We have to solve the problem of what to do if the lawn turns yellow quite often. In such a situation, it is important to establish the exact cause of the negative phenomenon in order to take immediate action.
Lawn Care Mistakes That Cause Yellowing
Analyzing the main causes of yellowing of grass, it can be noted that this phenomenon is most often provoked by mistakes made in caring for the lawn:
Unbalanced watering. A lack of moisture causes the grass to dry out. Excessive amounts of water, which stagnate and cause rotting of the root system, also have an adverse effect.
Illiterate organization of fertilizing. Lack of fertilizer weakens plants, causing them to turn yellow prematurely. There is a danger of grass drying out if more nutrients are added than normal or if this procedure is carried out more often than recommended.
Non-compliance with haircut rules. A lawn, especially in hot weather, that is mowed lower than required does not restore growth and dries out. Yellowing of the grass also occurs with infrequent cutting, since overgrown plants lose more than half their length.
Other causes of yellowing
Even with correctly chosen and timely maintenance methods, yellow spots can form on the lawn. The following reasons cause this phenomenon:
Failure to comply with sowing standards. If seeds are placed in the soil too thickly, developing seedlings do not receive the required amount of moisture and nutrients. As a result, the lawn gradually dries out.
Trampling. If the lawn was not created for holding sports games and picnics, and for decorative purposes, it may become covered with yellow bald spots as a result of frequent walking on the grass.
Freezing. Danger in winter season represents an insufficient layer of snow on the grass cover, leading to the death of roots due to severe frosts. Plants are capable of rotting due to the formation of an ice crust if the snowdrifts are massive.
Fungal diseases. The grass on the lawn turns yellow and dries, witch rings form, and damage occurs. dangerous infections. It could be fusarium or powdery mildew. Leaf rust, crust disease, and ophiobolus have a negative effect.
Mechanical damage. The lawn dries out if the grass cover or its root system injured by moles, mice or insects.
Waterlogged soil. The location of the lawn is in the lowlands, where melt and rainwater, as well as in areas with highly located aquifers, leads to rotting of the roots, expressed in the appearance of yellowness.
The lawn becomes covered with yellow spots if cats or dogs choose it as a toilet. In these places, the grass gets burned, after which it does not recover.
Sometimes the cause of yellowing of the lawn is the use of construction waste as a lower drainage layer, which can release elements toxic to plants.
How to solve a problem
Having determined the reason why the lawn turns yellow, you can develop a list of measures to save it.
Selecting a grass mixture that is resistant to yellowing
At the initial stage of laying a lawn, it will be possible to avoid the loss of its decorative value in the future if you select seeds of grass mixtures that are resistant to premature wilting. Drought-tolerant grasses can be sown separately, but properly mixed ready-made mixtures are considered more reliable. Among them the following varieties can be distinguished:
- The Russian company MosAgroGroup presents the “Dachnik” mixture, which includes two types of fescue - tall fescue (50%) and red (30%), as well as perennial ryegrass with meadow grass (10% each).
- In the catalog of the German company Blooming Life, they select a variety of drought-resistant lawn from two types of red fescue - “service” and “reverent” (35% each). It also contains perennial ryegrass (20%) and meadow bluegrass (10%).
- The lawn will always please you green decor, if you use the Canada Supergreen mixture for sowing, consisting of red fescue (80%), as well as perennial ryegrass and meadow bluegrass (10% each).
Organizing proper watering
A lawn watering system is selected taking into account a number of factors. These include weather conditions, soil type, and the type of grass grown. The criterion for the need for watering is the elasticity of the grass. If it does not straighten after pressing, the soil should be moistened.
Do not spray water on the grass during the daytime. Drops refracting Sun rays, can cause burns and yellowing of grass blades. Therefore, this procedure is performed early in the morning or in the evening.
Avoid excessive watering, after which puddles stagnate for a long time. To ensure uniform moistening, sprinklers are installed - retractable (rotor, fan), non-retractable (oscillating, pulse, circular). Unlike the flow of water from a hose, drops from such devices do not kill the grass or compact the soil.
Organizing the right haircut
Before you start mowing your lawn, you need to study the information on what the minimum length of the remaining part of the grass should be. This indicator depends on the type of coating being created. In any case, cut off no more than one third of the part. To prevent the lawn from turning yellow after mowing, it is important to observe the required frequency of mowing. It is usually recommended to perform the procedure at least once every two weeks. During hot periods, mow the grass in the morning or evening. This event is not permitted in rainy weather. Use lawn mowers equipped sharp knives, as well as trimmers or special scissors.
