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Why are there brown spots in my lawn?

Posted by: Irrigation Outlet
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Brown Spots in Grass

Common Causes and Their Solutions

When you’re trying to keep your lawn looking fabulous, few things are as frustrating as having to figure out why you have brown patches showing up unexpectedly. What’s wrong with your lawn and how do you fix the problem? Let’s take a look at some of the most common causes of brown spots in your lawn and what you need to do to fix them.

Irrigation Issues

If you’re having issues with your irrigation system, whether it’s low pressure, broken sprinkler heads or timing problems, you may end up with brown patches where your grass just isn’t getting enough water to sustain itself. But don’t assume that under watering is the problem – flooded areas caused by a broken sprinkler or poor drainage can kill just as quickly. You’ll be able to tell with a quick feel whether the soil is dry or not, but from a distance, dry grass will be more brown while overly damp grass will have a more yellow appearance.

Poor Herbicide Selection

If you’ve been having problems with weeds, your herbicide may be at fault for your patchy lawn. Take a good look at the label to determine the type of herbicide you’re using. If it’s a broad-spectrum or a herbicide that kills particular types of grasses, your intentional turf grass may be a victim of friendly fire. Try switching to an herbicide that specifically targets the problem weed or use pieces of cardboard or plastic to temporarily shield the surrounding grass from the spray if the problem weed isn’t too prevalent. Of course, you can always switch to hand-pulling problem weeds, which protects the plants around it even better.

Puppy Problems

The dog did it! Unfortunately, man’s best friend can be a suspect in a case of brown patches in your lawn. When puppies and dogs defecate or urinate on your lawn, the acidity and nitrogen density of what’s left behind can kill your grass, leaving unsightly brown spots on your lawn. Whether it’s your dog or your neighbors, make sure that any evidence is picked up and if there’s a regular spot they like to mark, mark it yourself with cayenne pepper to discourage that use.

Which problem is your lawn facing? By determining the cause of unsightly brown spots, it’s easy to fix the problem. If you still have questions, feel free to contact the experts at Irrigation Outlet. We’re always happy to help!