Have you noticed something unusual on your lawn? Perhaps the grass has changed colour, mushrooms have appeared, or an army of bugs has taken up residence. Noticing something is different or wrong with your lawn is the first step towards diagnosing a lawn problem. Identifying a lawn problem and seeking professional help is the best way to ensure your lawn stays strong and healthy all year round.
Diagnosing your lawn problem
So you've realised something is wrong with your lawn, what do you do now? Well, start by looking at your lawn and taking note of the obvious changes. Take photographs as you go because you can refer back to them during the diagnostic process. Here are a few common changes you might see in your lawn that indicate there's a problem:
- Dry or bald patches
- Discoloured grass
- Slime or white fluff
- Mounds, hills and holes
- Mushrooms
- New insects or signs of insects
My lawn is covered with dry/bald patches, what should I do?
Dry or bald patches in your lawn could be an indication of fungus, drought, or lawn compaction. All of these lawn problems are fairly common and easy to treat. If you suspect your lawn is suffering from drought during a period of hot weather, take up a more regular watering schedule or install a sprinkler.
Read More: What's the best way to water your lawn?
If you suspect the ground is heavily compacted and unable to absorb nutrients or water properly, we recommend aerating your lawn. If it's unlikely that compacted soil or drought are causing the bald/dry patches on your lawn, we'd recommend getting in touch with lawn care professionals to see if they can offer you a fungicide treatment.
Dry Patches >
My grass has turned yellow/brown, should I be worried?
Brown or yellow grass can be the sign of numerous different problems, but more often than not, it indicates that something has interacted with the grass to cause damage. For most homeowners, yellow or brown grass is caused by animal urine. Either your pets are using the lawn to go to the toilet, or wild animals like foxes are visiting your lawn at night.
Generally brown or yellow grass will recover on its own over time, however, if you notice there are persistent brown or yellow patches on your lawn, it could be a sign of something more sinister. Take a look at our brown/yellow patches information page to find out more.
Brown/Yellow Patches >
Help! There's a new fungus that I don't recognise in my lawn
When a new fungus appears on your lawn it can be concerning, especially if your children or pets play on the lawn. Thankfully, there are very few lawn fungus species that are harmful to humans here in the UK, but you never can be too careful.
Fungi love to spread, so a small patch in your lawn can quickly become a problem that affects your whole garden. If you see yellow slime, white fluff, red threads or mushrooms in your lawn, we'd recommend seeking the help of a lawn care specialist as soon as possible.
Read More: Why Are There Mushrooms on My Lawn?
Fungus Control >
I think there's a pest problem on my lawn, can you help?
There are lots of different things that indicate you've got a pest problem on your lawn. Mounds of dirt could be an ant or molehill, while unusual little holes in the ground could indicate burrowing creatures like chafer grubs. Don't worry, there are ways to treat lawn pests before they have the opportunity to spoil your lawn for good. Here at Lawn and Weed Expert, we help homeowners tackle a wide range of lawn pests including moles, ants, chafer grubs and more.
Read More: Common Types of Garden Pest
Garden Pest Treatments >
If you're having trouble diagnosing a lawn problem, why not enquire about a FREE lawn survey? We can send one of our qualified lawn care technicians to assess your lawn, provide you with a diagnosis and recommend the best course of treatment going forward.
