Is your lawn turning brown? Brown patches in a lawn do not always mean the grass is dead. During hot, humid Central Indiana summers, several common conditions can make a healthy lawn suddenly appear tan, straw-colored or damaged.
For homeowners in Fishers, Indiana, the three most common causes are heat and drought stress, brown patch fungus, and Ascochyta leaf blight.
Heat and Drought Stress
Heat stress usually creates irregular tan or straw-colored areas, especially near driveways, sidewalks and other hot surfaces.
Common signs include:
- Dry, bleached-looking grass
- Browning that begins at the leaf tips
- Footprints or mower tracks that remain visible
- Hard, dry soil beneath the affected area
Heat-stressed grass may be dormant rather than dead. If the crowns and roots remain healthy, many lawns begin recovering after cooler temperatures and moisture return.
Brown Patch Fungus
Brown patch is a fungal disease that commonly affects tall fescue during warm, humid weather.
It may appear as:
- Circular or irregular brown patches
- Darker or smoky-looking edges
- Matted grass in damp areas
- Spots or lesions on individual grass blades
Frequent evening watering, heavy dew, poor airflow and prolonged leaf wetness can increase brown patch activity.
Ascochyta Leaf Blight
Ascochyta leaf blight can make a lawn look burned or scalped very quickly. It often appears during hot, dry weather followed by rain or irrigation.
Mowing does not cause Ascochyta leaf blight, but mowing can make the symptoms much more noticeable. The good news is that the roots and crowns often remain healthy, allowing the lawn to recover as new leaves grow.
What Homeowners Can Do
To reduce stress and help your lawn recover:
- Keep mower blades sharp
- Avoid mowing wet grass
- Maintain the proper mowing height (a minimum of 3.5-4″ in summer)
- Follow the one-third mowing rule (don’t cut more than 1/3 off the top each week)
- Limit traffic on stressed turf
- Check irrigation coverage and drainage (and timeliness… water in early morning or early evening – not midday)
If A Classic Cut Lawn & Landscape is mowing your lawn, please irrigate that evening after we cut rather than in the morning before service. This helps us mow dry turf and reduces clumping, tire marks and additional lawn stress.
When Should You Be Concerned About Brown Patches in Your Lawn?
Brown grass may still recover if the roots and crowns remain healthy. However, persistent or expanding patches may also be caused by insects, irrigation problems, chemical injury or permanently damaged turf.
If your lawn does not begin improving after weather conditions change, it may need a closer evaluation, a fungicide applied and/or fall aeration and over-seeding.
Lawn Care in Fishers, Indiana
A Classic Cut Lawn & Landscape provides professional lawn mowing, lawn treatments, irrigation services, aeration, over-seeding and landscape services in Fishers, Geist, McCordsville, Noblesville, Carmel, Fortville and nearby areas.
