Your once lovely, lush green lawn, verdant for all to admire, is turning yellow. It may be a spot here and there, or it could be all over. Yellowing grass is a common issue for all lawn owners. Many things can cause this yellowing; some are natural processes, and some are human-caused. Most issues usually have simple, low-cost solutions.
Over-Fertilizing
Too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing. Grass, like all other plants, has a specific Ph window that it thrives in. Over-fertilizing, either too often or too much at one time, can cause chemical burns and leave yellow spots in your lawn. The solution: Stop doing it. In time, the lawn will re-grow and the new grass will be green, just like the old grass use to be.
Under-Fertilizing
If you haven’t fertilized and are experiencing grass spots, you many have a nutrient deficiency in your soil, and in this case you need to fertilize. The two usual suspects are iron and nitrogen. Nitrogen deficiencies tend to be systemic; if your lawn has yellow patches all over, you probably have low nitrogen. Iron deficiencies tend to be in random patches.The solution; for either nutrient, find a fertilizer that addresses your issue, and apply according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t overdo it.
Dog Urine
If you notice that the yellow spots are all along the edge of your lawn by the sidewalk, dog urine may be the culprit. It could also be the miniscule leftovers the dog owner wasn't able to pick up. Both urine and feces are a dog’s body’s way of getting rid of excessive nitrogen, which unfortunately burns the grass. Solutions include training your dog to use only a certain part of your lawn (or place gravel in the area for easier cleanup), or talking to your neighbor and explaining the situation because nobody wants a spotty lawn.
Pests and Diseases
When the above three aren’t the issue, get on your knees and take a really good look at your grass. Look for holes in the grass, bugs and bug eggs, fungus, unusual growth spots and anything else that shouldn’t be there. Every area is different in terms of infestation and disease vectors; the good news is that relief is usually a pesticide treatment away. Take a sample to your local garden center or agricultural extension center; these people work with plants everyday and should be able to identify what might be infesting the grass.