Everyone wants a lush and green lawn. Few things are more frustrating than having dead, brown patches dotting an otherwise flawless landscaping design. Luckily, there are things you can do to get rid of these unsightly brown spots on your lawn, and we’ve picked out several excellent things you can try.
Pay Attention to Your Watering Schedule
If you notice your brown grass gets worse when the temperatures rise, you could have a drought problem. During limited rainfall, grass can go dormant and turn brown to conserve water. Once the weather cools, and the water levels increase, your brown grass should turn green. If you want to push it along, give your lawn an inch or so of water every week. You want to water early in the day to avoid scorching the grass, and remember to use an irrigation system that reaches every area of your space.
Reduce Your Fertilizer Use
Fertilizer has a lot of excess salt that can build up, and this can scorch the grass and cause brown patches. If the brown patches appear a day or two after you apply the fertilizer, you have fertilizer burn. To fix it, water the area thoroughly to flush out the salt and excess fertilizer. Water your lawn an inch a day for the next week to get rid of the fertilizer and protect the lawn’s roots. In the future, pick out slow-release fertilizers and apply them following the instructions on the bag for your lawn type and size.
Balance the pH Levels
When your pH levels in the soil are too acidic, your lawn will develop yellow or brown patches. Get a pH testing kit and check your soil levels. If the pH reads higher than 7.2, you want to apply sulfur to lower it. The more clay-based your soil is, the more sulfur it’ll need to balance the pH. Sandy soil that has a pH reading of 7.5 should only need 10 to 15-pounds of sulfur for every 1,000-square feet. For every 1,000-square feet of loamy soil, you’d need 20 to 25-pounds of sulfur.
Have a Potty Area for Your Pets
Yes, it’s easy to open the door and let your pets go to the bathroom wherever. However, this can cause brown spots on your lawn due to salt in your pet’s urine. You’ll have to cover these areas with ground limestone at a rate of two to five pounds for every 100-square feet. Let it sit for a week to restore your lawn’s pH levels before covering it with topsoil and planting new grass seeds. Set up a mulched potty area for your pets going forward.
Get Rid of Weeds
Did you know that weeds and tree roots will pull a host of vital nutrients from your grass like water and fertilizer? In turn, you get a brown, dry lawn. Spray your lawn with a selective herbicide or dig up problem weeds as you see them. Once you remove them, spray a pre-emergent herbicide over your lawn to stop new weeds from growing again.
Contact Evergreen Landscaping
Do you have brown patches in your lawn that won’t go away? Maybe you need professional help to get a lush and green lawn. If so, contact us. Our friendly and professional staff are ready and willing to help you in any way they can.