Dear Cindy Abs,

Thank you very much for your inquiry. You can add a small amount of mulch back to the area, but be very careful how much. Growing grass in the shade is very very hard. Is this area suitable to just be a ground cover area? It sounds like the tree has matured to a point where the shade dominates the area. If the ground cover is not an option or not desired, I would like to know more about your current lawn care practices before I make further suggestions. I am assuming you live in Savannah, GA and have St. Augustinegrass. Let me know.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers, The Briggs & Stratton Yard Doctor, YardDoctor.com

Thank you for your response Trey, and yes, I do live in the Savannah, GA. area.
There is now an almost perfect rectangle around the trees, the grass having disappeared from both sides of the long sides of the rectangle-out about 8 feet from the trees. My lawn care "program" has been nil for the last 10 years due to time and money constraints. The grass is whatever the builders put in here 20 years ago, the land was a forest leading up to a marsh/river. So, I would happily put ground cover in, whatever would be would be good for an area that primarily gets morning sun. I am just tired of the dust bowl effect when I mow.

Dear Cindyabs,

Thank you very much for your inquiry. Since a ground cover will work for you at this point, I would suggest you go to a local Garden store and pose this same question. They will give you plantings that are much more suited for your area as I would yield to someone more familiar in this area.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers, The Briggs & Stratton Yard Doctor, YardDoctor.com