How can I elimate brown spots on my lawn?
July 3rd, 2008 by Robin
Leisa asked:
Tags:fertilizer,grass,lawn,Lawns,watering
I’ve planted grass seed on my front lawn over 2 months ago and now there are areas of the lawn that have brown spots. Do I use more fertilizer on my lawn to elimate these brown areas? I water my lawn twice a day (live in hot New Mexico) at 15 minutes a piece. Once in the morning and the second time in the evening. Please help.
Tags: 
Are you cooking your lawn? If you leave your hose in the sun the water inside gets very hot. You should let run cool before using it to water anything. RScott
There could be a couple of reasons for the brown spots: Animal urine, mostly dog can burn grass. The salts in the urine can cause slight to severe damage. Grass can sometimes just out-right die from urine exposure.
You said you could add more fertilzer, so apparently you’ve already done so. In this case, if you’ve used too much fertilizer, it can burn the grass. Also chemicals such as pesticides or even spilt gasoline can burn or destroy the grass.
Sometimes, grass seed includes annual bluegrass to provide for a quick “greenry” until the other included grass seed, such as centipede, takes root. The annual bluegrass seeds germinate in cool weather from late summer to late fall. It grows rapidly in the spring, especially if fertilizer is applied. Then, when the weather becomes hot and dry the plants die. Resulting in brown spots.
Finally, a lawn disease caused by severl fungus oranisms can be the culprit. These organisms are active from 75 degrees to 100 degrees. Lawns under stress from lack of moisture, hot dry winds, low pH (6.0 or less) thick thatch, and close mowing are most susceptible to the disease. Lush, thick growth, surprisingly, from excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer can also be attacked. In the cooler all weather new grass will fill-in the dead areas, but the disease may recur the following year. Several fungus’s are similar: brown patch, dollar spot,fusarium blight and pythum blight to name a few. There are several fungicides that work nowadays in a general manner. Anything containing chlorothalonil or diazinon should help.
To check for chinch bugs, cut out both ends of a tin can. Push one end of the can 2 to 3 inches into the soil. Keep it filled with water for 10 minutes. Black to brown insects with white wings, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, float to the surface in 5 to 10 miutes. Pink to brick-red nmphs with a white stripe around the body may also appear.
good luck