Heat Stress or Ascochyta Leaf Blight

How to Handle Dry, Brown Patches in Your Lawn (It’s Not Always What You Think!)

You may have noticed some dry, straw-colored patches popping up in your lawn lately—and you’re not alone. This is a common issue during periods of extreme heat, like the 90+ degree days we had recently with an immediate hault in rain. That kind of heat puts a lot of stress on your lawn, especially in areas near sidewalks, driveways, or metal utility lids where temperatures rise even higher.

So What’s Causing the Brown Spots?

It could simply be heat stress, or it might be a lawn disease known as Ascochyta Leaf Blight. Either way, the good news is that both conditions respond well to the same care approach!

How to Help Your Lawn Recover from Heat Stress

The best thing you can do right now is:

Keep watering consistently. If we’re not getting rain, aim to water **2 to 3 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes** each session.
- Your lawn needs about 1–2 inches of water each week, whether that’s from rain or sprinklers.
Stick with your fertilization schedule. These treatments help strengthen your lawn and actually speed up recovery. They didn’t cause the browning, so don’t stop them!

Real-Life Example of Lawns with Differing Watering Regimines

I’ve included a few photos below to show just how much of a difference watering makes. All three lawns were exposed to the same heat, but with different levels of watering:

1. No extra watering: Still brown and dry.
2. A little extra watering: Some improvement.
3. Heavy watering: That lawn bounced right back to life, especially once we got a little rain.

Final Tip

If you’re seeing these brown areas, give them a good soak—especially during hot, dry weeks. With a little extra care, your lawn will green up again in no time.

Happy watering!
– Trisha

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No extra watering during drought conditions