Brown spots in your lawn can look unsightly and put a damper on summer fun. If you notice them, it’s best to call a professional landscaping company to determine the problem. Here are some of the most common issues these professionals see that cause your lawn to brown.

What Causes Brown Spots?

1. Pests

There are several insects that can turn parts of your yard brown, such as grubs. Grubs are white beetle larvae that eat the turf roots of your lawn. To check for them, cut out a small layer of turf. If you see more than 10 grubs per square foot, you have a problem that should be treated by a landscaping professional.

Chinch bugs turn lawns brown, too. They’re tiny red, orange, brown, or black insects with white stripes down their bodies, but they can be hard to spot due to their size. If you have an infestation, your lawn will wilt, then turn yellow before finally going brown. Since these bugs can be difficult to detect, it’s best to call a lawn care professional to take a look. They might try thatch removal to rid your lawn of bugs, and usually only use insecticide as a last resort.

2. Fungus 

There are many types of fungi that can damage your lawn and cause it to turn brown. One of the most common is brown patch disease. It’s caused by a fungus named Rhizoctonia.

You can identify this issue by looking at the brown patches. If your property has brown patch disease, you’ll notice irregular-shaped patches surrounded by a smoke ring border. If you have this issue, your landscaping professional might try aerating your soil or applying a fungicide. Fungicide can damage your lawn if applied improperly, so leave this job to the professionals.

3. Thatch

Thatch is dead or decomposing matter located between the blades of grass and its roots. A small amount of thatch can help your lawn grow successfully by acting as a natural fertilizer, but any amount over a ½ inch can restrict your lawn from growing properly.

If your thatch is growing too thick, a landscaping professional will dethatch your lawn. This involves raking your grass to break up the layer. They may also aerate the areas by poking small holes, which lets the soil breathe better.

 

Need help with your lawn’s brown spots? Turn to the landscaping professionals at The Lawn Surgeon LLC in Hartford, CT. This family-owned company has been in business since 1985, and they’ve dealt with every lawn issue you can think of. They offer mulching, mowing, seeding, pest control, dethatching, aerating, weed control, and fertilizing. Visit their website to learn more or call (860) 635-1127 to schedule a visit.