Organization of competent feeding
Considering that the lawn is often mowed, it is necessary to regularly replenish the loss of nutrients. On average, fertilizers are applied three to five times during the growing season. In spring and summer, nitrogen should predominate in the complex, promoting the rapid restoration of green mass.
For these purposes, it is convenient to use special balanced granules of the Fertika Lawn Spring-Summer nutritional complex. Sprinkle them according to the instructions before watering. Starting preparations for winter, in the autumn season the dose of potassium and phosphorus is increased. For example, they use special complex fertilizers “Fertika Lawn Autumn”.
Protecting grass from pests
Caring for a lawn laid out on a plot near a house includes measures to protect plants from harmful insects. You can tell that they have appeared by the unevenly distributed yellow spots.
Particularly noticeable damage is caused by the larvae of the May beetle, wireworms, and mole crickets. These pests damage the roots, causing the grass to dry out. The drug Nemabact is used against most of them. High-frequency repellers and special traps are also installed against mole crickets.
Preventing yellowing of the lawn
A number of preventive measures can be used to avoid the appearance of yellow bald spots on the lawn, including the rolled type:
Scarification. The procedure consists of combing out the grass using a rake. The result is the removal of unnecessary debris and loosening of the soil. If it is necessary to cut through the turf, increase the pressure on the rake.
Aeration. Dense turf becomes an obstacle to the air needed for grass growth to reach the roots. To eliminate this problem, pierce the surface layer special devices. You can buy boots equipped with long spikes and walk on the lawn.
Mulching. In order to preserve moisture in the soil and prevent its strong compaction, the surface is mulched. For this purpose, they use the grass remaining after cutting with lawn mowers equipped with devices for grinding it. It is important to develop a set of measures, including not only preventive procedures, but also timely regular care. This will prevent possible yellowing and wilting of the lawn.
The lawn may begin to dry out long before the fall season. Individual spots of yellowed grass appear on the lawn, or the entire area becomes withered.
Just yesterday the lawn was fresh and elastic, but today dry stems are visible, soil is visible in places, and sometimes even appears bad smell. You shouldn’t let the situation take its course, because your work may be in vain, and the lawn will continue to lose decorative look! To prevent this from happening, read the main reasons for lawn grass wilting, and we will tell you how to restore it to its original appearance.
Reason 1. Lack of moisture
First and main reason drying out of the lawn - insufficient moisture. In the absence of rain, the hot summer sun can completely burn the grass. It can also suffer in the spring if there is not enough rainfall. The solution to the problem is quite simple: take care of the lawn as you would other plants. Water regularly at least once every 3-5 days (depending on the weather). Use a stick to measure the depth, how dry the soil is, and do not allow excessive drought.
If you don’t have time to water the lawn or you are at the dacha only on weekends, give preference drought-resistant plants: meadow bluegrass, red fescue, ryegrass.
Reason 2. Delayed mowing of the lawn
An overgrown lawn often retains moisture, which contributes to the development of diseases and infections. Overgrown plant stems require more nutrients, which they cannot obtain due to the specific planting density, so the grass begins to turn yellow and dry out.
To avoid this in summer period It is recommended to mow the grass every 4-5 days. Even if at first glance the lawn does not have any prerequisites for drying out, preventative mowing is simply necessary. If you have already missed the mowing deadlines and the lawn has begun to dry out, mow the lawn in three steps: first, remove the height by a quarter, during the second mowing - by 50%, and the third time - to the required height (3-5 cm).
Reason 3. Felt plug on the lawn
The lawn may turn yellow due to the remains of mowed grass or particles of dead plants. If not removed in time, they form a so-called “felt plug” - they are clogged with a dense carpet upper layer soil, thereby complicating the access of oxygen to plant roots.
This leads to excessive waterlogging of the lawn, its rotting and damping off. Therefore, after mowing the lawn, try to carefully comb out the mowed particles with a rake.
Reason 4. Damage to lawn grass by powdery mildew
Sometimes drying out of the lawn is a consequence of some disease or infection. The most common of them is powdery mildew. At first, the plants become covered with a white coating, and after a while they dry out. The cause of the damage may be an excess of nitrogen fertilizers.
In this case, you should exclude them from fertilizing and treat the lawn with a fungicide or 1% Bordeaux mixture. Then, use a fan rake to very carefully remove the affected grass. At the end of autumn, treat the lawn again and mow the grass. In spring, apply complex mineral fertilizers (without nitrogen).
