Why is my lawn so brown and looking like it is dying? - Ask Extension
I live in Arvada at about 6000 feet. My lawn started exhibiting brown spots last year but the brown/dead grass has increased this year. I water 3 ti...
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Why is my lawn so brown and looking like it is dying? #794782
Asked June 07, 2022, 5:42 PM EDT
I live in Arvada at about 6000 feet. My lawn started exhibiting brown spots last year but the brown/dead grass has increased this year. I water 3 times a week in the early morning. Each watering cycle has two 20 minutes sessions about 40 minutes apart. Please see attached pictures. anyidea what is causing this?
Jefferson County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for including photos; they were very helpful. The affected area looks like it's on a west slope, an ideal exposure for mites to thrive in the lawn Feb-May. Banks grass mites have caused lots of dead areas in lawns this winter-spring.
At your site, look at some of the green grass blades in or immediately adjacent to brown (dead) grass. Using a hand lens/magnifying glass, you should see several to many small white spots on the grass blade; these are spots where mites have "sucked out" the fluids out of cells in the blade. Brown (dead) grass nearby was more heavily fed upon.
Banks grass mites and clover mites can damage or kill large lawn areas under the right exposure and conditions. When we have dry warm snowless periods in winter, mites will proliferate on and damage lawn areas on warm exposures. Mite numbers plummet after we start watering lawns in April/May...so WATER is the key to keeping their numbers down. Using a hose and sprinkler, water/sprinkle prone areas several times during dry, warm snowless periods during fall and winter.
As for what you can do now, cut out and remove dead area in as rectangular or square a pattern possible and replace with new Kentucky bluegrass sod.
You don't have to replace the sod right away because the mites won’t spread and cause more damage since you are watering your lawn. Banks grass mite does persist well into summer despite lawn watering, but numbers will be way down.
Here is a fact sheet on mites and another on fall and winter watering. We had a very dry fall and winter last year and even the year before was not great for precipitation which is why fall and winter watering is really important.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/clover-and-other-mites-of-turfgrass-5-505/
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/
Thanks for contacting Ask Extension.
Jeffco Master Gardener Clinician Nancy
Thanks for including photos; they were very helpful. The affected area looks like it's on a west slope, an ideal exposure for mites to thrive in the lawn Feb-May. Banks grass mites have caused lots of dead areas in lawns this winter-spring.
At your site, look at some of the green grass blades in or immediately adjacent to brown (dead) grass. Using a hand lens/magnifying glass, you should see several to many small white spots on the grass blade; these are spots where mites have "sucked out" the fluids out of cells in the blade. Brown (dead) grass nearby was more heavily fed upon.
Banks grass mites and clover mites can damage or kill large lawn areas under the right exposure and conditions. When we have dry warm snowless periods in winter, mites will proliferate on and damage lawn areas on warm exposures. Mite numbers plummet after we start watering lawns in April/May...so WATER is the key to keeping their numbers down. Using a hose and sprinkler, water/sprinkle prone areas several times during dry, warm snowless periods during fall and winter.
As for what you can do now, cut out and remove dead area in as rectangular or square a pattern possible and replace with new Kentucky bluegrass sod.
You don't have to replace the sod right away because the mites won’t spread and cause more damage since you are watering your lawn. Banks grass mite does persist well into summer despite lawn watering, but numbers will be way down.
Here is a fact sheet on mites and another on fall and winter watering. We had a very dry fall and winter last year and even the year before was not great for precipitation which is why fall and winter watering is really important.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/clover-and-other-mites-of-turfgrass-5-505/
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/
Thanks for contacting Ask Extension.
Jeffco Master Gardener Clinician Nancy
Hi kathy,
To confirm the presence of mites, and differentiate from other possible causes, such as winter kill and sprinkler coverage, you can submit a turf sample to the Jeffco plant clinic ($7 fee for Jeffco residents).
Best,
Mari Hackbarth
To confirm the presence of mites, and differentiate from other possible causes, such as winter kill and sprinkler coverage, you can submit a turf sample to the Jeffco plant clinic ($7 fee for Jeffco residents).
Best,
Mari Hackbarth
