Brown spots on the lawn? Don’t panic. Brown spots are a common problem that can arise for many reasons. This guide will help you identify several common causes of brown spots on your lawn and explain how to repair them.
What Causes Brown Spots on Lawns?
Brown spots on the lawn occur where grass roots or leaves are dead or dying. If there are areas where the roots remain healthy, fresh green top growth will eventually replace the dead leaves and brown spots. When the roots die, you’ll get bare spots that require reseeding or new sod to repair them before weeds take hold of the area. So, it’s critical to respond promptly to the first signs of brown spots on your lawn. The proper response requires you to correctly identify the cause of the brown spots to act as soon as possible with the right measures.
- Fungus: Fungal infections are a common cause of irregular brown spots on the lawn. Brown patch disease is a deadly fungus that thrives in warm, humid conditions, especially when the lawn receives high doses of fast-release nitrogen. Learn to treat lawn fungus.
- Grubs: These plump, white beetle larvae feast on grass roots, killing sections of the lawns they feed on. They create ever-widening spongey, brown spots in the lawn. Learn to combat grubs.
- Dog Urine: Dog urine contains a high concentration of nitrogen, which can burn grass blades and leave unsightly brown spots on your lawn. But don’t get rid of Fido! You can prevent and repair pet damage to the lawn.
- Weed Dieback: When fast-growing annual lawn weeds, such as crabgrass and foxtail, die back, their foliage turns brown, leaving irregular brown spots in your lawn. Learn to eliminate weeds in the lawn.
- Forgotten Toys: Leaving toys, tools, hose, or anything else lying on the lawn blocks sunlight and oxygen from reaching the grass underneath it. This can cause brown spots on the grass.
- Thatch Buildup: Thatch, that layer of organic matter made up of living and dead roots, stems, and leaves, is a natural and necessary component of your lawn. But when the thatch builds up too much, it can choke out the living grass. Learn all about dethatching your lawn.
- Chemical Burns: Overfertilizing is a common fertilizing mistake that can cause brown spots on the lawn. Excess salts can burn the grass blades and roots, leaving a scorched appearance to the grass.
- Improper Mowing: Mowing the grass too short or with dull mower blades can tear and crush the grass rather than cut it. This damage is vulnerable to fungus, which can kill the battered grass, leaving brown spots.
- Dormancy: All turfgrasses have a dormancy period when the plants rest. Cool-season grasses go dormant in the summer, while warm-season turfgrass goes dormant in the winter. As the lawn slips into dormancy, the first effects may appear as brown spots in the lawn before the rest of the grass browns out. Dormancy is natural, and the roots remain vigorous and healthy, ready to wake up and begin new growth.
Brown Spots vs. Dollar Spots: Key Differences
Brown spots on the lawn indicate damage that will cause the grass blades to die in patches. Dollar spot, however, is a specific cause of particular brown spots. Dollar spot is a type of lawn fungus that causes small, circular brown spots on the lawn, each about the size of a silver dollar. The brown dollar spots cause small depressions in the grass and may have a reddish-brown margin. The circular spots may grow up to 12 inches across. It most commonly affects cool-season grasses, such as fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass, though it can affect others. The best fungicides for treating dollar spot contain chlorothalonil.
How to Prevent Brown Spots on Your Lawn
A healthy lawn is the best defense against brown spots on the lawn from any cause.
- Water your lawn deeply and less frequently to promote deeper, healthier roots. Water the grass in the morning so the grass does not remain wet for long.
- Mow your lawn to the proper height for your turfgrass using sharpened blades. If your lawn has dollar spot or any fungal disease, bag your grass clippings rather than letting them remain on the grass.
- Dethatch your lawn to promote better air circulation and eliminate places where the fungus flourishes.
- Aerate your lawn to improve soil drainage.
- Fertilize your lawn to speed its recovery from the fungus.
- Treat grubs in your lawn to prevent infestations that can severely damage your lawn. A grub prevention application is far more effective than trying to eliminate the pests once they have infested your lawn.
How to Repair Brown Spots on Your Lawn
The lawn care practices described above promote healthy grass and are part of the treatment for dollar spot and any brown spots on the lawn. In addition to exemplary lawn care practices, treat brown spots in these ways:
- Apply fungicide to the lawn to treat fungal diseases like dollar spot. Fungicides containing chlorothalonil are most effective against this fungus. Always follow the directions on the label.
- Overseed the lawn to fill in sparse spots with fresh grass. Depending upon the time of year and the amount of brown spots to treat, you might add new sod instead.
Brown spots on the lawn are a frustrating and complex issue. It’s more than understandable to leave dealing with brown spots to trained service professionals.
Why Lawn Pride for Brown Spot Lawn Care?
Can you identify the precise cause of brown spots on your lawn? Maybe you’re fed up with brown spots scattered through your lawn and don’t really care what causes them because you just want them gone! We understand, and we’re here to help. Lawn Pride® offers fungicide services that can eliminate those spots and keep them from coming back. We’re also happy to provide our comprehensive lawn care services to keep your lawn looking its best all year long. Whether you choose all our services or order a la carte, you can count on being pleased. The Neighborly Done Right Promise™ backs everything we do, ensuring your satisfaction.
Are you ready to get rid of those brown spots and explore our expert lawn care tips for additional insights? Request your free estimate, and we’ll get to work!
This article is intended for general guidance only and may not apply to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your property and your situation. Lawn Pride is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of any advice or guidance derived from blog content. For the most accurate guidance, contact an independently owned and operated Lawn Pride for more information and a professional on-site assessment.