Reason 5. The appearance of rust on the lawn
Another disease that leads to grass drying out is rust. It occurs due to low illumination of the lawn or a lack of mineral components in the soil. To cope with the problem, you can use fertilizers such as Nitrophoska or Urea.
Fertilizers should be applied to a mowed, combed and well-moistened lawn. Two days after mineralization, mow the lawn.
Reason 6. Insufficient lawn aeration
Due to the density of the soil intertwined with roots, lawn plants experience oxygen deficiency. Roots that do not receive enough air do not supply adequate nutrition to the stems, which results in the lawn drying out. To prevent this, aeration should be carried out. Its essence is to pierce the soil.
This can be done with ordinary garden forks, piercing the area to the depth of the teeth and slightly swinging the fork. Punctures are made where moisture most often collects or where the most severe drying is noted. For prevention, aeration is carried out once a year. But if the lawn dries out often, then this should be done more often - two to three times a year.
Reason 7. Lack of nutrients in the soil
Lack of regular feeding in the best possible way affects the appearance of the lawn. It begins to dry out, and after a while the spots of withered grass merge. Most often, in such a situation, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, for example, ammonium nitrate at the rate of 5-10 g per 1 sq.m., helps. Water the grass thoroughly before the procedure. Even a completely dry lawn can come back to life in just a week after this feeding. And in order to avoid yellowing grass in the future, read the article about the best way to feed your lawn throughout the season.
Reason 8. Damage to lawn grass by animals
Often the grass begins to turn yellow due to damage to the root system caused by wild and domestic animals. Playful dogs that want to bury a bone on the lawn, cats that hunt mice, as well as moles, shrews and mole crickets can cause the lawn to dry out. Therefore, if you have pets, do not let them on the grass, and prepare bait traps for wild pests.
Reason 9. Frequent mechanical impact
Do you often relax on the lawn with your whole family? Do you lay out baskets, sun loungers, blankets on the grass, and play badminton? Then be prepared that one day trampled bald spots with yellowed grass will appear in place of the uniform green covering. Too frequent games and picnics are not suitable for decorative lawns, so either set aside a separate area for relaxation or plant more resistant grasses, for example, ryegrass, which is used to cover football fields and tennis courts.
To revitalize your lawn, water it and avoid walking on it until the plants recover. In completely trampled areas, grass will have to be re-sowed.
Reason 10. Violation of the seeding norm when laying the lawn
This problem is rare, but does occur. If, when sowing, you exceed the seed norm by 1 sq.m., the plants will begin to grow too thickly and their root system will weaken. Damping off of plants under too thick grass cover is also not uncommon. It is not surprising that in such conditions the lawn dries out and turns yellow!
Change the situation in better side Manual or automated thinning will help. The latter option is more expensive, but will save a lot of time.
When sowing an insufficient number of seeds (less than the manufacturer recommends per 1 sq.m.), the grass may be replaced by weeds, so before work, read the instructions for the seeds.
Reason 11. Freezing of lawn grass in winter
Young lawns, which are especially susceptible to temperature changes, often suffer from this problem. For prevention, you need to break the ice crust in the spring, which prevents plants from breathing, and level the snow. If the lawn has already been damaged, after the snow melts, you should remove debris from the area and loosen the soil using scarifier– electrical or mechanical device, which will clear the lawn of dry grass and enrich the soil with oxygen.
Reason 12. Spilled chemicals
If the entire lawn looks healthy, but something suspicious appears on the edge dry spot, remember if you made a chemical solution to feed plants in this area. The fact is that accidentally spilled concentrated chemicals can burn the grass, and it will take a lot of time to restore it.
Designate a separate area at your dacha for preparing medications. And if you do spill liquid on the lawn, carefully wash it off big amount water. To restore dry patches in your lawn, remove dead grass, water the area thoroughly, and sow new seeds.
To ensure that your lawn is in perfect order and delights you with a thick, even, springy cover, take care of it according to all the rules. We hope you have found the reason why your lawn is drying out and take the right measures.
A well-groomed green lawn in front of the house is a wonderful decoration of the territory. It's a pleasure to look at her. However, creating such a coating requires a lot of effort, especially if you have to deal with the appearance of moss and plant diseases that cause the leaves to turn yellow. What to do if you notice signs of disease or moss on the lawn - how to get rid of it as quickly as possible short time? First you need to find out the reason, and then choose suitable method solving the problem.
