# Why is my grass going brown



## jgmillzy00 (Apr 26, 2006)

I am in need of some assistance. I bought a new home in Mass last september with a new lawn. I cut it once before winter. In the spring I cut what I had and seed sliced the yard . I used the starter fertilizer twice once around Easter and again near Memorial day. It was looking good up until mid July. So I put some Scotts something or rather with summer gaurd in it and went around the yard.

My yard has a slight slope in it. And the grass is really thick. But I cut it at 4" so to hide some bald spots that I cant seem to get out. Now in June and the beginning of July New England had record rain fall so I dont think it was a lack of watering. So what could be the problem? Well I have some ideas but I'm not the PRO. Could my grass be to thick? I cant even see the loom underneath. Is my loom to compacted so the water is just running down the slope? I took the hose to one of the flat bald spots and the water sat there for about 10 min. And I havent seen any grubs yet.
So what should I do. Oh ya, how is dog crap for a fertilizer because it was nice and green around the terd. Should I start bagging and selling it?:wacko:


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

Maybe you burned it with the fertilizer?


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## Always Greener (Dec 22, 2005)

Can you please post some close ups pics of the problem. Thanks


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## Double-A (Jul 3, 2006)

Sensamillion does not like to be fertilized.  Ooops, wrong forum.:blink:


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## Always Greener (Dec 22, 2005)

Double-A said:


> Sensamillion does not like to be fertilized.  Ooops, wrong forum.:blink:



LOL.....


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## jgmillzy00 (Apr 26, 2006)

I dont think I burnt it. My brother usually helps me fertilize, so this time I did it my self and I left it on the same setting when I put the turf builder on. It required 1 bag for 15000 sq ft, and I had a half a bag left and my yard is just under 15000sq and I didnt want to go over again because I was afraid I would burn it. 

Ill take some pictures and try to put then on here
thanks guys


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## JMG1959 (Aug 26, 2006)

It could be grubs. Get the Grub Killer that is Produced by Bayer. They sell it at Home Depot. You should see a difference in about a week. If you are watering alot or have had alot of rain it shouldn't be Chinch Bugs. Stick your finger through the grass and see what the soil feels like. If it's good and moist it's probably grubs.


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## [email protected] (Sep 29, 2005)

Without a picture its hard to tell but if water is standing for 10 minutes it sounds like your soil may be compacted. We have a lot of clay here and its really hard to get anything but weeds to grow in it. Why not do a soil test and also core aerate the lawn to open it up. See if that helps. It sure won't hurt it and you can rent the aerater. Wish you luck.


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## 747 (Jan 21, 2005)

Yep go rent a airrator. There really easy to operate. They pretty much go by themselves. You might also want to rent a dethacher. Dethach first then airrate. (spelling on both of those). If that doesn't work than its disease or insect related. By doing both of those you will allow water and scotts turf builder to get down to the roots for a 100 percent fact.


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## Always Greener (Dec 22, 2005)

747 said:


> Yep go rent a airrator. There really easy to operate. They pretty much go by themselves. You might also want to rent a dethacher. Dethach first then airrate. (spelling on both of those). If that doesn't work than its disease or insect related. By doing both of those you will allow water and scotts turf builder to get down to the roots for a 100 percent fact.



I,m sorry to do this but I don't like the solution you are giving.. If it is a disease or insect problem you need to take care of those first...If you de-thatch you better make sure you have a layer of thatch or you will be pulling up good grass and you will make more problems for yourself. Aerating is always a good practice to do at least once a year. Fall is the best time. What we don't want to do is put more stress on the lawn. I have asked for pictures so time will tell..


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

Maybe while we are waiting for some shots from jgm you guys could look at my brown spots. The lawn was looking pretty good untill these spots showed up.


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## 747 (Jan 21, 2005)

Ok just airrate and don't dethach.LOL The pics above. I'm glad thats not my lawn because it looks like sod. I just have a push mulcher mower. Point being my lawn is natural grass which is easier to mow than sod is with push mower. My sister has sod she bought self propelled push mower. Her lawn is completely different to mow than my natural grass.


