["Followup-To:" header set to rec.gardens.]
On 30 Aug 2006 21:42:03 GMT, Kay Lancaster wrote:

Gads, I need caffeine. You said Boston, not Houston.
My apologies.

Same basic advice, holds, though --
shake test for soil texture, send out samples for
nutrient analysis, pH, possibly for salinity,
find out who does disease testing in your area...

A conversation with the local extension office (or maybe
one of the outreach offices of gardens in your area)
may get you some leads on possible diseases that have been
cropping up recently.

Usually, when weather is triggering a disease or insect
outbreak, it's all over, not just in one yard. If yours
is the only area really affected, I'd be thinking cultural
issues.

But I'm willing to bet thatch isn't your problem.
Had you said there are different textures of grasses
in the green and brown spots, I'd have thought crabrass and
hot weather. With the water stress you've been having out there,
however, it could be a number of things.


Kay