Unseasonably high temperatures have been recorded this fall in San Diego. September had the hottest day on record in 24 years. The 90 plus degree temperatures have caused many San Diego lawns to dry out and die, producing unattractive brown spots.
Bjorn Nelisse, owner of Green Gardening Today, shares his advice for getting rid of brown patches on the lawn and returning grass to a healthy green.
Brown patches on natural grass can be caused by a variety of reasons: high heat, drought, or abnormal ph balance, either from lawn fungus, over fertilization or pet waste.
Lawn fungus can be characterized by brown circular patches on the grass with a yellow ring on the outside of the patch. “Aerating is the most effective prevention for brown spots on lawns caused by fungus,” said Bjorn. “The best time to aerate is once the weather has cooled down.” Lawn fertilization is also recommended as a treatment for lawn fungus but, it can be costly and requires 2 weeks or longer for treatment.
In an effort to keep a healthy lawn, homeowners can be over ambitious applying too much fertilizer which can burn the grass. “The nitrogen in the fertilizer can burn the grass if too much is applied,” said Bjorn. If the lawn gets burned, water it down for several days to get rid of as much fertilizer as possible. The grass could take as little as a month or as much as a year to repair itself and return to green.
“The most common source of brown spots we see on lawns is caused by pet waste,” reports Bjorn. “High levels of salt and nitrogen in pet urine is the source of most brown patches.” Immediately watering the area where a pet has urinated will help dilute the nitrogen. Getting a dog to drink more water is also helpful. Green Gardening Today recommends adding non-sodium chicken broth to the dog’s water to encourage increased intake and dilute the urine. Another option is to replace the grass with fescue and ryegrass, which are the most urine tolerant grasses.
Installing artificial grass is a low maintenance solution to finally be free of the brown patches. Synthetic grass requires little care and can save homeowners and property owners money on their monthly water bills. Emerging technologies with artificial turf provide superior drainage and are safe for the environment and the family. “Many San Diego animal shelters and animal hospitals have installed synthetic grass on their properties, “said Bjorn. “The animals seem to really enjoy the feel and texture of the synthetic grass.” Bjorn carries samples of the artificial grass so animals can try it out and give their all-important approval.
For more information on this company, please call (619) 892-7999 or visit their website at www.greengardeningtoday.com, or check out their profile on BuildZoom.com.
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