Brown Grass

In the fall or possibly early winter, your grass will naturally turn brown, which is perfectly normal. Having brown grass during the warm weather time of year when your lawn should be green is a problem. Several issues can cause brown grass including a lack of water, insect or fungal pests, or simply having the wrong type of grass for your climate. We will take a look at those issues and ways to correct them so you can have a nice lush lawn.

Water

A lack of water is the most common and obvious cause of brown grass. In some places, the normal rainfall is enough to keep your lawn adequately watered. When it isn’t, you will need to water it yourself. The soil should be damp 4-6 inches below the ground. If it’s not, start watering. If your soil is wet at the appropriate depths but you still have a patch or two of brown grass, then you may just need to move your sprinklers around a little bit to make sure these areas get watered.

Grass type

Certain types of grass, such as Bermuda grass and St. Augustine, thrive in warm climates. They require warm soil temperature to return from their winter dormancy. If you are in a cooler part of the country it will take longer for the soil to reach a high enough temperature for the grass to thrive, meaning it will stay brown longer. Grasses such as rye grass and blue grass do better in cooler climates and will turn brown and show other symptoms of stress in higher temperatures. In these cases you may need to consult a lawn care specialist and find a more appropriate type of grass for your yard.

Pests

Grass pests can include both insects and fungus. Insects can eat away at your grass roots, leaving you with a dead area in your lawn that can spread if you don’t contain it. Fungus can also attack your roots and leave brown grass. An insecticide or fungicide should clear up these problems, but it is important to make sure you know exactly what is afflicting your lawn so you can use the right product.

Brown grass is normal at certain times of the year. If your grass is brown when it should be green, then determine what is causing the problem and take the necessary steps to correct it.