Moss on the lawn: why it appears and how it harms
Moss: close-up photo
Reasons for the appearance of moss on the site
Healthy grass that grows in fertilized soil is usually not in danger. Here are the main reasons why moss appears on the lawn:
- acidified soil;
- high soil moisture due to abundant watering;
- prolonged rains, especially accompanied by cool air temperatures and insufficient sun;
- improper care, including mowing the grass too low, after which the plants weaken and take a long time to recover;
- sowing the grass mixture in a shaded place;
- lack of nutrients in the soil.
This is what sprouts look like in an acidified area
If moss appears on the lawn, you should consider these factors and determine what triggered the growth of this weed. Sometimes the cause is the coincidence of several points at once, so the solution to the problem must also be comprehensive. Experienced gardeners noted that the most common situation that precedes the appearance of moss glades is humidity and shade in the area.
Inspect your area to determine the cause of moss stains:
- If the soil is too acidic, the weed will have long shoots that stretch upward. From below they have brown tint, and on top they end with a light green “cap” that resembles a seed.
- If the reason is high humidity, the moss will spread in an even carpet along the ground itself.
- And if the problem is short-cut grass, then the weed covers the top of the lawn.
If you don't fight the moss, it will grow like a solid carpet.
Damage caused by moss
In relation to lawn grass, moss is a weed that can crowd out other vegetation. If moss grows on the lawn and you do not take action, it will grow over the entire area and then there will be nothing left of a beautiful lawn. If it comes to this, the only way to restore the attractive appearance of the site is to completely renovate it. This is a more expensive method than timely measures to eliminate the threat.
While the lawn is overgrown with moss, a humid microclimate is created under its thickets, so it can breed a huge number of pest larvae. If you or your neighbors have a garden or vegetable beds, they will definitely be susceptible to attack by insects that have used the moss as a greenhouse. The threat to the crop is another reason why the weed needs to be destroyed.
Sandal pads for aerating the area
How to deal with moss on the lawn using non-chemical means
There are several ways to remove moss from your lawn using folk remedies. The first one is based on mechanical removal weed and requires taking into account the characteristics of its distribution. Moss enters the area with the help of spores, and mature plant has no roots and simply spreads along the grass or soil. To prevent the scattering of spores over the area, the lawn is first treated with a solution laundry soap, and then comb out the moss thickets with a frequent rake.
To completely defeat moss on the lawn, you will need to repeat this combing several times. This method is suitable for small areas, but its implementation is very difficult large areas. For temporarily waterlogged areas due to irrigation errors or prolonged rains, the second method is suitable - saturating the soil with oxygen. Walk on the grass wearing a special pad with spikes. You can buy it at a garden store.
Ash also acts as a fertilizer
Fight against moss on the lawn with high humidity Scattering dry hay, sawdust, mulch or straw will help. All these materials are able to absorb moisture and prevent weeds from appearing. If you determine that the soil in the area is highly acidic, sprinkle it evenly. a small amount of wood ash. Ashes from non-coniferous firewood that burned in the stove are suitable for this.
Now you know how to remove moss from the lawn without resorting to chemicals. In some cases, these methods are the only possible ones. Families with small children or animals running around the yard often consciously refuse drugs to kill weeds. However, if traditional methods and the means at hand will not help; you will still have to use chemistry.
Fighting moss with drugs
An effective remedy from moss on the lawn - iron sulfate. For processing 150 sq. m of lawn area, dissolve 50 ml of the drug in 10 liters of water. Pour the resulting mixture into the sprayer and evenly irrigate the area. For this purpose, you can also use a herbicide with ammonium sulfate or Dichlorophen, which has a similar effect on the weed. It is not recommended to increase the dose so as not to harm valuable crops.
When using products to remove moss from your lawn, remember safety precautions. Do not give up a respirator, mask and thick protective clothing. Chemicals that come into contact with the skin can not only provoke local irritation, but also be absorbed into the blood, causing intoxication of the body.
Spraying grass from moss and other weeds
Why does the grass on the lawn turn yellow?
Of course, the owners country house I want the green lawn to please me longer beautiful color. When the lawn turns yellow in late autumn, this is not alarming, because the cold weather dictates its own rules. The problem is if the grass turns yellow in the spring or summer.
