All year, we dream of sinking our toes into lush, green grass. It’s nearly as relaxing and rejuvenating as the beach sand!

That’s why it irks us when our lively grass slowly loses its luster and browns.  

If you’ve been unhappy with how your lawn looks, let’s solve the problem together. Learn what to do about brown grass in summer – and why this could be happening.

Causes of Brown Spots in Lawn & How to Fix Them

Lack of water + brown grass = drought-stressed lawn

Landscaping Ideas For Where Grass Wont Grow

How can I bring back my lawn after drought?

  • After 2-3 weeks with no water, most lawns go dormant. Without being watered, lawns can persist in a dormant state for weeks by letting their leaves die back to conserve water for their roots.
  • If your lawn is in drought-induced dormancy longer than 4 weeks, it needs water to survive without longer-term damage that may require renovation and reseeding.
  • Aerate your lawn this fall. When soil is aerated, grass roots grow deeper and are better able to intake air and water at deeper levels of the soil, which leads to more resilient turf.

Cool temperatures + brown lawn = grass dormancy

Dormant St

  • When does grass go dormant: As summer starts to fade away and temperatures consistently drop below 55°, some lawns enter dormancy. If leaves fall off the trees in your area, your grass will likely go dormant.
  • When does dormant grass come back? Inactive, brown grass will become green again in spring. To help your lawn green up faster, fertilize this fall.

Sporadic brown spots in the grass + pets = urine damage

Pet Urine Damage

  • Why does dog urine damage lawns: If your pet often goes to the bathroom on the same area of the lawn, the high levels of nitrogen and salts burn the grass.
  • How to fix brown spots in lawn from dog urine: After your pets tinkle, sprinkle the area with water to dilute the nitrogen.

Sporadic brown spots + digging = grubs

Grub Damage

  • Signs of grubs: In late summer or early fall, look for brown spots in your lawn that look dug up. You can easily pull back these sections of grass and find grubs. The digging is from birds and other animals looking for grubs. 
  • What time of year to treat for grubs: Apply grub treatment in summer to get rid of the next generation of adult grubs and their eggs.

Sporadic brown spots that are bare = need to be replaced

Installing Plugs To Repair A Bare Area In St

Need help figuring out why there are brown spots in your lawn and how to fix them? Contact us today. 

Related Blog Posts

Snow Mold
Lawn Care & Maintenance

What Is This Whitish Gray (Or Whitish Pink) Fuzz On My Grass?

What is snow mold? It's a fungal disease that can create patches of whitish gray or whitish pink grass blades in late winter and early spring. Let's talk about how to prevent snow mold and how to get rid of snow mold in your home lawn.
Read More
Jap Beetle
Lawn Care & Maintenance

Have Japanese Beetles? Check & Control Lawn Grubs Now!

See Japanese beetles? Learn when to control and treat for grubs. In the Japanese beetle life cycle, they lay grubs. Look for symptoms of grubs now to prevent damage.
Read More
Tree
Tree

Sign Up For Free Tree & Landscaping Tips! 

Subscribe to the "The Sapling," the Davey Blog's email newsletter, for the latest tips to keep your outdoor space in tip-top shape throughout the year.

Plus, receive a free instant download of our landscape seasonal checklists when you sign up!

Image 22@2X
Image 22@2X

Request A Free Consultation

Let's Find What
You're Looking For!