Turftime Equipment Blog

What Causes Brown Spots in My Lawn?

You spend time, money, and effort trying to keep your lawn healthy, so what is causing sporadic brown spots in your lawn?

If you’re asking this question, you’re not alone. These unsightly patches are frustrating, especially when they interrupt an otherwise green, thriving lawn.

Fortunately, brown spots in a lawn usually have a clear cause and an even clearer fix. Common issues include:

Overwatering
Thatch buildup
Soil compaction
And more!

With the right knowledge and tools, you can not only repair brown spots but prevent them from happening again.

Let’s explore the 7 most common causes of brown spots in lawns, how to fix them, and what equipment makes it easier:

7 Common Causes of Brown Patches on Lawn

Large dry areas and discolored grass indicating brown patches on a lawn, commonly caused by drought, disease, pests, or improper mowing habits.

Before you can fix brown patches on lawn areas, you need to understand what’s causing them. Here are the top seven culprits behind those dry, patchy, or dead spots in your lawn:

Underwatering: It seems to go without saying, but if you’re not watering enough, you’re not watering enough, your lawn will turn brown and brittle. This often happens in dry seasons or during drought restrictions.
Overwatering: On the other hand, too much water can suffocate grass roots, attract pests, and lead to fungal diseases. Make sure your soil drains well and avoid puddling in between watering.
Lawn Fungus: Certain fungi, like brown patch or dollar spot, thrive in moist, humid conditions. Circular brown areas or irregular patches may indicate that this is the issue at hand!
Animal Urine: Pet urine (especially from dogs) can cause chemical burns on your grass, leaving behind yellow or brown patches. Rinse the area with water after your pet goes to prevent this occurrence.
Thatch Buildup: A thick layer of dead grass, called thatch, can block water and nutrients from reaching the soil. This starves your lawn and encourages disease. Click to learn What thatch is and what you can do about it.
Soil Compaction: Foot traffic or heavy equipment can compact soil, cutting off airflow and making it hard for roots to grow. Compacted lawns often show dead or thinning patches. Click to learn about soil compaction and other reasons to aerate your grounds.
Dull Mower Blades: A dull mower blade tears rather than cuts grass, leaving ragged edges that dry out and turn brown. Regularly sharpening your blade helps prevent this damage.

How to Fix Dead Spots in Lawn

Once you’ve identified the cause of the dead spots in your lawn, remove any debris or damaged grass, aerate the soil if needed, and reseed the area with fresh grass seed. Water regularly and avoid mowing until new grass is established.

At TurfTime Equipment, we offer a powerful lineup of tools designed to restore even the toughest turf.

Dethatchers

Compact tractor pulling a rear-mounted dethatcher across a golf course lawn, removing excess thatch to help repair dead grass areas.

If your brown patches are due to thatch, our dethatchers remove the debris quickly and evenly, giving your lawn a fresh start.

Shop Dethatchers

Aerators

Lawn dethatcher pulled by a compact tractor, designed to break up thatch and prepare dead grass areas for reseeding or repair.

If brown spots in your lawn are caused by soil compaction, our aerators break up hard-packed soil and allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots.

Shop Aerators

Topdressers

For nutrient depleted lawns, our topdressers spread a smooth, even layer of compost or soil to improve turf health and level the surface.

Shop Topdressers

These tools don’t just fix dead patches in lawn areas, they help prevent them in the future. By improving soil health and grass density, you’ll see greener, thicker results that last longer.

You can say goodbye to brown spots in your lawn!

Eliminate Dead Patches in Your Lawn with TurfTime Equipment

At TurfTime Equipment, we believe every lawn should be strong, green, and healthy from edge to edge.

If you’re a lawn care pro, you need tools that deliver professional-grade results. Our equipment is trusted by turf experts across the country for its durability, efficiency, and impact.

If you’re struggling with dead patches in lawn areas or constant brown spots, we’re here to help. Our dethatchers, aerators, and topdressers are built to restore lawn health from the ground up.

Shop TurfTime today and take the first step toward a better, greener lawn!

Shop Online