How To Fix Brown Spots on Lawns

Brown spots on your lawn could be caused by any number of different scenarios. Here are some the most common causes and how to treat them:

1. Lack of Watering:

   Insufficient watering can lead to dry patches and brown spots on the lawn.

   Solution: Most grass types require about 1-2 inches of water per week. During seasons with regular rainfall, you likely won’t need to do much. If you haven’t had rain all week, you might consider running the sprinkler for 30 minutes or so to supplement.

2. Disease and Fungal Infections: Certain diseases and fungi can cause brown spots to appear.

   Solution: Treat your lawn with a fungacide. It may take time, but it will eventurally erradicate the fungas. Make sure you are also fertilizing appropriately and your lawn is getting the right amount of water. If the fungas has completely killed the grass, you’ll want to think about reseeding or overseeding to get new healthy grow established.

    

3. Insect Infestations: Insects like grubs and chinch bugs can damage the grass and result in brown spots.

   Solution: Treat your lawn with a suitable insecticide to eliminate the insect infestation. Also, ensure that you are mowing and watering your lawn properly to discourage insect activity. If the infestation has caused significant damage, you may need to consider reseeding or overseeding to restore the affected areas.

4. Compacted Soil: Compacted soil can restrict root growth and prevent water and nutrients from reaching the grass. This can result in brown patches and poor overall lawn health.

   Solution: Aerate your lawn. For an in-depth aeration guide, click here.

5. Soil pH Imbalance: Grass prefers slightly acidic soil. If the soil pH is too high (alkaline) or too low (acidic), it can stress the grass and cause it to turn brown.

   Solution: Test your soil. There are a few ways to run a soil test, but the easiest is to purchase a kit. These kits come with instructions and can involve taking a soil sample from your lawn and mailing it to a lab for analysis or there are DIY versions available.

   Once you receive your results, you can determine what nutrients your lawn needs and the pH level of your soil. This information will guide your fertilizer choices and application schedule.

   Here’s a kit we recommend to get this job done yourself.

6. Thatch Buildup: Thatch is a layer of dead grass and organic matter that accumulates on the soil surface. Excessive thatch can block water and nutrients from reaching the roots.

   Solution: Follow this guide to dethatch your lawn.

7. Pet Urine: Urine from pets, particularly dogs, can create concentrated spots of nitrogen, which can burn the grass and cause it to turn brown.

   Solution: You’ll want to keep a close eye on your pets when they are out on the lawn. The best approach is to prevent the damage by keeping a watering can ready so that when your pet does the deed, you are ready to soak the area in water and save your grass. If you can’t prevent the damage, you may need to reseed the area and grow new grass.

8. Chemical Damage: Incorrect use of herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers can harm grass and lead to brown patches. Always follow label instructions when applying these products. Other chemicals like dish soap may also leave brown spots on your lawn. I learned this the hard way after a fun day of Dawn lubricated slip and slide action with the kids.

   Solution: Once the grass is fried, you may need to rake up the dead grass and reseed the area.

9. Shade: Grass in shaded areas may receive insufficient sunlight, leading to weak growth and brown patches.

   Solution: Consider using shade-tolerant grass varieties or thinning nearby trees to improve sunlight exposure.

10. Traffic Stress: Excessive foot traffic or heavy equipment on the lawn can compact the soil and damage grass, resulting in brown patches.

    Solution: If it’s a path you find yourself walking on regularly, you might consider adding in some stepping stones. For any other damage such as heavy machinery, you will probably need to reseed and grow new grass.

11. Improper Mowing: Mowing the grass too short or too infrequently can stress the grass and make it more susceptible to damage and browning.

    Solution: Follow our lawn care guide to ensure you are adhering to the correct lawn care schedule and practices.

12. Suffocation: If you’ve ever accidentally left a rug, piece of wood, an old tire, or anything else on your lawn for more than a few days, you will notice that it kills the grass underneath. Some people even purposefully suffocate their lawns around the edges using strips of cardboard to prevent growth on areas that they want mulch beds.

    Solution: If the suffocated lawn isn’t on purpose, you may need to start fresh with new grass seed.

13. Lightning: This one is rare but I’ve seen it happen. When lighting strikes, the immense heat will burn up an area of your lawn.

    Solution: Reseed.