I Have Brown Spots In My Grass Shaped Like Circles
Chances are, thats brown patch disease. Brown patch can appear in lawns in early fall if its humid and temperatures are about 70 degrees and up.
Your lawn likely has brown patch if:
- There are brown patches roughly shaped like circles that are up to several feet wide
- In the center of the patch, the grass is green, creating a doughnut-like look
There are a few things you can do to relieve your grass of brown patch disease:
- Only water your lawn if its dry. When you do water, plan to do it in the morning
- Mow your lawn at the proper height and aerate your lawn if it has lots of thatcha layer of dead grass that builds up between the soil and live grass
- Talk to your local arborist about a fungicide to treat brown patch
Keep It Under Control
The good news is that your turf can recover from brown patch. The bad news? You may have to wait until the active growing season to see an improvement in appearance. While a fungicide application can help prevent spread to other areas, spots that have rotted will need to regrow.
Meanwhile, steps should be taken to ensure youre not transferring the fungus to healthy parts of your lawn. Affected areas should not be mowed, as that could cause diseased clippings to deposit elsewhere, spreading the infection. You should also avoid walking over the area so your shoes dont transport the spores. Finally, its important to not apply fertilizer during an outbreak. Sure, youll feed your lawn, but youll also feed the fungus, too.
Because brown or yellow spots can be the result of a number of causes, its important to have your lawn assessed by an experienced landscape professional. If brown patch is confirmed, proper treatment is critical. Self-diagnosis and treatment could make the problem worse. Our teams are experienced in treating brown patch, and can help make the process stress-free. Request a free quote or give us a call at .
Three Most Common Diseases Causing Brown Patches On Lawn
Most of the summer lawn diseases that attack tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass common in Midwest lawns prefer warm/hot and humid weather. The best conditions for brown patch or Pythium disease growth are daytime temperatures between 80 and 95 degrees F, night-time temps around 65 to 70 degrees F, and high humidity. High summer temperatures combined with late afternoon showers every day in late May through July can be a recipe for disaster for lawns.
There are three types of fungal diseases that our RYAN Pros treat most often. Every tall fescue variety is susceptible to these three diseases brown patch, dollar spot and Pythium blight. Learn how to differentiate between them and what you can do to get rid of these lawn diseases in your yard.
1. What Is Brown Patch Disease?
Brown patch disease appears as circular patches in your lawn.
Brown patch is a common lawn disease found in all cool-season grasses in the U.S. caused by a fungus called Rhizoctonia solani. It appears as brownish-yellow, irregular circular patches that range from 6 inches to several feet in diameter. Brown patch begins to grow when temperatures reach 65 degrees F, but it grows fastest when temperatures reach 80 to 85 degrees F and there is high humidity.
The diseased leaves usually remain standing, and close examination shows tan, irregularly-shaped lesions on the leaves with a dark brown border.
2. What Is Pythium Blight Disease?
Pythium blight appears suddenly and can kill your lawn.
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My Entire Lawn Turned Brown In Fall
If you live in a warm climate, theres likely no need to worry. Warm-season grasses like zoysiagrass or bermudagrass turn brown in fall season to prep for winter. As temperatures cool down, warm-season grasses go dormant to protect themselves from winter elements, and then theyre back in action come springtime.
As long as your lawn is pretty evenly brown, and not covered in blotchy brown patches, you dont need to be concerned.
Erosion And Sloped Properties
Extreme weather or steeply graded landscapes can pose a unique challenge to lawns, especially around the edges of your property. Rain and wind can slowly cause your soil and grass to erode over time, uprooting your grass and leading to brown or yellow patches of dead grass.
Addressing Sloped Lawns
Maintaining the right balance of moisture in your soil can provide the strength it needs to fight against the pull of erosion. Aerate your lawn more frequently to ensure that water is property reaching deep into the soil to strengthen its roots.
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A Healthy Lawn In Your Future
How to repair the brown or dead spots in your lawn will depend upon what caused them in the first place. Weve already mentioned some potential repairs depending upon the causes but a lawn care professional can help you determine which steps are right for you in order to get your lawn on its way to better health.
You might also want to consider some healthy practices to keep your lawn in good shapeafter addressing some of its specific concerns. Getting on a regular lawn care program can help promote a healthier lawn and prevent some of these problems from happening in the first place. Thats because a healthy lawn will provide the best possible defense against disease, pests, and environmental stressors.
