Brown patches in the lawn? Here are some common causes of brown patches in lawns and how to fix it. We are members or Lawn Solutions Australia and experts on turf and lawn care.
Dry spots or patches.
Due to the large amount of rain over the past few years, causing the soil to harden and compact. Once the temperatures have warmed up, the lawn can dry out and harden very quickly.
Aerate your lawn with a garden fork to help decompact and loosen the soil profile.
Then apply a wetting agent, like Lawn Soaker to the whole lawn. This will help the soil better absorb water. Then water the area heavily every morning until recovered.
Apply a fertiliser to help give the lawn a boost. We recommend Lawn Solutions Premium Fertiliser.
Lawn grubs.
If you have noticed that your lawn has quickly developed brown patches that are spreading, a possible cause is lawn grubs. If you are unsure do a quick grub test. Use a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a bucket and fill with water. Pour this over the affected area. Within 10 minutes you will see if any grubs rise to the surface. This is best done at dawn or dusk when they are more likely to be active.
We recommend using a fast acting insecticide as Searles Dead Grub first.
Then apply a preventative insecticide, like Acelepryn GR, which protects your lawn for up to 6 months.
Fungal diseases.
Signs are discoloration, brown and yellow patches, mushrooms or other fungal growth.
Some factors that can cause disease include soil compaction, shade, over watering, over fertilising, poor mowing habits, and weather conditions (particularly temperature and humidity).
Removing the cause will usually make the condition go away on its own. Aerate your lawn to alleviate soil compaction and assist in draining away excess water. You can also use a funghiside, we recommend Mancozeb plus garden.
Avoid over-watering your lawn. If you need to water your lawn, water in the morning before the heat of the day to avoid evaporation. Avoid watering in the afternoon/ dusk to help prevent the lawn sitting damp overnight.
Scalping your lawn.
If your lawns brown patches only start to show after mowing, you have likely scalped your lawn. Scalping occurs when a lawn is mown too short. When too much leaf is removed, it will cause the grass to look brown in patches.
Scalping occurs when your lawn is uneven or has gone too long between mows. Uneven levelling you may need to top dress to amend.
Lee Rowans Gardenworld is a member of LSA (Lawn Solutions Australia) and are experts on turf and how to care for your lawn. Read more about LSA here.
