Knowledgebase
Brown Circles In My Lawn #248298
Asked May 30, 2015, 10:14 AM EDT
Some brown circles have appeared in my lush lawn. All are between the sidewalk and curb, all identical at about the size of a softball, and all with bare dirt at the center.
The lawn has been fertilized recently and is watered twice weekly by an in-ground sprinkler system on a timer.
Plz ID the problem and suggest a solution.
Thank you very much,
Ernie Harris
Anthem Ranch
Broomfield
Broomfield County Colorado
Expert Response
Thanks for contacting us. Unfortunately you are not the only one with lawn problems this spring! The large amount of rain and the cool days have created problems. In attempting to answer your question, we find the more information would be helpful. You mention that these spots are showing up between the sidewalk and curb - is that area separate from your main lawn? If so, do those spots show up in that area, too? How about your neighbor's lawns, do they show the same problem?
There are a number of things that can cause these symptoms, ranging from fungal attacks to insects to chemical burns. When you mentioned that the center of the spots is bare dirt, that makes me think that possibly someone spot treated weeds with a chemical, and that created the dead spot. I've done it myself, before I knew better! Would it be possible for you to send us some some digital photos of the spots? Please include an object in the photos so we can have a reference item for scale.
Below is the CSU Extension office web address for Lawn information. It has photos of the different types of lawn damage that occur in Colorado, so that may help you, too.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/ptlk1500.html
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Scott
Thanks for the reply.
Only Weed-B-Gon has been used on the lawn, and more broadly than these few sport. I think the cause is spread thru the ground, or is a worm, and that the sidewalk has prevented it being spread to the main part of the lawn.
Two pictures included show two of the spots, with my foot as a guide to their size, which is about 6" across. They do not appear to grown larger than that, and are all the same size with the identical pattern of a bare spot surrounded by a circle of dead grass.
A third photo is of the main part of the yard, which is in excellent health.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the photos. Those spots are indicative of either snow mold or melting-out of bluegrass. It is a temporary problem after sudden cold weather like we had last Fall/Winter, and is compounded by wet springs. Both diseases are treated the same way, with cultural practices being used to control the problem. Now that you have the spots, we recommend you use a hard rake to remove the dead grass, loosen the topsoil, and then re-seed. The seeded area should be kept moist - not wet. Overwatering can be a problem in timer controlled watering systems, especially when Nature is watering too.
One other thing you can do is look for insects by pulling up the patches right at the border of the brown/green areas. It is a little early to being seeing sod grubs, but you should check for them while you are at it.
Let us know how the reseeding goes, and please contact us if you need more help.