While some problems are difficult to avoid, the better shape that your lawn is, the better it will perform. Generally, that means reducing and ultimately eliminating brown spots and letting beautiful, green grass fill in. With the right care, your lawn can be on its way to looking its best.
Are you ready to get rid of dead or brown patches in your Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton, PA lawn? Get in touch with us to get some free expert advice and find out more about our lawn care programs which include three lawn care pricing options to give you the lush lawn youre looking for.
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Why Are There Dead Or Brown Spots In My Lawn Tips For Pennsylvania Homeowners
Brown or dead spots in your lawn can be a huge source of frustration. Theyre not only a terrible eyesore but may make you feel as though youre losing control of your property.
Depending on the cause, brown or dying spots on your lawn can spread quickly, making your entire lawn look its worst in little to no time at all. Suddenly, your yard is looking like one of the most poorly-maintained properties on the block.You may be wanting to take control of the situation, but you may not be sure how. You ought to be able to have a nice lawn year round, but you may not be sure whats wrong with it or how to go about fixing it. Thats why you want to know what you can do about dead spots in the lawn before they get any worse.
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Cultural Management: Preventing Brown Patch Lawn Disease
Since high levels of fast release nitrogen increase disease activity, Spring-Green uses a correct blend of fertilizers for lawn fertilizing during the warmer months. Mow less frequently during periods of hot and humid weather, this reduces stress and limits the movement of grass disease by being carried on your feet or mower. If possible, increase light and air penetration, or movement, by pruning overhanging trees and shrubs. During cooler seasons, open up the thatch layer with power core aeration. If these cultural cures fail, a preventative fungicide lawn treatment program may have to be applied to control this most damaging of lawn diseases.
Can Brown Grass Turn Green Again
Absolutely. Grass is an amazing plant that can recover from all sorts of problems. Lawns may suffer from fungal, thatch, nutritional, compaction, and watering issues but as long as it hasnt completely died and you can still see some green shoots here and there, it will almost certainly recover in time. Do what you can to help it recover but in the end, just be patient and allow nature to take its course and you will have beautiful green turf once again.
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Foot Traffic And Forgotten Things
Sometimes its our own doing that results in spots appearing in your yard. Its nice being outdoors once in a while, especially during a warm sunny day where your family can gather, play, and have fun on your lawn. Another instance includes having a barbeque over the weekend or having a birthday party with bouncy castles and inflatable pools.
However, it can potentially cause brown patches on your lawn. You might be left with dead and dying patches of grass underneath the bouncy castle, inflatable pool, tables, chairs, etc. Stepping your grass repeatedly and even accidentally leaving out your hose in the yard can damage your grass. Other than that, buried and forgotten debris also causes brown spots.
Final Thoughts
Upon knowing what causes the brown spots in your lawn, you can easily understand how to treat them and restore your lawn into its former glory. You can find the proper treatment method for the dead or dying grass after spending some time researching on the internet. However, when in doubt, you can always consult a professional.
Forgotten Toys Or Tools
Leaving items on your lawn even just for a day or two, but especially for longer periods of time, can create brown spots.
The item on the grass prevents that patch of grass from getting the sunlight, air, and water that it needs to thrive. This can cause a patch of grass to go dormant, such as in a drought situation.
However, if an item is left on the lawn for too long, such as a playset, then the grass underneath will ultimately die.
You can prevent this by picking up toys and tools off of the lawn at the end of each day.
Brown spots from temporary items will recover quickly on their own but spots that were covered for longer periods of time might benefit from using a patch and repair mixture like .
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When To Seek Professional Lawn Treatment For Brown Patch
TruGreen® certified specialists know exactly what your lawn needs and what changes you may need to make to achieve a lawn youll love. If you suspect your lawn is infected or youre worried it may become so, give one of our specialists a call to set you up on a plan for a healthy lawn.
To schedule a consultation with one of our TruGreen-Certified Specialists, call 866.688.6722. Youll be on your way to finding out how to remedy that sad, brown lawn, and rebuild the healthy, green lawn you can enjoy day after day.
Brown Spots In Your Lawn Dont Always Mean Mistakes
We feel its important to mention, before delving more into what may be causing dead or brown spots on your lawn, that even the best-cared-for lawns can get brown spots from time to time.
Whether you are currently performing DIY lawn care or youre working with a professional lawn care company, the truth is, brown spots on the lawn are not always the result of a mistake. Sometimes there are factors outside of your control.
Even so, it will help to have a better idea of what to look for. Thats why weve rounded up some helpful advice on identifying symptoms and considering root causes.
