Grass, Interrupted: Getting Rid of Ugly Brown Patches on Your Lawn Forever

Many of us take pride in being able to look out onto a luscious green lawn that we have worked hard to create, which makes it a great source of irritation when that perfection is prevented by a series of ugly brown patches.

You might want to browse Atkins Inc to see what a professional maintenance service can do for your lawn, and there are also some tips and ideas that you might want to consider yourself, in your quest to enjoy an uninterrupted vista of green.

Getting to the root of the problem

If you want to enjoy a consistently lush green lawn, it makes sense to try and understand exactly what causes brown spots to appear in the first place.

It can potentially be a case of human or animal damage that is creating the problem, or a combination of several factors combining to ruin your lawn in certain places, when those unsightly patches appear.

Animal urine is definitely a prime suspect in a good number of cases. If you have a dog in the family, they can certainly be a cause, creating urine stains that turn the grass that unsightly brown shade.

The problem may not be restricted to dogs alone however, as cats, birds and other animals that might pay a visit to your garden, may well also be contributing to the issue. In order to clarify whether this is the root of the problem, check to see if the spots are mainly yellow with a bright green edging to the patch.

If this is the case, it is an indication that the animal in question has diluted nitrogen in their urine, which acts as a fertilizer.

If you have a family pet using the lawn, try to ensure that they always have access to plenty of drinking water, which not only ensures that they are properly hydrated, which is important anyway, but it can help to make their urine less toxic and therefore less damaging to your lawn.

Another option is to train your pet to water less visible parts of the garden, rather than the lawn.

How sharp are your mower blades?

Another common cause of brown spots on your law is when the mower you are using has dull blades.

If the blades on your lawnmower are not sharp enough they can easily tear your grass and damage it while you are cutting. This damage happens when the blades of grass are pulled away from the root system rather than cut cleanly.

If you want to maintain health green blades of grass, make sure your blade that cuts the lawn, is sharp enough to avoid damaging it every time you get the mower out.

Unfavorable growing conditions

There are times when you might just be fighting an uphill battle in trying to create a lush green lawn, as unfavorable growing conditions might be hindering your efforts.

Not every yard offers the perfect environment to encourage your grass to thrive and even grow in the first place. There are numerous different issues that could be the root cause of your inability to create a manicured lawn and you may well find that it is one specific problem or a combination of factors thwarting your efforts.

Poor soil is one potential cause. Soil quality will vary greatly, even between different portions of your own garden, so there is every chance that your lawn could become a patchwork of areas where grass grows easily and interspersed with areas where the soil conditions simply don’t encourage it.

If this is a problem that you face, it is important to ensure that your lawn is properly aerated in the first instance, and you might want to get some professional lawn care help in order to give your lawn the nutrients and growing conditions it needs to succeed.

Decaying grass

If your lawn has brown patches, another cause could be either disease or pests.

A common problem is a buildup of decaying grass, known as thatch. When this buildup occurs, the decaying grass will do its best to win the battle with healthier grass and choke it out, causing the brown patches to appear.

You should be able to remove the thatch by raking it, once it has reached a thickness of at least ½ inch, giving healthy grass a chance to thrive and allowing the green hue to return.

Also consider the threat of grubs. These fat, white worms can normally be controlled once you have identified their presence.

If you want to enjoy a perfectly manicured green lawn, there is no reason that you can’t achieve this aim, provided you get to the root of the problem and takes steps to put it right.

About the Author
Scarlett Doherty is an avid gardener whose garden is often admired by friends, family and delivery people! She writes about home and garden matters in her articles.