Yellow Lawn? Here’s Why Your Grass Is Losing Its Green Color

While yellowing grass may seem alarming, it’s sometimes a natural response to dropping temperatures as your lawn enters a dormant state. Dormancy allows grass to conserve energy and withstand seasonal changes. However, in regions like Florida, where the climate is more temperate, lawns don’t usually go fully dormant in the fall. Instead, they may experience slowed growth.

Key Takeaways

• Yellow grass can be a sign of dormancy or an indication of a more serious issue. Dormant grass typically turns yellow and slows growth due to seasonal changes but should recover when conditions improve. In contrast, dying grass is brittle, has dried roots, and will not recover.
• Yellowing can result from pests, diseases, improper watering, nutrient imbalances, or mowing issues. Identifying the root cause is crucial for taking the steps to restore your lawn's health.
• For severely damaged lawns, use SodPods grass sods as a quick and effective solution. These pre-grown plugs establish faster, require less watering, and offer a resilient recovery option.

Why is My Grass Yellow?

If you see your lawn turning yellow, don't dismiss it as simply a seasonal change. It could be a sign of pests, disease, or nutrient deficiencies. To keep your grass healthy and green, it’s important to determine whether it’s going dormant, struggling with poor health, or dying and take immediate action to address the issue.

Dormant vs. Dying Grass: How to Tell the Difference

In the fall, the average daily high temperatures in Florida can decrease by 12°F, ranging from 90°F to 78°F. Meanwhile, daily low temperatures drop by 17°F, falling from 73°F to 56°F. Although these shifts are enough to cause your grass to slow its growth or temporarily turn yellow, lawns do not go fully dormant.

Dormant grass usually turns yellow, then brown, to conserve resources and should bounce back when conditions become more favorable. If the grass is dormant, the blades should resist when you tug on them gently. On the other hand, dead grass is brittle, pulls away easily, and has dried roots that will not recover.

If you suspect your lawn is going dormant, avoid overwatering or applying fertilizer and simply let it rest. Resume your regular lawn maintenance routine once temperatures improve. Meanwhile, if your lawn is dying, consider replanting with more suitable varieties using grass plugs, which offer faster establishment than traditional seeding.

Why Your Grass is Yellow: Common Causes and Solutions

Alternatively, yellow grass can also point to a problem with your lawn health. This discoloration can occur uniformly or in patches, and the pattern may help identify the cause. Below are the possible causes and how to fix them.

Pest Activity and Lawn Diseases

Pests like grubs and chinch bugs, along with fungal diseases such as brown patch or dollar spot, can cause your lawn to turn yellow. Grubs feed on grass roots, leaving your lawn weak and discolored. To check for grub damage, lift a section of sod—if it pulls up easily, the roots may be damaged. Chinch bugs drain moisture from grass blades, causing them to turn yellow and wilt. Meanwhile, fungal diseases thrive in moist, humid conditions and typically appear as irregular yellow patches or rings.

To tackle these issues, inspect your lawn regularly for signs of pests or disease. Use targeted treatments to eliminate grubs and chinch bugs. To control fungal diseases, reduce watering to keep your lawn drier and improve air circulation through aeration. Applying a fungicide can also help prevent the spread of lawn diseases.

Improper Fertilizer Use

Over-fertilization or under-fertilization can equally cause yellowing in your lawn. Applying too much fertilizer can result in a nitrogen burn, turning grass blades yellow or brown at the tips. On the other hand, under-fertilization leads to nutrient deficiencies, resulting in poor growth and discoloration. Although optional, a soil test can help determine the nutrient levels in your soil and whether your lawn lacks key elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.

Use a slow-release, balanced fertilizer to fix yellow grass caused by improper fertilization. Follow the recommended application rates to prevent nutrient leaching and other risks associated with over-fertilizing, such as fertilizer burn, increased susceptibility to pests, and the buildup of harmful salts in the soil.

Dog Urine

Dog urine contains high levels of nitrogen and other compounds that, when concentrated, can cause localized burn spots, turning the grass yellow or brown—similar to the effects of over-fertilization.

To prevent yellow grass from dog urine, train your pet to use a designated potty area to limit the damage, or consider using natural grass pads for dogs. Water the affected areas right after your dog pees to dilute the nitrogen concentration and avoid further damage. Check out our guide on how to stop your dog from damaging your grass.

Too Much or Too Little Water

Watering your lawn too much or too little can cause the grass to become yellow. Overwatering saturates the soil, leading to root rot and the development of fungal diseases, while underwatering causes dehydration, leaving the grass dry and yellow.

Fix this issue by watering your lawn deeply but less frequently. Aim for 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation, and water early in the morning to reduce evaporation. Adjust your watering schedule based on the season and monitor the soil moisture levels to avoid overwatering or underwatering.

Soil Compaction

Soil compaction occurs when the soil becomes too dense, preventing water, air, and nutrients from reaching the roots. This often results from heavy foot traffic or using heavy equipment on the lawn, causing the grass to turn yellow and thin out over time.

Aerating your lawn using a core aerator can help relieve soil compaction. This process removes small plugs of soil, creating space for air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the soil. Aeration can significantly improve your lawn’s health and allow roots to grow deeper, resulting in a greener lawn.

Mowing Too Low

Scalping your lawn by mowing too low can cause yellowing due to the removal of too much leaf surface, which limits the grass’s ability to produce food through photosynthesis. Mowing too short can also expose the grass to heat stress and increase its vulnerability to pests and diseases.

Set your mower to the recommended height for your grass type to avoid scalping, which is around 2.5 to 3 inches for most warm-season grasses. Keep your mower blades sharp to produce a clean cut, as dull blades can tear the grass, causing further damage.

Excessive Shade

Warm-season grasses like Bermuda prefer full sun and struggle in shady areas. Limited sunlight inhibits photosynthesis, causing the grass to turn yellow and thin out. If your lawn is receiving insufficient sunlight due to trees, shrubs, or structures, you may notice yellowing or bare patches in shaded areas.

To address excessive shade, trim back nearby trees or shrubs to allow more sunlight to filter through. Additionally, consider replacing the affected areas with a more shade-tolerant variety, such as St. Augustine grass, which can tolerate low-light conditions.

Thatch Buildup

Thatch is a layer of dead grass stems, roots, and other organic matter accumulating on the soil surface over time. While a thin layer of thatch is beneficial, too much thatch can prevent water, nutrients, and air from reaching the roots, leading to yellowing and a decline in overall lawn health.

To remove excess thatch, use a power rake or dethatching rake to break up the buildup. Aerating your lawn can also help reduce thatch levels and improve soil health, promoting stronger grass growth and preventing yellow patches.

Repair Damaged Yellowing Grass with SodPods Grass Plugs

Your grass turning yellow can be a sign of various issues, from dormancy to pest problems or poor lawn care. Identifying the cause early on is key to restoring your lawn's health and maintaining a beautiful green lawn year-round.

If your lawn has significant yellow patches or dead areas, SodPods grass plugs provide an effective solution for quick recovery. Grass plugs are pre-grown with established root systems, making them more resilient and less reliant on watering compared to traditional seeding. These grass plugs establish faster, reduce the need for frequent watering, and are ideal for replacing damaged or dead areas in your lawn. SodPods offers a variety of warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine, well-suited for different growing conditions.