Reasons Your Lawn Could Be Yellow and What to Do About it

A green, well maintained lawn is the ultimate show of beauty and a source or well-deserved pride for any homeowner. After all, it is no mean feat to keep a lawn in control and looking good.

It has to be lush green, the grass has to be just the right height, and there should be no hideous threadbare patches. A lawn can really add to the exterior beauty of a house.

A lawn that is well kept, watered deeply and fertilized regularly should maintain a lush green color throughout the year.

Of course, a change of seasons will a slight change of shades, and a few strands of dead, yellow grass should be showing up occasionally.

But if your lawn starts turning yellow, there is cause for concern. Just as a well maintained, carpet-like green lawn can make a house look amazing, a dead-looking yellow lawn can make an otherwise pretty house look hideous.

If you find your lawn starting to turn yellow, you should inspect it for insects, general malpractice in tending, or weather conditions. The things described below could gradually turn your lawn yellow if you leave them unchecked. So follow the guidelines and slowly restore your lawn to its top form:

Harsh weather conditions

All types of harsh weather conditions can lay stress on the grass, and this slowly changes their color. If conditions are too harsh, the grass may die, leading to dead, yellow, dry grass.

Summer heat can be the most threatening to grass. Direct sunlight dries the grass out, and general dehydration quickly leads to the deterioration of the quality of grass.

So if you are facing a particularly hot and difficult summer, make it a point to water your lawn regularly, and deeply.

Winter and a lack of sunlight can also have detrimental effects on the quality of grass. Try to keep the grass slightly longer during winter to give the grass enough leaf to photosynthesize efficiently, and thus keep healthy through a cold winter.

General lack of humidity, too can affect grass detrimentally. If you face very dry weathers, you should water the grass deeply. Try to give your lawn up to an inch and a half of irrigation.
Insects

Pesky critters may be cutting up your grass and slowly killing off your lawn. If a yellowing of your lawn is occurring when there is no appreciable change in temperature, you should check your lawn for any signs of infestation.

This may include larvae, eggs, insect burrows and holes in grass blades. Different types of insects invade grass lawns, such as white grubs, chinch bugs, mites; and they attack different parts of the grass, such as blades, roots etc. But the net effect is the same – you are left with dead, dry, yellow grass.

If you have determined that insects are the cause of deterioration of your lawn, the next step would be to spray a good insecticide. Try to refrain from using a very strong pesticide, and keep family pets and children away from the lawn while the insecticide is in action. You should be left with an insecticide-free lawn that can soon be nursed back to health.

Irregularity in maintenance cycle

If you are not regular about lawn maintenance, or you make frequent changes to the routine, this can have a harmful effect on your lawn grass. Try to establish a set routine. Water your lawn once every week on normal weather. But water deeply; provide up to an inch of water level for your lawn.

Lawns require fertilization. Every 500 square feet of lawn grass typically need about ½ lb nitrogen fertilizer.

Lawns should be mown in regular and fixed intervals. The recommended length varies for different species, but an average is around 2 to 3 inches. In harsh weather conditions, however, you should keep the grass slightly long and mow infrequently to reduce pressure on the grass.

Disease

Like all living creatures, grass is prone to disease. Fungal infections such as rust, rhizoctonia and dollar spot are are common with grass. If you suspect that your lawn grass is infected, you should consult a professional, who will then recommend the right course of action.

If your grass is suddenly going yellow, there is no cause for concern. Remember that grass is a sturdy, fast growing plant, so you can easily nurse your lawn back to good health.