Yellow patches in lawns

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Melissa - General Lawn Turf Blogs, Lawn Care Support Blogs

Do you have yellow patches in your otherwise lovely green lawn? There are a few common reasons it could be happening. Learn more below, and how to fix these issues.

Firstly, take a closer look at your lawn – if the tips of the grass are yellow but the rest of the leaf blade is green, there could be a really simple explanation – and an easy fix. Blunt or dull lawn-mower blades can tear your grass,

leaving the edges frayed which, in turn, causes the tips to yellow. Solution – Have the blades of your lawn-mower sharpened or replaced.

If the whole blade of grass is yellowing then we’ll need to investigate a little further to uncover the reason why…

Extended heat

Extended periods of heat can cause the grass to dry out and lose colour – turning it yellow. This can happen in just a few days depending on your grass and how hot it gets. This could be a sign that your lawn’s root structure is fairly shallow. To get the colour back into your lawn, you could water your lawn, but to tackle the cause of the problem and reduce the likelihood of it happening again you will need to encourage your grass to root deeply. To do this water deeply but less frequently.

Grass too short

If you cut the grass too short then it may turn yellow. The grass ends up not having enough moisture and will turn yellow. You will often be able to recognise this as it will happen soon after cutting the lawn. Allow your grass to grow longer and provide it with sufficient water to grow. Next time you mow your lawn raise the cutting height of your lawn-mower. If you seem to get patches of yellow or brown grass after cutting the lawn it maybe because you are cutting the lawn too short or scalping the law in these areas. This is often caused by the lawn being uneven. To prevent this you can increase the cutting height of your lawn-mower when cutting these areas or consider flattening the lawn or applying a top dressing for a more even lawn.

Nutrient deficient

Your lawn could be lacking the required nutrients; particularly iron or nitrogen. To fix this issue you can add a fertiliser to your lawn that is rich in these vital components and it should regain its colour in a few days. Always follow the instructions on the packet. Too much nitrogen will also turn the grass yellow.

Backyard equipment

If the grass has turned yellow around lawn furniture, play equipment, swings or other areas of the garden that gets a lot of use, it’s probably caused by soil compaction. This is where the soil particles have become too close and stop oxygen and water from circulating correctly. To fix soil compaction you need to aerate your lawn. This can be done using an aerator or by plunging a garden fork into the ground in regular intervals.

Petrol and chemicals

Petrol and other chemical spills can easily turn your lawn yellow. If you use a petrol lawnmower then you should fill it up away from the grass. If you do spill petrol on the lawn, then you should clean up the spillage as quickly as possible and flood the area with water to dilute the fuel. You may need to dig this area of the lawn up in order to get a green lawn once again.

Contact the Harden Park Lawns team to learn more.