Why is My Yard Brown and My Neighbor's is Green?

For homeowners, there’s a certain satisfaction in comparing your lush, green lawn to your neighbor’s yard. So it can be a shock to discover that your yard has turned brown while the neighbor’s yard is still green.

So, what happened? And how do you fix it? The answer could be something simple, or a combination of things. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your lawn has turned Brown:

Dormant grass

Your lawn is likely one of the warm-season turfgrasses common in the Hilton Head area: Bermudagrass, Zoysia, Centipede, or St. Augustine. If your grass is brown from November to March, it’s gone dormant. Turning brown is a survival tactic for warm-season grasses, which love summer heat, but not temperatures below 50-55 degrees.

What about your neighbor’s lawn? It’s possible that they overseeded their lawn with cool-season grass, such as perennial or annual ryegrass. These grasses green up quickly and canwithstand even below-zero temperatures.

The fix: In winter and early spring, all you can do is wait. The grass will green up in March or April. (Bermudagrass may take longer.) If you want year-round green, overseed with ryegrass inmid-November.

Lawn Care Differences

Your neighbor’s lawn might be green because they approach lawn care differently. Some Examples:

Mowing: Cutting grass too short, or scalping, weakens turf, making it susceptible to disease that causes brown spots. Clemson University's Cooperative Extension says the maximum mowing height for warm-season grass ranges from ½ inch to 4 inches, depending on the  species. In any case, don’t cut more than one-third of the grass blade length in a single Mowing.

Watering: Underwatering, or inconsistent watering, can dehydrate your turf, causing it to go dormant and turn brown. Clemson University’s Extension says that generally, turf needs about 1 inch of water per week. With clay soil, deliver it all in one watering; with sandy soils, provide ⅓ Inch of water three times per week.

Dog Urine

Generally, you want your dog to go outside. But dog urine releases nitrogen and other chemicals into the soil. These chemicals burn the grass roots, so the grass turns brown.

The fix: You can set up a potty area with sand or gravel, and train your pooch to go there. Or you can follow Champ or Bella around the yard and hose down the spots to dilute the nitrogen.

Pests and Diseases

An infestation of Southern Chinch Bugs, or the fungal diseases Brown Patch and Large Patch can turn your lawn brown as they wreak havoc on the grass.

Chinch Bugs

Chinch bugs live in the thatch layer of your yard. They attack by sucking out the turfgrass plant’s fluids, then inject a toxic saliva that makes the grass look like it’s been hit by drought. Peak damage typically happens from June through September. The bugs are fond of St. Augustine grass, but will attack Bermuda, Zoysia, and Centipede grasses.

The fix: Kill chinch bugs by applying insecticides containing bifenthrin, trichlorfon, or imidacloprid to infested lawn areas, particularly in hot, dry spots, and watering them in. For natural control, use neem oil, insecticidal soap, or diatomaceous earth.

Your neighbor may have taken some preventative measures to prevent chinch bugs. Clemson University Extension suggests treating lawns with long-residual insecticides (such as neonicotinoids) from May to June. Other preventative tactics include consistent, deep watering; dethatching; mowing at 3-4 inches, and regular aeration.

Brown Patch and Large Patch

Two different strains of the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani are responsible for two common and damaging turfgrass diseases.

Cool-season grasses, such as ryegrass, are affected by brown patch, which causes large circular patches of brown grass on the lawn. Symptoms usually begin in late spring and last until summer, but can appear during warmer parts of winter.

Warm-season grasses, like St. Augustine, are affected by large patches, which causes yellow- to-brown circles. It also can kill large areas of St. Augustine grass without showing a circular patch. The fungus is most active in late fall and spring, but more symptoms appear in spring when lawns green up.

The fix: Both lawn diseases respond to the same treatment: Apply granular or liquid fungicides containing active ingredients like azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, or propiconazole. (With granular fungicide, be sure to water it in.) Usually, you can reapply every 14 to 28 days if needed.

Important: Be careful when mowing an infected yard, Clemson’s Extension says. Mow after the morning dew has dried, and mow the diseased areas last. Be sure to bag clippings to avoid spreading the disease.

The best prevention against brown patch and large patch is proper lawn care, Clemson’s Extension says. A few tips:

Manage fertilizer: Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers in the spring and late fall for warm-season grasses; late spring and summer for cool-season grasses. Nitrogen promotes lush growth, which is attacked by the fungus.

Manage watering: Water only when needed, then apply about 1 inch to the lawn per week. Water in the early morning so that the grass dries quickly. (Both diseases spread quickly in moisture.

Mow at the proper height: Mowing too low stresses grass, which invites the fungus to take hold. Mowing too high slows drying time.

Know How to Avoid a Brown Lawn

The key to avoiding nasty surprises like a brown lawn is to understand what causes browning, and learning how to stop it. With a little preventative care (and don't forget regular lawn maintenance), you'll have a lush, green yard that can be the envy of your neighbors.

Linda Wolfla-Thomas is a freelance writer and editor who has navigated the ins and outs of maintaining a yard over the years. She often writes about lawn care and home improvement projects.