One of the biggest landscaping issues that many homeowners face is keeping their lawn healthy. There’s nothing worse than heading outside one day to notice your grass is either browning or wilting away. The truth is there are a variety of different factors that can lead to your grass dying. Sometimes, your lawn can be revived back to its healthy green prime. On the other hand, there are times when the damage to your lawn is simply too much to overcome. That’s why it’s important to understand some of the main reasons why your grass can die so that you can take actionable steps towards avoiding them.

Grass tends to turn brown when the roots aren’t able to grab the nutrients and water it needs from the soil. It can also end up dying when the soil doesn’t have the nutrients and consistency it needs to really thrive. If there are a variety of different areas and circles of brown grass, those areas are likely areas of dead grass. However, if the entire lawn is the same brown color, your grass might just be in a dormant state. We want you to always have the healthiest lawn possible, which is why we’ve prepared the following article which details the top 5 reasons for dead grass. Remember, if you are trying to rescue dormant or dying grass, you can always head over to Cal Blend Soils for the products and supplies you need to make it happen.

1. Pet Spots

Believe it or not, one of the most common reasons for dead grass is the result of pets. Dogs tend to love urinating on grass, which can lead to brown spots on the area that they love using the restroom on. Large birds can also cause damage to your lawn with their urine spots. Urine will typically cause your lawn to turn yellow in certain spots. There are also scenarios where a bright green ring forms around the edges thanks to the diluted nitrogen in the urine acting as a powerful fertilizer.

You aren’t going to be able to prevent animals for urinating on your lawn entirely, but there are a few steps you can take to prevent it from happening. Keeping your own pets off of your lawn when they need to use the restroom is one way to prevent this from happening. You can also put up friendly reminder signs around your lawn that let your neighbors know to keep their pets off of your property.

2. Drought or Lack of Water

Perhaps the most important variable for a healthy lawn is getting your grass the amount of water it needs to grow in healthily. One of the biggest reasons why people’s grass ends up dying is due to drought or a lack of water. That’s why it’s important to stick to a regular watering schedule and understand how the time of the year is affecting your grass. For example, there are plenty of homeowners and landscapers that don’t water their grass during the summer months. This is not a good idea, as the summer tends to be the hottest and driest time of the year. Remember that lawns need about one inch of water per week to stay healthy.

There are quite a few different ways to make sure your grass is getting the water it needs to stay healthy. You can invest in an irrigation system that provides the perfect amount of water for your grass at scheduled times each week. If this isn’t an option you are interested in, you can also head out with a hose and rely on rainfall to keep your grass hydrated and healthy. Don’t forget that drought is one of the top 5 reasons for dead grass.

3. Disease and Fungus

You might not know about all of the different diseases that can affect your lawn, but the truth is that there are plenty. Disease and fungus are one of the biggest reasons behind dead grass. If you head outside and notice that your grass is covered with black, brown, or white substances, there’s a good chance you are dealing with a lawn disease. These diseases and fungal issues thrive in hot and humid weather, so your lawn is more prone to them in the hot summer months. These types of issues can cause huge brown spots in your lawn and should not be taken lightly. Keep in mind that watering your grass at night can be contributing to the issue. Instead, try to water your lawn in the early morning to avoid creating the perfect environment for fungus and diseases.

4. Mowing Issues

Mowing your lawn is one of the best ways to keep it looking healthy and sharp. That being said, many homeowners that handle their own landscaping don’t understand that they can potentially be damaging their lawn by using improper mowing techniques. This is another one of the top 5 reasons for dead grass. Using dull mower blades will actually damage your grass and eventually lead to it dying. You also need to avoid setting your mower blades too low to the ground, because cutting it too short can also cause permanent damage to your lawn. Try to keep things right around 3 inches during the summertime to keep your lawn looking great and healthy.

5. Too Much Fertilizer

Fertilizer is an essential landscaping product to purchase that can help you take your lawn to an entirely new level. However, if you use too much fertilizer, you could actually be killing your grass. Fertilizers normally consist of salts with added nutrients. Too much fertilizer will end up damaging the roots of your grass and will result in large brown patches. Make sure you do your research to figure out the perfect amount of fertilizer to use on your grass.

Grass is a delicate plant that requires commitment and dedication to thrive. Remember the reasons for dead grass mentioned above and plan ahead to keep your grass looking fantastic all year long.