Causes Of Patches On Lawns

Patches and Spots On Lawns

Spots on lawns can be an indication of many possible problems including lawn disease. These spots are often characterised by brown patches or circles on the lawn which will range in size from the size of a dollar coin an up to a metre or more in diameter.

Lets take an overview of some of the causes of brown patches, circles or spots on lawns. The following list is not exhaustive but an overview of the most common causes of the problems.

Dog Urine

Dog urine on the lawn will usually leave a small brown spot on the lawn which will often kill the lawn in the affected area. The high nitrogen content in dog pee is responsible for the burning, and the brown spots will quickly repair within a week or two.

Dry Patches

Some lawns can develop small patches of soil underneath the lawn which can become more hydrophobic than the surrounding turf. This presents itself as a dying, sick or unhealthy patch of grass in an otherwise healthy lawn. This lawn problem is easily rectified by digging a garden fork into the affected area and rigorously loosening the soil underneath. An application of Wetting Agents or lawn coring the entire lawn may also benefit the ongoing health of the lawn.

Dollar Spot

This lawn disease will create many small brown spots on the lawn surface which will continue to worsen if left untreated. Dollar Spot is most easily recognisable by the multiple spots which are about the size of a dollar coin.
Dollar Spot

Brown Patch

Brown Patch is a lawn disease which is most easily recognisable by the brown and dying patches it creates on the lawn surface. The patches will start off small and continue to grow in size, there can be multiple patches of brown lawn which may eventually fuse together to create a very unsightly lawn.
Brown Patch

Spring Dead Spot

Spring Dead Spot is a lawn disease of Couch lawns, it can appear similar to Brown Patch lawn disease, and will likewise begin in a small patch or circle of dying grass which will continue to grow in size if left untreated. Spring Dead Spot is most easily noticeable in Spring when the grass begins to deepen it's green colour and the disease becomes more easily noticeable.
Spring Dead Spot

Fairy Ring

Fairy ring is a lawn fungal disease which is most commonly associated with having a ring of Mushrooms growing around a circle of dying lawn. However, Fairy Ring can present itself in many different ways including without the mushroom component. In this form, Fairy Ring will be identified by a circular patch of dying grass which has an ultra bright green ring around it's perimeter. Fairy Ring begins as a small patch and will continue to grow indefinitely. It is a lawn disease which must be dealt with.
Fairy Ring