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How To Proactively Prevent Brown Patches On Lawns
Staying on top of proper lawn care can really make a difference in the look and health of your lawn. If you want to get ahead of the game and stop brown spots before they start, look to these lawn care essentials:
- Water a few times a week for a total of one inch of water per week. Always try to avoid over-watering your grass so you dont create a moist, fungus-friendly environment. A good rule of thumb is to water in the morning so the grass blades can take the day to dry off
- Mow to keep your lawn at a height of 2-to-4 inches. The best mowing height depends on the season
- Fertilize the grass to keep it green and in good health. But, be careful not to cause fertilizer burn
How To Detect And Treat Common Lawn Pests
When it’s thick, healthy and emerald green, your lawn is one of the most inviting parts of your home landscape. But when your turf is brown and sickly due to pest invasion, it quickly loses its appeal. Learning about the various pests that threaten your grass and then arming yourself with an effective treatment plan will help ensure your lawn stays healthy and beautiful.
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Diagnosing Brown Spots In The Lawn
When homeowners find brown spots in the lawn, they are quite commonly thought to be related to drought. Homeowners see that their lawn is turning brown in some areas and they automatically assume it must not be getting enough water.
While lack of water can certainly cause a lawn to brown, its by far not the only possible culprit of brown spots.
In fact, there are some reasons for brown spots in the lawn in which watering could make things worseparticularly lawn fungus.A big factor in diagnosing brown spots in the lawn will be what time of the year that it is. There are certain problems that will be more likely at certain times of the year. While oftentimes various problems can cause the same-looking brown spots, paying attention to the season will play a big role in determining whats going on.There can be a fair amount of detective work that goes into the diagnosis.
In addition to the time of the year, we might also look at which areas of the lawn are affected. For instance, ifs just one spot in the front of the yard, it could be that a neighbors dog is using that spot to go the bathroom. If it were a problem like a lawn fungus or even an insect, it would not just be a single spot that is affected.
How To Identify The Type Of Fungus On Your Grass
The fungal organism is in the soil. Right now. Every soil, everywhere. There are a variety of reasons why your neighbor may have brown spots in their lawn from disease and you dont. They may have a different species or variety of grass, different soil or moisture levels, or a different climate due to other natural or man-made landscapes.
There are three things to consider when trying to determine if a disease is causing the brown spots in your yard. It is very important to identify the specific type of disease. Correct identification is required before you can develop a treatment plan.
1. Identify the type of turfgrass
Its important to first know the type of turf species you have because different types of grass are more susceptible to different diseases as shown in a University of Purdue Extension article on turf disease identification. In the Midwest, the two most common types of cool-season grasses used in home lawns are tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. The most common diseases we see are brown patch, dollar spot, and pythium blight. But other diseases do show up in our region from time to time.
2. Observe the pathogen at work
3. Consider the environment
The environment is the third component of identification and time of year must be considered. In the Midwest locations of Ryan Lawn & Tree, the warm temperatures, high humidity and soil composition including fertility and pH all play a role in the growth of various lawn diseases.
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Why Are Brown Spots In My Lawn: Insects
There are a lot of things that can cause brown spots in your lawn, which makes it hard to get rid of the unsightly splotches. One of the easier causes to identify, though, is insects. There are a handful of insects that do serious damage to home lawns every year, infesting turf throughout their life cycle and leaving brown patches in their wake.
One such pest is grubs, which are beetle larvae that live underground and feed on grass roots. The root damage prevents the grass from taking in the nutrients it needs, causing it to wilt and turn brown. You can check for a grub problem by pulling out a small section of grass. If it pulls out easily, that indicates root damage and could be a sign of grubs.
Another insect that causes brown spots is the billbug, a common but often misdiagnosed pest. Billbugs lay their eggs inside grass stems, where they hatch into legless larvae that feed on the plants from the inside out. Their damage weakens the grass so that it breaks off easily when pulled. Where the grass breaks off, you may notice insect excrement that looks like sawdust.
Chinch bugs are flying insects that damage lawns as both adults and nymphs, feeding on grass blades and extracting nutrients from the plants. They also inject a poison into the grass that turns it brown and can even kill it. Check for a chinch bug infestation by looking for the insects in the thatch layer of your lawn.
Can A Brown Lawn Be Saved
Generally, yes. If the lawn is brown because it has gone dormant, it will bounce back by itself and turn green again during its growing season. However, if your lawn has turned brown all over due to drought, there is no way to revive it.
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