. Yard was devastated by six+ years of tenants. I thought it would be an issue. It wasn't. Our market is so hot this just won't matter if you're selling.

If you're renting it, some applicants will complain. But if you put in grass, they will kill it as soon as they realize they're going to be spending $100 or more every month on water. Maybe not that much if its in Denver proper, but easily that much if its a different city that buys water from Denver water. If its Aurora with their very expensive water, it could be much more.

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Todd Plambeck
Agent/Investor · Murphy, TX · Member since 2013 · 542 posts · 304 votes
10y
You should get in touch with the county/city soil conservation department and have them test the soil. You probably need to till in a bunch of compost to get the yard going again.
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Scott TrenchPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 6k+ votes
10y
I'm having this same issues here. My solution is to give up entirely. I laid down a tarp to prevent weeds from coming through and am laying down a few cubic yards of playground chips (they last years longer than mulch).
I'd be interested to see who else chimes in on this thread. I haven't had any luck with lawn care here in Denver, and this type of lawn seems to bring about those "goat-head" burrs that are a real pain and unpleasant.
Podcast Guest on Show #223
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Matt M.
OP
Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Scott Trench:

this type of lawn seems to bring about those "goat-head" burrs that are a real pain and unpleasant.
It crunches every time I walk off this lawn onto the concrete. My shoes are COVERED in those things even after having it mowed short and raked.
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Travis Sperr
Lender · Denver, CO · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 597 votes
10y
@Matt M. knowing the area of where this house is. I have mulched the whole front yard for rentals in this area. Doesn't look great but it is an option. I believe that you will not recoup the money you will spend to do anything. I would offer $1,000 +/- as a landscaping credit - a typical buyer will make that go a lot further with some sweat equity. At the price point and very little inventory in this area I don't see it as a huge deal.
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Bill S.Pro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
When do you want it to look good? If you have time there is likely dormant grass that if you water and fertilize it grass will grow and with some light seeding and careful cultivation it will establish a lawn. If you need something to look reasonable in the next 2 months I would go with @Travis Sperr suggestion of mulch.
In this arid climate you need consistent water to make things green.
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Russell Naylor
Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2016 · 214 posts · 58 votes
10y
I was in El Paso recently for work and due to extreme dry conditions down there many people gravel their front yards. You can get different colors and do some design. I personally wouldn't want to do that with the back yard though considering dogs, kids, etc. Just throwing out options!
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
10y
Is this a fix and flip or rental? If either, do nothing. I just sold a house in Montbello. Yard was devastated by six+ years of tenants. I thought it would be an issue. It wasn't. Our market is so hot this just won't matter if you're selling.
If you're renting it, some applicants will complain. But if you put in grass, they will kill it as soon as they realize they're going to be spending $100 or more every month on water. Maybe not that much if its in Denver proper, but easily that much if its a different city that buys water from Denver water. If its Aurora with their very expensive water, it could be much more.
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Kevin Fletcher
Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 185 posts · 160 votes
10y
And Denver is a high desert climate. Most grasses here wont survive most summers without a ton of water. Many of the sods you can buy cheaply don't seem to root as deep making the grass more susceptible to burning in the hot days of summer. Id mix in a lot of compost and do your research to find a Grass type/sod that has the ability to root a little deeper to withstand the hot days of Summer
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Theresa W.
Rental Property Investor · Golden, CO · Member since 2014 · 136 posts · 65 votes
10y
Sorry to hijack the thread with a question about landscaping a rental... So, my Aurora duplex has a large lawn, but submetering the water will only shift the water bill to tenants and still get me a dead lawn. What's a good low maintenance xeriscape that is somewhere between costly sod and ugly rocks?
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Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
10y
I put a HUGE rock border around my grass. I have maybe 20 sq ft of grass in the front yard. Actually, I have 20 sq ft of crab grass in my front yard. Rocks are awesome, and I added some drought resistant plants. My favorites are purple fountain grass which grows HUGE and needs almost no water. Ditto Salvia, beautiful blooms and again no water. Snapdragons are awesome - you could almost water them with bleach and they'd still grow - plus they reseed themselves.
A mulched border would work, too.
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
10y
Doesn't matter what you plant. If it requires water to grow the tenants will kill it. If you're determined to landscape a rental, especially in Aurora with their exorbitant water rates, you need to plan on paying the water bill yourself. And better plan to pay for mowing, too. Aurora is quick to cite you if the grass is too high.
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Jean BolgerPro Member
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Matt M.:

Originally posted by @Scott Trench:
this type of lawn seems to bring about those "goat-head" burrs that are a real pain and unpleasant.
It crunches every time I walk off this lawn onto the concrete. My shoes are COVERED in those things even after having it mowed short and raked.
I HATE those things. Have so many in the rock borders of the lawn at our house (former HUD foreclosure- the yard literally "went to seed")
You can't weed without embedding them in your fingers. We've resorted to a big propane flame torch
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Matt M.
OP
Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Jon Holdman:

Is this a fix and flip or rental?
It's more a clean and flip. I think I may go the allowance route, but we'll see.
For other homeowners here: You might look at buffalo grass. I haven't used it, but I took a horticulture class during my time at CSU, and the professor recommended it in some applications. I've looked at artificial turf before, but some cities have banned it.
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Garry C.
Rental Property Investor · Littleton, CO · Member since 2015 · 252 posts · 164 votes
10y
I recently looked at a house in Littleton with artificial turf in the small backyard. It looked great, certainly not what Grampa had glued to his front porch. I priced it out and it seemed prohibitively expensive, or I probably would have installed it in my own yard by now. I may have to consider some of the ideas above, large rock border with xeriscaped plants, with a small amount of artificial (or buffalo) grass in the middle.
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Bill S.Pro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
@Matt M. clean and flip = No allowance. In this market no reason to give up anything.
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Jared Chipkin
Littleton, CO · Member since 2014 · 39 posts · 5 votes
10y
The front yard could look beautiful for a few hundred dollars... Cover it with thick black plastic or weed guard, then a couple yards of mulch. Plant a few native xeriscape plants like Russian sage, salvia, iris, daylillies, grasses, valarian, or yucca. Perhaps throw in a local drought tolerant tree. I've seen it done many times and it looks great. The combination of the plastic/weed barrier and mulch will help retain the moisture that we do get. The only issue might be that new plants have to be watered somewhat frequently the first year or so that they are planted. Once established they will survive our weather with little maintenance.
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Susan Pompea
Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2012 · 39 posts · 12 votes
10y
Your yard doesn't look bad and your lawn is relatively flat. If you aerate the soil so the water can soak in, it will come back. In the summer, I water in the evening to minimize evaporation. In the areas that you want flowers, dig and mix leaves with the soil. It keeps the soil from compacting and will nourish it as it breaks down. Once your plants start growing, use mulch to keep the moisture in and stop the weeds from growing.
I live in Colorado Springs and have sandy soil, no sprinkler system and often water restrictions. I start almost all my plants from seed. Walk around your neighborhood and see what grows well. Almost everyone in your neighborhood has the same soil you do. I collect and save my seeds and use them the next year. Send me your address and I'll send you some flower seeds from plants that do well in this climate.
If you do only one thing, aerate. Aerate your soil so the water can soak in and the grass will establish a healthy root system.
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Steve Babiak
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
10y
I'm not in that area so I can't recommend grass or soil types. But this next bit holds true just about anywhere you go: look at the neighboring lawns, look at the lawns of the already sold comps, and look at the lawns listed for sale now that are nearby; after looking at those lawns evaluate: how do you compare? If you are average or above average, you probably shouldn't worry about doing much if anything; if below average, you will have to step it up a bit.
The above is a good way to approach any feature, not just the lawn. And works when wondering how to address features for a rental too.
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Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
Lawns are overrated and, frequently, not a sustainable practice.
I've never understood the desire for a vast expanse of lawn (perhaps it was the 1-acre yard and push-mower when I was a kid). Even more bewildering is the planting of non-native grass species which require exorbitant amounts of fertilizer and water to achieve the end result of spending time (or money) to crop the grass when it does grow.
We make an effort to landscape to minimize lawn (and lawn mowing) and to plant native grasses and ground covers which do not require special care and feeding to cope in our climate.
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Lauren H.
Investor · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2014 · 77 posts · 54 votes
10y
We are in the high desert, xeriscape that!
For curb appeal, don't just lay gravel, put down some hearty desert plants to break up the space.
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Gina McKee
Real Estate Agent · Mead, CO · Member since 2014 · 75 posts · 12 votes
10y
Xeriscape it! I have done that for my own property in CO, and it really keeps the water cost down, plus it looks great. Concentrate on picking plants that easily survive the climate here, salvia, hidcote, flax, verbana all have done great for me! Pairing it with a heat tolerant ground cover will also mean no weeding.
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Matt M.
OP
Realtor · Denver, CO · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
Update: So I did absolutely NOTHING to this yard, and guess what happened? The first day showings were allowed, it dumped 20+ inches of snow. No one showed, but 15 showed the next day with 5 offers. Out of curtesy, I sent the people who offered showings the pics of the yard. I closed today on the home;)
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Tony SanFilippo
Real Estate Investor · Littleton, CO · Member since 2013 · 197 posts · 77 votes
10y
Green Grass Hack,
If you have a lawn that has just not been watered enough and has brown spots or has gone dormant too soon. I have found that you can paint it green to pump up the curb appeal. Again, not to cover dead grass that will never come back, but for dormant grass or pet spots on a lawn that you want to look like a green lawn this stuff really works. I purchased it on Amazon and applied with a weed sprayer.
Lawn Star Grass Paint, 32 fl. oz. - Makes Grass Green Again - The Non-Toxic Solution for Water Restrictions & Drought - Skyrocket Your Curb Appeal! Sold by: Omegatrade
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Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Tony SanFilippo:

Green Grass Hack,
If you have a lawn that has just not been watered enough and has brown spots or has gone dormant too soon. I have found that you can paint it green to pump up the curb appeal. Again, not to cover dead grass that will never come back, but for dormant grass or pet spots on a lawn that you want to look like a green lawn this stuff really works. I purchased it on Amazon and applied with a weed sprayer.
Lawn Star Grass Paint, 32 fl. oz. - Makes Grass Green Again - The Non-Toxic Solution for Water Restrictions & Drought - Skyrocket Your Curb Appeal! Sold by: Omegatrade
Now, I have seen everything!
If I ever get the notion to paint a lawn, I only hope someone will feed me good meds and lead me away from my misery.
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Tony SanFilippo
Real Estate Investor · Littleton, CO · Member since 2013 · 197 posts · 77 votes
10y
@Roy N.
LOL, I know what you mean, but it is very common in dry desert like states, when the city only lets you water so many days a week, or puts even longer water restrictions that force your lawn to go dormant. There was even T.V. commercials a few years back for companies to come paint your lawn in Denver, to keep it looking good during the drought. Pet and kids safe :-).
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