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Brown Patches on Lawn
Brown patches are one of the most common lawn complaints - and one of the most misdiagnosed. A brown patch can be caused by anything from a fungal disease to a pet, a spilled chemical, or grubs eating the roots. Treating it correctly means first working out which of these is to blame.
In this guide we walk through every likely cause of brown patches on a lawn, how to tell them apart, and the step-by-step fix for each. In most cases, brown patches can be repaired without replacing the whole lawn.
What's Causing the Problem?
Fungal Disease (Red Thread, Fusarium)
Fungal diseases create irregular brown, pink or tan patches, often with a subtle web-like or reddish tinge in damp, humid weather. Poor airflow and over-feeding with nitrogen make it worse.
Dog Urine Scorch
The nitrogen in dog urine burns the grass, leaving round brown patches - often with a lush green ring around the edge where the diluted nitrogen actually fed the grass.
Chafer Grubs & Leatherjackets
These root-eating grubs kill grass in patches that lift up easily like a loose carpet. You may also see birds or foxes digging at the lawn.
Drought & Dry Spots
Areas that dry out faster - near walls, under trees, or on mounds - brown off first during dry weather while the rest of the lawn stays green.
Scalping on Uneven Ground
High spots on a bumpy lawn get cut too short by the mower, exposing the stems and soil, which quickly turn brown.
Spills & Chemical Damage
Petrol, oil, over-concentrated weedkiller or fertiliser spills scorch the grass, leaving sharply-defined dead patches.
Buried Debris or Compaction
Rubble, hardcore or heavily compacted soil just below the surface (common on new builds) stops roots developing, causing recurring brown areas.
How to Solve It - Step by Step
Identify the pattern and cause
Round patches with a green ring = pet urine. Patches that lift like carpet = grubs. Irregular patches in humid weather = fungal disease. Patches only in dry weather = drought. Sharp-edged dead patches = spill damage. Matching the pattern to the cause is the key first step.
Flush pet urine spots
Water the affected area heavily to dilute the nitrogen, then rake out the dead grass and overseed. Training pets to use one area and watering after they go prevents new patches.
Treat grubs with nematodes
Biological nematode treatments applied in late summer/early autumn kill chafer grubs and leatherjackets naturally without harming the lawn.
Improve conditions for fungal disease
Fungal patches usually clear when you improve airflow (scarify, avoid mowing wet grass), correct drainage, and balance feeding. Fungicides are rarely needed for domestic lawns.
Water dry spots more deeply
Give drought-prone areas extra deep watering, and consider a soil wetting agent for spots that repel water.
Level uneven ground
Top dress and level high spots so the mower stops scalping them. For badly uneven lawns, a proper levelling job solves it permanently.
Repair the patch
Once the cause is fixed, rake out the dead grass, lightly fork the soil, add a little topsoil or compost, sow quality seed, and keep it moist until it establishes.
- Match the patch shape and pattern to its likely cause before treating
- Flush and reseed pet urine spots
- Apply nematodes in late summer if grubs are lifting the turf
- Improve airflow and drainage to clear fungal patches
- Deep-water dry, fast-draining areas
- Rake out dead grass, add topsoil and overseed each patch
Want Those Brown Patches Gone for Good?
Brown patches come back unless the underlying cause is fixed. We identify what is killing the grass, treat it, then repair and reseed the damaged areas so the lawn knits back together evenly. See our lawn repair in Basingstoke.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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