Is sod the only option here? Or a waste?

[JeffNY]

Apartment complex has this on the corners of the sidewalks, looks like crappy soil to begin with, and the said the people won't stay off it to let the grass grow.
Tell her theres no hope, or suggest something else?

[betmr]

My first guess is...Upstate NY....severe deicer damage, sidewalks all around. Test the soil to see how much salt is in there. Lots of people don't shovel snow much today, throw down chemical and forget it. Till summer comes along. If that is salt damage, your not going to be very successful, no matter what you do. Unless you address the soil.

[yardatwork]

Here's the solution...put a sign up saying STAY OFF THE GRASS YOU LAZY ASS PEOPLE WHO CAN'T TAKE TWO ADDITIONAL STEPS UP THE SIDEWALK AND TWO ADDITIONAL STEPS DOWN THE SIDEWALK!!!

[cudaclan]

Looks like decomposed granite fines. Given the location and circumstances, I would asphalt.

[punt66]

Plantings and mulch with proper edging. Or leave it like it is.

[JB1]

a bigass rock right there.

[JeffNY]

lol, ok, pretty much what I thought......a lost cause.
Mulch wont solve anything because she wants ideas for right behind it where all the mulch is washed out of a bed, and she said all the kids do is throw it around and dig in it.


You'll have this with 'low income housing'

too bad, places look nice too.