The grass turns yellow in spots: causes and solutions
There are several reasons for local changes in the color of lawn grass:
- incorrectly selected fertilizers or complete lack of fertilizing if there is a deficiency of one or more microelements in the soil;
- during irrigation, water does not reach certain areas;
- excess humidity when small puddles collect on the soil, yellow spots often appear in their place;
- pets relieve themselves directly on the grass - their urine contains concentrated nitrogen, which causes yellowing;
- watering in the midday heat, when the sun is especially active - drops of water turn into a kind of lenses and dry out the leaves.
There are many reasons for the appearance of yellow spots
If the lawn turns yellow after mowing, this may indicate a problem with the lawn mower - dull blades are pulling the grass, damaging the roots. Another reason is that the lawn is cut too close to the ground and the grass on it is stressed and sick. In addition to yellow spots, in this case brown islands may also appear. If you realize that you have overdone it with shortening the grass, increase watering so that the plants get stronger faster.
The grass turns yellow throughout the entire lawn: causes and solutions
What to do if the lawn turns yellow in the summer, not in spots, but completely? This change in leaf color indicates insufficient watering. Most likely, the grass cover has also wilted and become withered and unattractive. It will be possible to save the lawn if the plants are not too damaged. Needs to be adjusted again proper watering, irrigating the area in the early morning or evening - during hours when there is no scorching sun.
Fertilizer application – an important part care, but if you overdo it with preparations containing iron or nitrogen, the stems will lose green tint. To prevent the development of diseases and micronutrient deficiencies, it is enough to feed the plants three times throughout the entire season, strictly following the recommendations and observing the dosage of the drugs. Measure is the key to the success of any gardening activity.
Complete yellowing of the grass
Lawn diseases and their treatment
In addition to moss, gardeners are also prevented from maintaining the beauty of the site by various plant diseases. What are lawn diseases and how to deal with these troubles?
Powdery mildew: description and treatment
If there is plaque on the lawn white, as if someone had sprinkled flour on him, which means he was struck by a disease called powdery mildew. Typically, the appearance of plaque is preceded by cool, damp weather. There is also a high risk of developing powdery soil during the period when the snow has just melted from the ground. Areas most susceptible to the disease are areas where light does not reach, for example, areas under the shade of trees.
To treat powdery mildew on garden crops and lawn grass, use copper sulfate. The drug must be diluted in the following proportions: per 500 ml hot water take 10 g of vitriol powder. Mix thoroughly, then pour the resulting liquid into 10 liters of water. You can add 50 g (half a bar) of laundry soap, grated. Spray the area with the resulting product twice, taking a week's break.
Folk remedies, used to defeat powdery mildew:
- mustard solution – 2 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of hot water (spray after cooling);
- garlic infusion – stir 100 g of crushed garlic in 5 liters of water, let it brew for 24 hours, then use for spraying;
- horsetail decoction - add 200 g of dry herb to 2 liters of boiling water and leave for 24 hours. Strain thoroughly through cheesecloth, dilute with water 1:5 and treat the area.
Powdery mildew on grass
Rust: description and control methods
This disease is quite easy to identify by the appearance of the grass. It leaves “rusty” stains on clothes, lawn mowers, and it is also visually clear that the leaves are covered with a characteristic reddish coating. The causative agent of rust is the fungus Pucciinia, which affects not only lawn grasses, but also Pine forest, hawthorn and other plants. The fungus does not pose any great danger, but appearance he ruins the lawns.
What to do and how to get rid of rust? You can regularly mow the tops of the grass until completely healthy blades grow. This treatment will take about 2-3 weeks. There is another remedy that stops the development of fungus - a chemical or biological lawn fungicide. Plant protection specialists recommend the following drugs:
- triticonazole;
- tebuconazole;
- propiconazole;
- copper hydroxide;
- marcozeb;
- chlortanil;
- trifloxystrobin;
- fluoxastrobin;
- azoxystrobin.
Rust on bluegrass
Temperature changes, which most often occur during the “Indian summer” (August-October), provoke the appearance of rust spots. It is highly advisable to treat the area before you notice signs of rust, because in the stage of full manifestation it is extremely difficult to kill the causative agent of the disease. It is recommended to spray the grass at the end of July using any of the “contact” preparations. Also effective nitrogen fertilizer– 250 g of urea for every hundred square meters of area.
Red thread and pink mosaic
Red threading is the first sign of a poorly maintained grass lawn, which appears in spring or autumn. From a distance it may appear that the stems have turned pink, but if you look closely, it becomes clear that the cause of the color change lies in the thread-like weed. The threads entwine the leaves, which is why the plants begin to dry out and the appearance of the lawn suffers greatly, as can be seen in the photo.
