If your lawn used to be lush and green but now has ugly dead patches throughout it, this can be caused by many things. Below are two of these things, and how you can get your grass back to looking fresh and green again.
Fungal Disease
If your lawn has a fungal disease, you will see lesions on the grass blades. You can actually see the fungi if you look at your grass early in the morning. There are different types of fungus your grass may have. If you have this problem, some signs you will see include:
- Brown, yellow, or white patches that get larger over time
- Discolored grass blades
- Purple, orange, red, black, or gray on stems or blades
- Pink, black, or gray, powdery coat on the grass blades
- Areas of grass that look slimy or darkened
The type of fungus you have should not be hard to determine. This is because each fungi targets a specific lawn type, under certain conditions, and at certain times of the year. It is important that you know the type, because not all fungicides will work for certain types of fungi.
Contact your local extension office to come to your home and test your soil so you know the right type of fungicide to use.
Improper Fertilizing
If you over fertilize your lawn, it can cause this problem. If this is the problem, you should see fertilizer granules in the dead areas. If you see these granules, use a wet/dry vac to remove as much of them as you can before they have time to dissolve. Water can also help flush and dilute the fertilizer away. A sprinkler works well for this, or you can use a garden hose. Water the grass in the morning to reduce to change of fungal diseases. Water your lawn every couple of days unless it rains. Do this for about a week. After this, all you can do is wait to see if the dead patches go away.
In the future, instead of using chemical fertilizers, choose organic fertilizers that are slow release. This will provide the grass with the proper fertilizer for the entire year. Because organic fertilizers use no chemicals, there is no chance of it killing your grass. Follow the directions on the fertilizer you purchase on how to apply it to your lawn.
To get your yard back to normal quicker, a lawn care company can take a test of your soil to help determine what the problem is. They can then make suggestions on what you can do to fix the problem. Contact a business, such as Nature Safe, for more information.
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