Here is our list of common causes for dead spots or brown spots.
As a homeowner, there are fewer more satisfying sights than a lush, green, freshly moved lawn with uniform stripes. When you are able to achieve this look, the end results are great. However, gardeners are constantly up against it when it comes to maintaining a healthy yard, because there are so many factors to take into considerations. Brown spots, or worse still, dead spots, are incredibly annoying, especially when you thought you’d done everything right. The last thing you want is for your yard to be littered with brown, yellow, and dead spots, so what can be done? As it turns out, quite a lot, but when gardening is concerned, prevention is the best cure. Understanding what causes dead spots or brown spots in your yard, is very important, which is why we’ll be listing a few of the more common causes below. Take a look, familiarize yourself with them, and be sure to follow our advice on rectifying the situation right away.
Watering – Hold on. If you want a lush green yard and avoid brown spots, surely your grass needs plenty of water? Well, yes it does, but like everything else, it can still have too much of a good thing. If you are overwatering your yard, or if it simply will not stop raining, your grass may literally be drowning. As well as that, soil which drains poorly can also be a factor because the water will just sit there, rather than draining away. When the water is not absorbed properly by the roots, it can cause them to drown and become very ill, causing the green grass to turn brown. Make sure you aren’t over-watering your yard, and consider spiking tools to create drainage holes for the water.
Dull mower blades – How many of you reading this article can honestly say that you’ve ever sharpened, changed, or even looked at, the blades on your lawn mower? Mowing the yard on a regular basis is supposed to keep it looking neat and tidy, but if your mower blades are dull, it will have the opposite effect causing brown spots or dead spots. You see, dull blades will not cleanly slice through each blade of grass. Instead, they will shred and tear up the grass which will lead to brown and yellow patches. If you notice your yard suffering, try changing the blades on your lawn mower, or having them sharpened.
Chinch bug damage – Chinch bugs are sworn enemies of lawn enthusiasts across the nation, and for good reason. Chinch bugs are very small, hairy, dark-shaded winged bugs that love feeding on grass, leaves, and other forms of foliage and cause brown spots. Infestations in lawns are very common, and that is where problems arise because in large numbers, these hungry little pests can make short work of your once lush green yard. The real damage is caused when the bugs replace healthy plant fluids with toxins that cause the grass to die. There are a number of natural and non-natural ways of managing Chinch bug infestations.
Grub worm damage – Grub worms are another pest that might be responsible for brown spots in your lawn. These grubs are found in the soil where they feast on the roots of your grass, leaving the grass to turn brown and eventually die off. As if that wasn’t bad enough, to add insult to injury, other animals may destroy your lawn by digging up the soil to get to the tasty grubs hiding beneath the surface. Again, there are a number of treatment options available.
Pet damage – Finally, your furry friends could also be the reason why your yard has a brown spot and unhealthy looking. Pet urine for example, is full of Nitrogen which the grass quickly absorbs, and subsequently dies off. You may notice that around the edges of dead spots, that the grass ironically looks greener and healthier than ever. This is because small traces of Nitrogen are very beneficial. The problem is that large concentrations overwhelm the lawn. Dogs are the main culprits because cats tend to prefer soiled areas for digging. The best thing you can do is simply train your dog to pee in a part of the yard away from the grass and plants.
