If you’ve noticed your lawn turning brown, don’t panic. You’re not alone. Many Australian homeowners face lawn problems, especially during the warmer months, as the summer heat and humid conditions can be quite harsh. Brown grass can be caused by soil compaction to lawn diseases. To fix the issue, it’s important to identify the underlying problems. In this article, we’ll explain and explore the most common reasons for brown patches in your lawn to help you decide which solution will be most suitable to restore your lawn to its healthy and green state.
1. Watering Issues: Underwatering and Overwatering
One primary cause of brown grass is improper watering. During humid weather or late spring, your lawn requires more moisture to stay healthy. However, just like underwatering, overwatering can lead to brown patches.
Underwatering
If your lawn is not getting enough water, the grass roots can’t reach the moisture they need which leads to dry, brown grass. This is particularly problematic during the warmer months when temperatures rise and with it, the rate of evaporation.
To keep your lawn moist, it’s important to water your turf deeply but less frequently. Water early in the morning or late in the afternoon to minimise evaporation caused by the sun’s heat. According to lawn care experts, watering deeply to encourage deep grassroots is key. Next time you water your turf, follow the water trail to see where it goes. Are you losing water to the gutter? You may need to aerate the soil by poking holes using a garden fork or aerator to allow water in. Soil can also become hydrophobic and actually repel the water. There are soil conditioners on the market that are quite cheap and will help break down the silica in the soil, preventing water from penetrating deep into the soil. These steps will allow the roots to maintain moisture deeper in the soil, making your lawn more drought-resistant in the long run.
Overwatering
While it may seem counterintuitive, overwatering can also cause your lawn to turn brown. Excess moisture can lead to poor drainage and result in water-soaked soil. This prevents oxygen from reaching the roots and can promote lawn rust and other fungal diseases like brown patches or dollar spots.
Make sure to adjust your watering routine according to the season’s needs. During early autumn and the cooler months, your lawn doesn’t need that much water. In early spring and late summer, however, the demand increases. As mentioned above, avoid watering your lawn during the heat of the day, as it can encourage evaporation.
2. Lawn Diseases: Fungal Infections and Brown Patch
Lawn diseases are another reason grass turns brown, particularly in humid conditions. Diseases like dollar spot, brown patch, and lawn rust can thrive in warm, moist conditions and cause significant damage to turf.
Brown Patch
Brown patch, for example, is a fungal disease that can be easily noticed as it forms circular brown patches in the lawn. It is usually notorious in humid weather and often worsens by excessive moisture.
Treating brown patches requires using a fungicide designed for common lawn diseases. Additionally, this is also the reason why you should avoid watering your lawn in the evening, as this can add moisture that encourages fungal growth. It’s also advisable to mow your grass regularly to reduce the buildup of grass clippings as they can also harbour fungal spores.
Dollar Spot
Dollar spot is another fungal disease you should watch out for. This appears as small, sunken brown patches on your lawn. It tends to develop in areas of high humidity and excessive watering.
Just like with a brown patch, you’ll want to apply a fungicide. In addition, lawn aeration should be improved to improve water penetration. Ensuring your lawn has healthy soil and reducing the thatch layer can also help prevent the spread of this fungal disease.
3. Soil Compaction and Lawn Thatch
Another reason for less water absorption is compacted soil. Soil compaction leads to poor drainage and can be caused by heavy foot traffic, vehicle use, or just the ground’s natural settling. When the soil becomes compacted, important elements such as water, oxygen, and other nutrients have difficulty reaching the grass roots, causing your lawn to turn brown, particularly in bare areas.
Once again, aeration is also the primary solution. Creating small holes in the soil will allow water, air, and nutrients to reach the roots. This also helps break apart the thatch layer, which greatly contributes to compaction. This layer of organic material also prevents essential nutrients from reaching grass roots, making your grass weaker and more susceptible to diseases and infestations. Similarl,y for established lawns, aeration is a great way to promote healthy grass roots by improving water penetration.
In the case of poor drainage, you can improve this by applying top dressing with a mixture of organic material and sand. This helps loosen the soil, and like aeration, allow water to flow more freely.
4. Lawn Weeds: Broadleaf Weeds and Flowering Weeds
Aside from being unsightly, weeds also compete with your turf for water and nutrients. In some cases, homeowners fail to take action, especially when the culprits are broadleaf weeds like dandelion and other flowering weeds. Flowering or not, weeds can quickly invade and spread across your lawn, especially if it’s already stressed by drought or disease.
To prevent weeds from taking over your turf, apply a pre-emergent herbicide before weed seeds can even germinate. If they’ve already grown, pull them by hand or use a post-emergent herbicide to target them. Mowing regularly will also help prevent even bigger infestation because this keeps flowering weeds from going to seed.
For lawn weeds that are extra persistent, consider using an organic herbicide or focus on strengthening your grass by using liquid fertiliser. This promotes healthy grass growth which can crowd out the weeds.
5. Pests and Grubs: Insect Infestations
Pests like grubs or insects that feed on grass roots are also top causes of most lawn problems. If you have bare patches or brown areas, check to see if your turf feels spongy or water-soaked when you walk on it, as this may be due to pest damage.
To solve this, inspect your lawn for grubs which often appear as white, C-shaped larvae beneath the soil. You can apply a grub control product to eliminate these pests, but if you’re dealing with a larger infestation, you may have to replace affected areas with new turf.
6. Improper Mowing
When it comes to mowing your lawn, too short or too often can also cause stress to the grass and lead to brown patches. When the grass is too short, it weakens the plant and causes a struggle against heat and drought.
This is why it’s recommended to set your mower to the proper height depending on your grass type. For common couch varieties, grass should be around 30-40mm for optimal growth. Be sure to mow regularly, but avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass height in any mowing session.
Conclusion
A brown lawn can be frustrating. But with the right approach, you can identify the underlying lawn problems and address them effectively. Whether you’re dealing with poor watering practices, soil compaction, fungal diseases, or weeds, finding out the cause will help you apply the proper lawn grass solutions to restore your turf to its healthy, vibrant state.
Remember, consistent lawn care, including watering, regular aeration, fertilisation, and weed management, will keep your lawn looking its best and prevent future issues. With the right knowledge and tools, your turf can thrive even in the toughest conditions and stay green!
When you buy your turf from Australian Lawn Concepts our turf experts remain on hand to assist with any lawn care queries you may have. We can help you to diagnose lawn issues and suggest solutions to get your lawn back to its usual green self. It’s this after sales service and care that sets us apart. Call us today on 07 5541 7000 for your turf needs.