Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

From a previous Mr, Smarty Plants answer:

"More and more, we are encouraging gardeners to move away from grass or formal lawn, especially in drought-stricken Texas, and more especially, shady lawns. Here is a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer that might point you in some good directions. From another Mr. Smarty Plants answer:

We would suggest you consider putting something else beneath those trees and perhaps embark on a process of xeriscaping. From eartheasy, here is an excellent article on Xeriscape. Obviously, you do not have to do every single thing suggested for xeriscaping, but you can start small and work your way up. Without knowing exactly what else is going on in your garden, we would suggest covering the offending roots and bare ground with a nice layer of mulch. Please read our How-To Article Under Cover with Mulch.

A good quality shredded bark mulch will make a nice cool surface for the ground, sheltering the tree roots from heat and the sun, discouraging weeds from sprouting and preserving moisture in the soil. It will tend to scatter or decompose, sinking into the soil and making it healthier, over time, but it's an easy fix to spread some more on the area. And it doesn't have to be mowed. We had one letter from a homeowner this week that said they were so over grass, and we feel, in this hot, dry climate, that may be a very good idea."

Since Mr. Smarty Plants only deals in native plants, we really can't help you with the fungus. If you live in an HOA that mandates a certain percentage of grass and/or St. Augustine you may have to see if you can get an exception. Spending time and money on a non-native that is probably not going to survive anyway doesn't help anyone. If you are having these problems others around you probably are, too. If you have at least 5 hours of sun on the lawn area, please read our information on Habiturf: The Ecological Lawn.