Brown patches on any lawn are unsightly and can appear overnight. Every homeowner wants a lush green lawn and will do anything to maintain it. Occasionally, you'll have to deal with a few lawn issues that clear out with proper lawn maintenance.
Brown patches are arguably the most dreaded lawn problem as they can appear even when you're taking good care of your lawn. Below are common reasons why your lawn is browning.
Poor Irrigation Coverage
How do you water your lawn? Do you account for different zones to avoid overwatering and underwatering some areas? Areas with limited irrigation coverage will begin to turn brown. This is caused by underwatering, which creates drought-like conditions. The grass can tolerate the conditions for a short period, but eventually, it will die off.
Similarly, if the irrigation system is overwatering certain areas, these areas will become soggy and the water will stifle root growth.
Weeds
Without proper lawn maintenance, weeds will thrive on your lawn. They will compete with your grass for nutrients, water, and sunshine. If they continue to thrive, your grass will struggle to compete and will begin to die off.
Chemical Burns
If you're overusing fertilizer to maintain a lush green lawn, it could be the reason you have brown spots. Too much fertilizer will change the pH of the soil or cause a chemical burn. Any grass around these areas will die off.
You might experience the same if you dispose of chemicals on your lawn. This is why pouring gasoline on your lawn may leave a brown patch. The same principle applies if your pets pee on your grass. Urine has a high nitrogen content, and too much of it will kill your grass.
You can resolve these issues by directing your dog to pee elsewhere and disposing of chemicals and gasoline properly. Don't forget to apply just the right amount of fertilizer.
Pests and Diseases
Have you heard of fungus or grubs? These two are among the main reasons why most homes have brown lawns. Fungi often thrive in places with too much moisture. If you're overwatering or watering your lawn at night, the moisture will linger for too long. This will create the ideal conditions for fungi to thrive.
If June bugs lay their eggs on your lawn, the eggs will hatch into larvae, and they'll eat roots as they develop. This will damage your lawn leaving it with brown patches. You can control the damage by treating the grubs with nematodes, milky spore powder, and other lawn maintenance practices.
With proper lawn care, you can prevent most of these issues. If you're struggling to maintain your lawn, you can hire a professional lawn maintenance company, such as Topeka's Affordable Lawn Care LLC.
