Brown spots in the lawn: How to get rid of the brown spots

Brown spots in the race are unsightly and can have a variety of causes. In addition to drought, lack of care, waterlogging and pests are possible reasons for the discoloration. Therefore, before you can get rid of the brown spots, the site conditions and the culture must be checked. Only then can the appropriate countermeasures be taken. Once the trigger is found, saving the lawn is usually very easy. We reveal what is important.

Causes and Actions

dryness

Drought and burns are two of the most common causes of brown spots on your lawn. In times of particularly low precipitation and strong sunlight, the discoloration is often not only present as individual spots. Instead, the entire lawn can wither and turn brown.

Drying out and scalding accelerates when you reach for a lawnmower in the hot midday sun. Because then the stalks lose more moisture and the interfaces are more prone to burns. Lawn mowing should therefore be carried out on overcast days or in the evening hours.

In addition, there is a regular watering important. Sprinkling the lawn is also ideal in the evening, at night or in the early morning hours. There are three reasons for this:

1. When temperatures drop in the evening or at night, less water evaporates. This means that water can be poured more sparingly and the water has longer time to be absorbed by the ground.

2. When watering during the day, drops of water on the stalks can act as a kind of magnifying glass and focus the sun's rays. This can lead to punctiform burns on the grass. This risk does not exist when blasting in the evening or at night.

3. Coordinated watering becomes possible. After very hot days, larger amounts of water are needed to compensate for the loss of moisture. After overcast days, however, it is sufficient to blast it sparingly or you can skip it.

But be careful, the evening sprinkling should only be done when the meadow is good again during the day dry can. Otherwise, the persistent moisture could cause fungal spores to spread.

Waterlogging and fungal attack

Persistent wetness and moisture, for example through too much watering, moss, overlying leaves or grass that is too dense, can cause the Damage roots and is an ideal breeding ground for fungal infections. Both can lead to brown discoloration.
If it is initially only a question of excessive moisture or waterlogging, the countermeasures are comparatively simple. They include:

Scarifying

Scarifying has several advantages. On the one hand, it loosens the soil and removes moss. This allows water to penetrate the soil better. On the other hand, the grass is better ventilated so that no moisture can accumulate. Scarifying also improves supply and reduces the risk of fungal infections.

Cut the lawn

Long stalks tend to hold up moisture more and reduce evaporation. Regular mowing of the lawn, on the other hand, improves ventilation.

Adapted watering

It is important to water the lawn, but only in dry phases or during the summer. Even then, the blasting should be adjusted as possible so that the grass does not flood.

Keep the green clear

Leaves but also brushwood lying on the lawn can cause light, yellow to brown spots and also pose a risk of accumulated moisture and thus fungal infestation. The green should therefore be kept free.

These measures are also useful to prevent a fungal attack to prevent. If this already exists - such as the so-called red tipped, in which the grass turns yellow to brown - the stalks do not die off immediately. However, in order to get rid of the stains, the cause must be eliminated. An otherwise healthy lawn can then recover from the infestation. Regulating the humidity is crucial for this. In addition, the grass should be strengthened with a lawn fertilizer.

Brown spots from lack of nutrients

Grass can usually provide itself well with nutrients. Depending on the soil, it can also contain nutrients undersupplied be. Color changes are then not unusual. On the one hand, due to the nutrient deficiency itself. On the other hand, due to the reduced defenses that result from it.

If the growth is generally rather weak, an insufficient supply is likely and fertilization is advisable. The easiest way to do this is to use a special lawn fertilizer. Long-term fertilizer requires the least amount of effort, as it only rarely has to be applied. You can use a spreader to ensure that it is distributed as evenly as possible.

Wrong fertilization

Just as a lack of nutrients can cause brown spots on the lawn, the discoloration can also develop from incorrect fertilization. This is possible, for example, through:

• too little or too much nitrogen
• general overfertilization
• irregular application of the fertilizer
• Fertilizer does not penetrate the soil sufficiently

The grass needs potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in the right composition. Lawn fertilizer provides these minerals - but not always in the right amount. The type of grass, stress and the nutrient content of the earth play decisive roles in this. So if the lawn shows brown spots despite supposedly correct fertilization, a analysis of the soil make sense. Based on this, you can adjust the application of the nutrients.

It is also important to ensure that the fertilizer is applied evenly. If a large amount of nutrients collects in one place, there is overfertilization. On the other hand, an undersupply can occur around these high concentrations. If there is overfertilization, brownish discolouration can be found, but if there is insufficient supply, the grass becomes lighter. The spreader already mentioned is therefore a good investment. With this one must again pay attention to the correct setting.

Last but not least, it is also important that the fertilizer can penetrate well into the soil. Chemical burns can occur if the dry fertilizer lies on the grass. The fertilization should therefore if possible just before rain take place. Alternatively, the lawn must be sprinkled after fertilizing. However, this only applies to mineral fertilizers. With organic agents, such as very short lawn clippings that remain on the grass, watering is not necessary.

tip: Iron fertilizer as a moss destroyer can temporarily produce brownish, reddish or black spots. This is not a question of damage, just oxidized iron. If you soak thoroughly, the effect will disappear within a few days.

Pests

Another possibility for brown spots on the lawn is with pests. Both the larvae of the meadow snake and the warbler are found just below the sward and feed on the roots of the grass. The brown discoloration is caused by the fact that the grass dies in the affected areas.

Both cases offer themselves for getting rid of it no insecticides as these are not approved for use in private areas. But there are other methods and options to combat the pests. This includes:

Scarifying

The controlled tearing open of the sward makes it “uncomfortable” for the larvae. A well-ventilated lawn is also less attractive for laying eggs.

Nematodes

SC nematodes are roundworms that are available from specialist retailers. After they have been planted, they spread over the lawn and first work their way into the soil. They then attack the larvae of the meadow snake and infect them with a bacterium. The larvae perish.

Calcium cyanamide

Calcium cyanamide applied at the beginning of spring combats the meadow snake larvae. In addition, the agent acts as a fertilizer.

Attract and collect larvae

Ten parts of moistened wheat germ and one part of sugar are mixed together and placed in a shallow bowl or on a plate on the lawn. The mixture acts as a bait for the larvae. With the onset of dusk they collect on it and can then be collected and destroyed.

Remove the sod

With a very strong pest infestation and especially with the larvae of the warbler it may be necessary remove the entire sward including the top layer of soil and dispose of it destroy. However, grass, soil and roots should not end up on the compost, as the pests would only spread back to the newly sown lawn from here.