Why is my Lawn Brown?

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Typically, grass turns brown when it's roots are too short to properly grab nutrients or water from soil or, the soil does not contain enough nutrients or water. There are multiple reasons why your lawn can be turning brown. Here are 7 common reasons why your lawn is turning brown and ways to treat them:

DROUGHT/HEAT 

Turf goes dormant during periods of extreme heat and low rain/water. This is completely normal and grass will turn green on its own once the temperature drops and rain resumes. Before treating a lawn due to drought, determine if drought is leading to your brown grass by “watching for prematurely dropping trees that are folded up like they’re praying for rain (says TV host Jason Cameron, a partner with TruGreen lawn care service).” To maintain a drought-dormant lawn, apply ½ inch of water every two-three weeks during the time of the drought. If you’re interested in giving your lawn a pick me up during a drought, apply 1 inch of water weekly (every 6-7 days) to green it up. 

• Note: An inch of water is about 1 hours of sprinkler use.

WEEDS 

Weeds are a culprit to brown lawns that provide competition for water and nutrients. If your lawn is overrun by common weeds and turning your grass brown, apply a pre-emergent herbicide (applied before weeds appear) in spring to prevent germination. 

**Keep Updated by checking out our Weed of the Week articles on ways to prevent specific common weeds**

DISEASE

Your lawn could have a disease which is causing your grass turn brown. If you’re noticing that your lawn is covered by black, brown, red or white substances, then your lawn may be diseased. This problem should be diagnosed and treated by a lawn care specialist. Fortunately, by raising a healthy lawn through proper lawn care, such as sufficient watering in the early mornings, regular mowing, lawn aeration, and thatch management, you are more likely to prevent a lawn disease.

GRUBS

Lawn grubs , often referred to as white grubs are the soil-inhabiting, larva of beetles including: Japanese beetles or European chafers or June “bugs” beetles. These immature organisms feed on grass roots as well as other organic substance in soil, causing turf to turn brown and die. To figure out if grubs are infesting your lawn, take samples from multiple spots by cutting away one square-foot piece of turf and inspecting the roots for grubs every 2 inches. To control, let your lawn dry out before watering and depending on the stage of the infestation, apply insecticide products. 

WATERING TOO MUCH

Even in the heat of summer, you should not water grass every day. Overwatering causes grass to have a short root system which makes it more susceptible to insect infestation, weeds and disease. Instead of little drinks daily, give your lawn a drink once a week to establish a deeper root system.

DOGS

Who doesn’t love these lovable, furry creatures but believe it or not your loving pet can cause brown patches in your lawn. Urine contain salts and acid that can lead to turf discoloration. The constant heavy traffic of your pet can cause wear and tear on your lawn as well. Unfortunately, there is not an effective product that can help your lawn from your loving animal but we do have a few suggestions: Water down the area where your animal recently urinated to dilute the salt and acid; create a separate area of the lawn where your animal can run, play and do their business; or create a mulched area dedicated to dog for doing their business.

DULL MOWER BLADES

Something as simple as sharpening your mower blades can prevent your lawn from turning brown. Dull mower blades will cause grass to tear instead of providing a clean cut. This causes grass bruising. Luckily, this reason for grass turning brown is easy to identify. Look at your lawns grass tips to determine if it has a clean, straight edge or if it has a torn, jagged edge. If grass tips are clean and straight, then dull mower blades are not the culprit to your brown lawn, but if you notice the torn, jagged edges, it is time to sharpen or replace your mower blades.

According to Kevin Doerfler of Grass Seed USA, some treatment and prevention tips that will help your lawn stay green are:

• Water in the early mornings to combat fungal disease. Water deeply to support a strong grass root system.
• Raise mowing height to 3 or more inches to encourage taller grass that will shade roots and reduce water loss from evaporation.
• Perform a soil test to determine improvements your lawn may need. Soil tests can be purchased form your local garden center, distributor or samples can be taken to your local extensions office.
• Adopt a healthy lawn care program, including fertilizing in spring, summer and fall.
• If necessary, call a professional lawn expert to help diagnose the problem for your brown lawn. Visit your local distributor who can help tailor a treatment method suitable for your lawn.

For professional fertilizers, humic and AMP-XC™ enriched products available, please visit TurfCare’s online Product Catalog.

For green industry professionals or others interested in ordering Turfcare products, please contact our Customer Service to find a distributor near you.