You can get rid of red threads by the following measures:
- comb the grass carpet with a rake to increase air access to the roots;
- remove debris from the area that was raked;
- cut the grass, but not too short;
- fertilize the turf - both organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable.
Dangerous bright spots
You could see similar pink mosaics not only on the lawn, but also in your garden. In the fight against red spots, no chemicals are needed; it is enough to tidy up the area, providing it with good aeration, required amount nutrients and proper watering. It is important to understand that healthy plants can deal with harmful spores on their own.
Dollar spot and how to combat it
If your lawn turns yellow in patches about 2 inches in size, it looks like dollar spot. The disease received its unusual name due to its resemblance to the size and shape of a silver dollar. The problem also has another name - sclerotiosis spotting. What causes the development of the disease? Spots appear on the lawn in wet weather and with a lack of nitrogen and other fertilizers.
How to deal with dollar spot, which affects the grass at the end of its growing season? The solution is to mechanically remove the affected areas - it is better to tear them out together with a lump of soil surrounding the root. This will remove the source of the disease from the site – the fungus Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. For prevention, you need to control the acidity of the soil and fertilize it in a timely manner.
Dollar spot on grass
Rhizoctoniosis and treatment
Rhizoctonia is a fairly rare disease that affects lawn turf, but if it does occur, gardeners should prepare for serious damage. Fescue and bluegrass are the most susceptible to spores of the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, and in most cases the seeds are infected even before sowing. This is easy to confirm if rhizoctonia destroys young shoots.
The diseased grass stand becomes covered with spots that look like a horseshoe or a circle with a diameter of up to 50 cm. The development of rhizoctonia is promoted by wet weather, shade and unbalanced feeding - a lack of magnesium, potassium or an excess of phosphorus and nitrogen. The most effective treatment– treating the lawn with benomyl or chlorothalonil solutions. For prevention, it is recommended to treat the seeds if they have not been treated.
What does lawn rhizoctonia look like?
Problems that arise during the process of growing and maintaining a lawn can take a gardener by surprise. The information you received will help you take timely measures to combat moss, yellowing grass and various diseases. If necessary, contact a specialist.
It is noteworthy that the symptoms of the disease manifest themselves differently depending on weather conditions. When the air temperature is above +25°C, impressive spots from light yellow to dark brown appear on the plants. When it gets colder, the size of the spots is much smaller, and the grass leaves become yellow-orange in color. Simultaneously with the change in color, the root system dies off. On plants you can see all the components of the fungus - the mycelium and the fruiting body.
ON THE PICTURE: Numerous bald spots on the lawn indicate the widespread nature of the disease. If you look closely at the blades of grass, you can see black circles on them with a dry, cracking center. This is the "calling card" of anthracnose.
Weakened grasses that have not received enough nutrition are susceptible to the disease. Risk-increasing factors include too short haircut, excess or lack of moisture. To prevent illness it is necessary
- lime the soil before sowing herbs;
- apply phosphorus fertilizers;
- do not exceed the norm of nitrogen fertilizers.
If, despite Taken measures infection has occurred, it is urgent to spray the lawn with Carbendazim.
Dollar spot (Dollar spot)
Disease. The most defenseless against the disease. Small spots that look like silver dollars first appear on the grass. Delay in treatment leads to the merging of these formations into untidy islands. Helping the lawn - spraying with Carbendazim. Disease prevention measures:
- aeration;
- verticulation (piercing the lawn);
- spring application of nitrogen fertilizers.
ON THE PICTURE: Light spots similar in size to a dollar are signs of Dollar spot disease.
Problems with lawn pests
Earthworms
The lawn can suffer not only from diseases, but also from attacks by pests. The first place in the list of enemies of lawn grass is occupied by earthworms. The same invertebrates that drain the soil and are considered a gardener's best helpers can disfigure the lawn. Their waste products inhibit thin-leaved plants. Mucous secretions along with lumps of earth are trampled down during mowing, which results in the appearance of bald spots on the lawn. In addition, excrement often contains weed seeds. To expel pests you need to:
- Immediately remove cut grass;
- regularly acidify the soil(mulch with peat and apply fertilizers containing ammonium sulfate );
- After heavy watering or rainfall, collect the worms and take them into the garden.
ON THE PICTURE: Worms do not like acidified soils, so mulching the lawn with peat is the best prevention against these pests.
