If you love having a well-manicured, lush green lawn in your backyard, you’ll find a way to take care of the dry grass and brown spots that seem to have taken over your lawn. These unsightly brown patches can be the most frustrating problems since there are many causes.
Common problems for dry and brown spots on your grass, how to identify and fix them.
Brown patches are mostly caused by lack of fertilization, grub infestation, foot traffic, chemical spills, animal urine, fungus, or drought. Before you repair the brown patches on your lawn, you’ll need to understand the underlying growth patterns so the brown patches don’t recur.
Here are some simple fixes on your lawn:
Dethatch
Thatch is a layer of over accumulated of more than ½” of dead organic matter which soaks up the water that’s supposed to go to the roots. By removing thatch you help your lawn to absorb the moisture available and this encourages growth.
To reduce thatch, make sure you aerate your soil in early fall or late summer which will help the soil to absorb water and provide your lawn with a steady supply of the nutrients, oxygen, and water it needs to stay healthy.
Test the soil
Fertilizing your soil is a good thing, but it’s best to first carry out a soil test. Ensure that the soil pH is above 6.0 and that there’s enough nitrogen in the soil before the grass starts to grow. If your lawn needs to be fertilized, always ensure you apply the correct amount as per the instructions.
Check your mower blade
Mowing your lawn the wrong way can cause a lot of problems and a blunt mowing blade will tend to shed your grass instead of giving it a clean-cut and this will cause the tips to dry out. If you cut the grass too low or scalp it causes the sun’s heat to penetrate the surface and remove all the moisture which causes the grass crown and soil to quickly dry out.
To avoid this, mow your lawn about ½ an inch higher than normal, especially during the hot months.
Water on schedule
Most turf grasses require not too much or too little water, but you can water your grass with just an inch of water each week. Sometimes too much water can be the problem, so ensure your lawn drains well and your grass isn’t waterlogged for long.
The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning before the sun is strong and the moisture is trapped at the surface. The best time is between 5 am and 9 pm, but avoid watering the grass at night when your grass doesn’t have enough time to cool until dawn.
Conclusion
Although dry grass and brown spots can be caused by a variety of problems, most of them can be solved by proper lawn care. The grass is resilient and quickly recovers when you treat it well.
FAQ
Will dead brown grass grow back?
If your grass is completely dead from drought, there’s no way of bringing it back. However, brown lawns that are dormant can be brought back in3-4 weeks of regular watering.
Does watering grass in the sun burn it?
Yes, but long less frequent watering is the most effective way instead of daily watering which leaves droplets on the blades that reflect the sun which burns the grass.