My grass was beautifully green a week ago but now the color is fading, turns out I was making a common mistake
A GREEN-FINGERED homeowner has revealed how a common mistake made their luscious lawn look burned and faded.
They spoke candidly about having had enviable grass just a week earlier while using their dedicated gardening routine.
The homeowner took to Reddit’s Lawncare forum to ask for advice on restoring their damaged grass.
Posting under the name Wootiown, they shared a photo of their lawn with varying shades of green and straw-colored patches.
“My sprinkler runs once a day for 45 mins in the morning and this spot gets plenty of water,” they said.
“There are two pine trees in the natural area to the left, but it’s always been fairly green so I don’t think sunlight is the issue.
“I put down nitrogen-rich fertilizer on Friday.
“I’m thinking it’s a nitrogen deficiency due to the pine tree roots absorbing nutrients, possibly?
“Will it bounce back once the fertilizer absorbs in?”
They added that their grass species is “Fine Fescue / Tall Fescue, 7b.”
Many people up-voted the post and shared their opinions on what had caused the lawn to become ugly.
“Looks like either nitrogen burn or fungus,” one person wrote.
“If you’re watering that much, that often, it could be too wet (causing fungus).”
“Putting nitrogen on cool temp grass with underlying fungus only brings out the fungus in full force,” another said.
“This is definitely what’s going on. Nitrogen on fungus is steroids for it in cool-season turf.”
“You should be watering twice a week maybe 3 times a week during the hottest weeks,” a third commented.
“You’re putting down way too much water and probably have fungus.
“Go get some bio-advanced fungus killer.”
Having read the thread, the Redditor agreed they were putting an excessive amount of water on their lawn.
“I’ll turn down the watering, good thought,” they said. “It’s also been raining a ton lately.
“I’ll try adding some fungicide too.
“I don’t think it’s nitrogen burn, I just put down fertilizer on Friday, would nitrogen burn already be visible?”
The grains in the sand will loosen up compacted soil, helping water to drain away properly.
Fiona Jenkins
A commenter responded explaining how nitrogen burn could be possible.
“Obviously some parts of the lawn could just react differently due to soil composition, grass type, drainage, other pre-existing issues but it’s also possible this spot got more fertilizer than you intended,” they said.
According to Master Lawn, turning yellow is “one of the big signs” of overwatering and the color can also appear on drought-stressed lawns.
An overwatered lawn may feel spongey when it’s walked on and water may run off onto other areas.
Gardening expert Fiona Jenkins previously told The U.S. Sun that a drainage improvement is needed for waterlogged lawns.
She recommended raking out dead materials before using a fork or aerating tool to make holes in the lawn.
Next, apply a “fine layer” of topdressing made from loamy topsoil and clean sand.
“The grains in the sand will loosen up compacted soil, helping water to drain away properly,” she said.