Yellow may be a happy color, but your grass turning yellow will definitely make you sad. After all, you’d seeded the lawn with an expectation of soft green turf.
But just like most plants, a little change in something can cause your lawn grass to turn yellow and dry out.
And you end up wondering how to fix it now?
Well. Don’t worry anymore since you’ve landed in the right place.
Today, we will talk about all the possible reasons why your lawn grass is turning yellow and how you can fix it. So, to know more, keep reading.
8 Reasons Why Your Grass is Turning Yellow
Here, we have listed some of the more generic reasons for grass turning yellow.
1. Watering it Wrong
You should never water your grass too little or too much. Most grass types only require frequent watering in their germination stage. But as the grass blades grow, you need to change the frequency.
The amount and frequency are different for different grass types and are mainly related to where they originated from.
For example, St. Augutine is native to the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies region. Which is why it is a drought-tolerant grass. If you water these types of grass too frequently, their roots can rot and eventually die.
So do some research on how much and how often you should water your tuf and follow that.
2. Pest Infestation
Insects, pests, and diseases can also cause your turf to turn yellow into several patches. And the worst part is that, in most cases, the damage is irreversible.
If you notice small holes in the grass blades or unusual dry patches in your grass, they can be signs of pest infestation.
It can be visible insects like caterpillars or underground pests that feast on grass roots.
If you notice a powdery and moldy layer on your grass, it can be due to fungal disease.
Both these issues should be addressed as soon as you notice, or it can take over your entire lawn in a couple of days.
3. Mowing Mistakes
Mowing mistakes can also put the grass under stress, making them turn yellow.
Especially if you are mowing a fresh batch, and you mow them too short, then it can put the plant under extreme stress. As a result, it will turn yellow.
Or if you use a gas mower and its tank is leaking, then the leaked gasoline can also damage your grass, making it dry and yellow and eventually brown.
4. Improper Usage of Fertilizers
While most turf grasses are not very needy and don’t require you to use fertilizers, if your soil isn’t fertile enough, you might need it.
Not getting enough salts and nutrients from the grass bed can also make the turf turn yellow.
On the other hand, the opposite can happen too. By that, we mean if you put too much fertilizer, it can put a strain on the grass, making it turn yellow.
You should neither deprive nor oversaturate your lawn with nutrients. So, choose the suitable fertilizer for your grass type and stick with the instructions written on the labels.
5. Soil Compaction
If your lawn’ soil is very compact, it can suffocate the grassroots. As a result, enough water and nutrients won’t get absorbed or distributed in the plant. And eventually, it will die.
If your lawn experiences heavy footfall or you park your car or any heavy object on your lawn, the chances of soil compaction are higher.
6. Changing Seasons
Depending on where you live and the type of grass you have, you may experience annual dormancy that is out of your control.
During this time, the grass will first start appearing yellow and then eventually shrink back into the shoots. If it’s just dormancy, the grass should start growing back in later winter or early spring with new growth.
It mainly happens as the winter approaches. But if you notice it during mid-summer, then the reason may be different.
Yellowing and dying turf during peak Summer can be a side effect of heat waves, especially for shade-loving grass types like fescue.
7. Environmental Stress
If you have kids who love running and playing on your lawn, sadly, they can also be a reason why your lawn grass is turning yellow.
The grass is more susceptible to environmental stress up until you mow it at least twice. But even after that, if the kids jump or drag heavy objects over the grass, it can permanently traumatize them.
8. Animal Urine
Letting your furry friends pee and poop in your lawn is not a wise decision if you want it to keep lush and green.
Most animal urines have high levels of ammonia that can burn the grass roots, resulting in yellow and dead patches in the grass. Plus, if you keep letting your pets do that, it can also encourage fungal growth, leading to another chain of problems.
How Do I Fix Yellow Grass?
Now that you are aware of most mistakes that can turn your grass yellow, and not repeating them should already help you make things better.
But if you are looking for a more precise answer-
- Start with identifying what went wrong.
- Make sure your soil has all the right nutrients required for the grass
- Don’t over or underwater the grass; just do it right.
- If you need to use pesticides, read and follow each and every line of it!
- If the grass is dead in some patches, the best way to save your lawn’s aesthetics would be doing a patch treatment.
- Don’t let your kids or pets play on the spots where the grass is already yellow.
- Weeding your lawn now and then will ensure your grass gets all the nutrients it needs.
Should I Water Yellow Grass?
The answer will depend on what type of grass you have and what caused your grass to turn yellow.
If you live in an area where it rains quite often and you choose to plant St. Augustine grass, it will eventually turn yellow, and watering it on top of that will make things worse. St. Augustine is a grass that gets stressed by overwatering and, as a result, turns yellow.
However, if you have seeded Bermuda grass and live in a hot and humid climate, then the yellowing may be due to fungal disease. In that case, instead of treating the grass and watering it more will only make things worse.
But of course, the grass can also turn yellow due to lack of water, and if that’s the reason, only then watering it more can fix the problem. Therefore, instead of immediately reaching for the hose pipe, as you notice, yellowing in the grass isn’t always a good idea.
How Can We Prevent Yellow Grass?
Follow these tips to prevent grass yellowing in the first place.
Sharpen Your Mower Blades
Blunt mower blades can make your grass frayed and vulnerable to more damage. As a result, the grass blades can turn yellow and dry.
Raise your Mower Deck
Mowing your grass too short can stress the plant. Cut only one-third of the height to prevent yellowing.
Don’t Fertilize When it’s 75 and above
When the temperature is 75 ℉ or hotter, applying fertilizer can burn your grass and turn it yellow and dry. So fertilize when it’s cooler, and afterward, water them generously.
FAQ’s
Yes. Brown grass can turn green since brown grass doesn’t always mean that the grass is dying. It can also be a sign that it is going dormant.
Early morning, between 6 am to 10 am, is the best time to water your lawn. During that time, the temperature is cooler, meaning the water will be least likely to evaporate quickly.
If you do it in the noon or evening, chances are that the soil will be in the cooling-off phase, which will make the water evaporate faster. So, the roots may not get enough water to soak up.
Conclusion
Finally, we hope you found this article helpful and will soon find the exact reasons behind your lawn grass turning yellow. Pro tip: if the yellowing is happening in scattered patches, it can be due to reasons like fungus growth, disease, and stress.
If the grass is turning yellow overall, it can be due to wrong watering habits, nutrient deficiency, dormancy or heat waves, and using pesticides incorrectly.
Just like different plants have different requirements, it is the same for grasses. So, if you want more grass-specific guides, like caring and reviving St. Augustine grass, Bermuda, and so on, do check our blog sections.