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## 747 (Jan 21, 2005)

Somebody tell me what that one stuff is called. Its a piece of like plastic that has lawn seed attached to it. You just lay it down water it and grass grows and then the plastic automatically disappears.


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

747 said:


> Ok just airrate and don't dethach.LOL The pics above. I'm glad thats not my lawn because it looks like sod. I just have a push mulcher mower. Point being my lawn is natural grass which is easier to mow than sod is with push mower. My sister has sod she bought self propelled push mower. Her lawn is completely different to mow than my natural grass.


It's not sod. It started out as dandelions 10 years ago when I bought the place. I struggle with it every year, especially this time of year. I was always thinking it was fungus but this year I hammered it with fungicide. 



> self propelled push mower.


I've seen mowers in other parts of the country that I don't see in Colorado, (probably because growing grass here is a chore), but what is a self propelled push mower?? 

I don't cut my own grass because hay fever could put me in the ER.


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## 747 (Jan 21, 2005)

Its a push lawn mower you don't have to push. Its goes by itself. You just guide it. Thats a great looking lawn for being grass. Its really thick. Most thick lawns are sod. Basically it does all the mowing you just do the walking no pushing.


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## widco (Jan 16, 2004)

---


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

awidmeyer said:


> If you have a gas line there it may be leaking


Interesting idea and where I took the pics there is a gas line but the spots are scattered across the whole lawn. They don't go into my neighbors lawn, who is in charge of the city golf courses. I think he knows somethiong that I don't but he doesn't seem willing to tell me.


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

Rob 53 said:


> Interesting idea and where I took the pics there is a gas line but the spots are scattered across the whole lawn. They don't go into my neighbors lawn, who is in charge of the city golf courses. I think he knows somethiong that I don't but he doesn't seem willing to tell me.


Take a cup full of fertilizer and dump it on your neighbors grass, wait a week for the burn to appear, watch what he does to fix the problem, do as he does, problem fixed, unless you get caught throwing a cup of fertilizer on his lawn, if that happens then get out the boxing gloves.


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## [email protected] (Sep 29, 2005)

Not my area of expertise but you could try - www.urbanext.uiuc.eda/lawnchallenge/lesson8.html What do you say AG? If I had to guess I would say sod webworm or summer spot but to be honest .....


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## pacontractor (Sep 15, 2006)

What time of year was it - It may be fungus if it has been too wet. Another issue might the the tree roots I see on some places. As they get larger there won't be much top soil on top of them so the grass on top of tree roots can bake and dry out faster.


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## d.janvrin (Apr 2, 2006)

Grubs My Boy Grubs


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

d.janvrin said:


> Grubs My Boy Grubs


 Would I see grubs if I dug up a piece of the turf?? I didn't see anything that looks like a grub

I would have though fungus but i hammered it with fungicide through the season. Maybe it would have been worse if I didn't treat it.

I pretty sure it wasn't fertilizer burn. That usually comes back to life after a week or two. These spots did not come back. I even turned the soil and reseeded a few places and the new grass started comming up and then just died.

The season is just about over. Aerate and thatch Spring or Fall??? Most around here do it in the Spring. 


Thanks for the help


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## pat11784 (Jan 6, 2005)

I had spots turning brown like that this year too...I thought I wasn't watering enough or needed to fertilize...my local agway guy said there was alot of fungus this year with all the damp weather and more watering and fertilizer would make it worse. I tried the fungicide and in a week it started to clear up..it all looks better now...:clap:


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

pat11784 said:


> I had spots turning brown like that this year too...I thought I wasn't watering enough or needed to fertilize...my local agway guy said there was alot of fungus this year with all the damp weather and more watering and fertilizer would make it worse. I tried the fungicide and in a week it started to clear up..it all looks better now...:clap:


Yea I was thinking that maybe I needed to wait until the fungus showed up before I hammered it. I was using it all season trying to prevent it. My neighbor didn't get it at all.:furious:


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