Knowledgebase

Why is my grass turning brown #797103

Asked June 21, 2022, 4:56 PM EDT

My grass is turning brown and I’m not sure why

Prince George's County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi Corey, 

The turf looks like it needs more moisture; what is your watering routine? Brown patch is a fungal condition we're seeing a lot on lawns right now, which is another possibility. Chemically treating the lawn is not a practical approach, as you would need frequent treatments to be effective, and it will not cure it, it just suppresses the leaf spot. 

Some practices that can help: Setting your mower blade higher will help to create a denser and healthier turf that shades out weeds and leaving the grass clippings will help provide the soil's nitrogen needs. You might find our Lawn care resource page helpful: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/lawns-maryland-home-landscape

Maryland is uniquely positioned in a climate transition zone which is not favorable for growing lawn grasses. The transition zone is a region of the United States where temperate and subtropical climates meet. Cool-season turfgrasses such turf-type tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are adapted to temperate climates whereas warm-season grasses like zoysiagrass grow best in subtropical regions. Both cool- and warm-season turfgrasses can grow in Maryland, but our state’s climate is not favorable for either group of grasses over the entire year. This makes it a constant challenge to try to maintain a healthy lawn.

Consider replacing part of your lawn with a lawn alternative such as those shown here: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/lawn-alternatives.

Jamie

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