Moles
It is also necessary to get rid of earthworms because moles love to eat them. Attracted by easy prey, the animals quickly settle into a new place. On “their” territory, they break through long underground corridors, throwing earth out. As a result, mounds of soil rise here and there on the site. They must be removed immediately so that the soil does not press down the vegetation. Bare areas should be covered with turf or re-seeded.
To protect lawns from moles use:
- traps;
- ultrasonic or homemade repellers;
- smoke bombs.
It is also possible to use pesticides. But they can only be used by professional services.
As a rule, people start thinking about how to protect their lawn from moles after the animals have invaded. If you take preventive measures, you can save yourself from unnecessary hassle and expenses. It is recommended that before laying out the lawn, cover the entire area with a lawn net and cover it with soil. An insurmountable barrier will force underground predators to search for another place to live.
ON THE PICTURE: With such a backing for the lawn, moles don’t stand a chance!
Lawn mesh against moles:
- resistant to aggressive environmental influences;
- does not rust;
- environmentally friendly;
- durable (service life - 30 years);
- protects the soil from erosion.
May beetle larvae
For areas with newly planted lawns, chafer larvae pose a great danger. Tender plant roots cannot always resist these pests. The voracious creatures become active in the spring and summer, continuously destroying plant roots. The grass turns brown and is easily pulled out of the ground.
ON THE PICTURE:May beetle larvae are especially dangerous for young grass.
The main reasons for the appearance of larvae:
- excessive watering of the lawn (daily);
- uncollected grass clippings (larvae are attracted by the smell of straw);
- weakly rooted cereals.
Insecticides are used to kill pests. Excellent results gives the biological drug "Nemabact". Its basis was the larvae-eating carnivore. The same means are suitable for combating another enemy of the lawn - the larvae of long-legged mosquitoes.
Long-legged mosquito larvae
Dark gray creatures begin to eat the roots and stems of lawn grass from the moment they appear. Their activities result in the widespread formation of disgusting bald spots. Drainage and aeration of the site will help prevent pest invasion. In uncomfortable conditions, most of the larvae die.
Unwanted neighbors - mushrooms on the lawn
When inspecting the lawn to find out why the lawn is turning yellow, you may find that the grass is sharing space with such unwanted neighbors as mushrooms on the lawn. In this case, only the fruiting bodies come to the surface. The mycelium itself is located underground.
Why do mushrooms grow on the lawn?
Active growth is provoked by:
- temperature changes;
- high humidity;
- acidic soil;
- excess organic matter.
It should be noted that single specimens do not pose a danger. It is much worse when circles are formed from small groups, the diameter of which increases every time. These so-called “witch rings” detract from the appearance of your lawn.
ON THE PICTURE: "Witches' Rings" with a rich imagination and insufficient information can be mistaken for the landing site of aliens.
Degree of fungal damage
Third recognized as the weakest and does not require active intervention. It is enough to simply remove the mushrooms by hand or by mowing.
Second characterized by a change in color: the grass located behind the outer circle becomes darker in color.
First considered the most dangerous. Between the two “witch rings” the grass completely dies off. Even the most unpretentious plants will not be able to take root in bare areas for a long time.
It is noteworthy that grade III and II lesions are caused by toadstools. And I is the result of the “work” of the completely edible meadow honey agaric, also known as Negniyuchnik.
How to clear the lawn of mushrooms?
After visually or characteristic features you found mushrooms on the lawn, how to get rid of the consequences of this neighborhood is a completely natural question. A radical way is to replace the damaged soil. To do this, the soil is treated with a solution ferrous sulfate (in a proportion of 10 grams per 1 liter of water). Then they remove a layer of earth (about 30 cm in depth and width) and remove it, making sure that it does not wake up along the way. After the procedure, the voids are filled with new soil and re-seeded.
To minimize the likelihood of mushrooms appearing:
- When laying a lawn, remove organic residues, especially wood(and we recommend reading why this is bad) ;
- aerate regularly;
- clear the lawn of debris;
- do not overdo it with watering;
- sand the area in the fall;
- Apply nitrogen fertilizers in a timely manner.
In conclusion, let us add that a lawn in a garden is essentially an artificial ecosystem within another artificial ecosystem. If we're talking about about a new garden, plot and it is planned to lay a lawn, then it is worth multiplying the problems by 2. That is, in addition to solving the problems of tree crops (fruit and ornamental), annuals, and a vegetable garden (if one is also planned), the problems of lawn grass will have to be solved. Thus, mushrooms on the lawn, which everyone dislikes in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region, are the result of their growth in an old, undeveloped area in the humid (humid) climate that is familiar to them. However, if you systematically improve the ecosystem of your garden every year, there will be fewer of them, and over time they will disappear altogether.
