Grass dead, lease ends in March - what now? (Lawn: apartment, house)

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Stromecek

Yes, the lease says I have to water 3 times a week

We've been under once a week watering restrictions for most of the past few years. I'm not sure it's legal for a lease to require watering more than the law allows. I agree with the advice to lawyer up/

[froglipz]

Originally Posted by Bo

We've been under once a week watering restrictions for most of the past few years. I'm not sure it's legal for a lease to require watering more than the law allows. I agree with the advice to lawyer up/

Lease can't require you to preform illegal activities. Your lawn needs to be watered at least 2 times a week. So I think holding you accountable for a dead lawn that would happen anyway because of watering restrictions makes it easy to win in small claims court if it goes that far.

[Cuero]

Consult a lawyer.

[bspray]

St. Augustine is a pretty resilient grass. I would be willing to bet, even this late in the year, if you start giving it a healthy amount of water it will come back. Certainly not to full glory but probably enough to get the landlord off your back.

If not, I can assure you there are options out there to get it sodded for far less than $5k.

[WVREDLEG]

Anyone can "hand" water with a handheld hose 24/7 up to stage 4. Of course, the authorities can always issue a modification in emergency conditions not covered in the restrictions.


SAWS: Conservation - Year Round Restrictions


I don't know who has the time to walk around a large yard with a hose three times a week, but it is not illegal.

[Stromecek]

@bspray - you have no idea how dead it looks, and those little like twigs looking things all over will make it hard for something to grow. I also see stones surfacing, it doesn't look like there was a lot of soil washed away so they must have been right under the surface the whole time. Thanks to everybody who took the time to answer here.

[bspray]

Originally Posted by Stromecek

@bspray - you have no idea how dead it looks, and those little like twigs looking things all over will make it hard for something to grow. I also see stones surfacing, it doesn't look like there was a lot of soil washed away so they must have been right under the surface the whole time. Thanks to everybody who took the time to answer here.

Fair enough, I don't know but I have recovered grass from some pretty bad looking scenarios in the past. Is it me or does it seem like San Antonio lives in perpetual watering restrictions?

Now harm in trying right? If nothing else, you can moisten up the soil for the incoming sod.

[Stromecek]

@bspray, good point @TexasRedneck: I said I was on 2 vacations and that this not watering for 3 weeks (each) probably contributed to what happened. I don't understand the meaning of your post, it's not helpful in any way. I was seeking for advice to repair the damage but something that's affordable and not give the landlord a brand new lawn that looks 100 times better than when I moved in.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by Stromecek

@bspray, good point @TexasRedneck: I said I was on 2 vacations and that this not watering for 3 weeks (each) probably contributed to what happened. I don't understand the meaning of your post, it's not helpful in any way. I was seeking for advice to repair the damage but something that's affordable and not give the landlord a brand new lawn that looks 100 times better than when I moved in.

Your vacation schedule isn't an excuse for breeching the contract. Others have tried to give you ideas that you brushed off, so sounds to me more like you're just trying to find an "out" for your failure to abide by the terms of the lease. YOU signed it - not us. If it's that unreasonable, you don't sign and keep looking.

I'm not unsympathetic, but it really looks to me like you're looking for some reason for it not to be your fault. A good soaking on St. Augustine weekly will keep it going - ignoring it for weeks at a time, and then not being proactive on recovery attempts until it's too late isn't going to do you much good. I'd get a GOOD landscaper over to look at things.

Even though you obviously don't want to believe them, St. Augustine IS pretty resilient, and what often looks like dead grass WILL recover given the proper care.

[zerreissen]

Originally Posted by Stromecek

@bspray, good point @TexasRedneck: I said I was on 2 vacations and that this not watering for 3 weeks (each) probably contributed to what happened. I don't understand the meaning of your post, it's not helpful in any way. I was seeking for advice to repair the damage but something that's affordable and not give the landlord a brand new lawn that looks 100 times better than when I moved in.

If there is any green grass left, a good amount of water will bring it back:



This was after hand watering every few days or so early in the morning.