Lawn diseases can be cured and pests can be eliminated. However, it is much easier to prevent problems from occurring in the first place than to look for the answer to the question “Why does it turn yellow?” lawn grass?».
Every owner of a lawn has at least once encountered such a problem as yellowing of the grass. The grass on the lawn turns yellow for many reasons - improper care, lack of nutrients. Some people immediately go to the store and buy expensive fertilizers, which can only worsen the situation. This comes from the fact that many owners summer cottages They don’t even suspect why their lawn is turning yellow.
There are several main reasons for yellowing grass on your lawn:
- Incorrect and irregular watering;
- Lack of feeding;
- Diseases;
- Trampling;
- Abandoned or forgotten for a long time objects;
- The influence of certain animals;
- Incorrect grass cutting.
As can be seen from the list, the most common cause is improper care. What to do if the lawn turns yellow? Take proper care of it! Each package of seeds has instructions, which also include a “care” item. If for some reason there are no instructions, then here simple rules, which will help not harm the grass surface, but improve the appearance of the lawn:
- Water your lawn at least once a week. This also applies to drought-tolerant lawns. Decorative ones need to be watered every 3-5 days.
- Don't forget about fertilizers. Best chart fertilizing - 2 times a month.
- Don't neglect your haircut. It is advisable to mow the lawn at least once every 7-10 days.
By following these simple rules, you will forget about the grass turning yellow on your lawn.
Find yourself with more and more grass appearing on your lawn? Before you take any action, it is worth finding out why your lawn is turning yellow.
Try to remember how often you looked after it and fed it with special fertilizers. If insufficient moisture or lack of fertilizer is detected, then it’s time to take emergency measures until the lawn turned into a dried out yellow field.
If time permits, provide good watering lawn. It is better to do this for two days in a row. You need to water in the evenings - abundantly, but without turning the lawn into a swamp. If there is little time to restore the lawn, then the lawn should be thoroughly watered; even the formation of shallow puddles is acceptable.
Simultaneously with watering, you can also apply a complex of fertilizers. To do this, dry all-purpose lawn fertilizers are spread in an even layer before watering, and then the lawn is treated with “water treatments.”
If the lawn turns yellow not because of poor care, what should you do? You took good care of your grass carpet, but suddenly something went wrong and the lawn began to turn yellow. There may be several reasons for this.
- The first and most common is disease. Inspect the grass around the yellowed area. Are there any unusual spots or traces of insects on it? If you find any of this, it is worth applying special fertilizers or insecticides.
- Are there any animals in the house? Take a closer look at the affected areas of the grass. The grass on the lawn turns yellow in large areas or in closely spaced spots. If the yellowing is “spot” in nature, then most likely it was caused by your pets or small rodents living on the site.
- Sometimes it happens that excessive care of the lawn leads to yellowing of the grass. The lawn is turning yellow - what to do? Our answer is to apply less fertilizer!
Lawn turns yellow after mowing
Mowing is one of the important stages of caring for a green lawn. Does your lawn turn yellow after mowing? So, this is where the problem lies! How and with what the grass is cut plays a big role in the attractiveness of the lawn.
Often, grass is mowed with special trimmer mowers or massive lawn mowers with blades. The sharpness of the knives also determines how well-groomed the lawn will be. Keep an eye on this and change the blades on time - and then your lawn will not turn yellow after mowing.
On a mower-trimmer, make sure that grass clippings do not get caught in the rotating mechanism. The slower the motor spins, the weaker and “dumber” the line knife is.
The lawn turns yellow in spots
There are also frequent cases when the lawn turns yellow in spots. What are the reasons for this phenomenon?
- Rodent activity;
- Abundant watering;
- Forgotten things;
- Spilled chemicals.
If the lawn turns yellow in small spots located far from each other, then most likely there are rodents under the grass cover that eat up the plants, thereby leading to the formation of yellow spots.
Also, dampness and excessive watering can cause grasses to turn yellow (especially in shady areas). Balance the watering and you will get rid of yellow spots.
Lawns at summer cottages are most often used as a living carpet. Therefore, spreading chemicals or doing construction on the lawn is a common thing. All these factors can significantly damage the coating, so it is better to carry out activities that are “dangerous” for the lawn to the side.
Is the grass on your lawn turning yellow? Don't panic! Understand the reasons and start taking action!
