Extremely strange high dark grass patches - Ask Extension
For the first time of living in our Roseville home for 40 years I'm seeing a LOT of high dark colored patches of grass all over the neighborhood. I ha...
Knowledgebase
Extremely strange high dark grass patches #867613
Asked May 08, 2024, 3:35 PM EDT
For the first time of living in our Roseville home for 40 years I'm seeing a LOT of high dark colored patches of grass all over the neighborhood. I haven't cut the grass yet this year. What's causing these and how do I get rid of them?
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
near the street I would say a dog walker is letting their animal do # 1 on your lawn. Farther in I think the excess fertilzer theory described in this web page is more likely.
https://garden.org/frogs/view/102545/
https://garden.org/frogs/view/102545/
That's VERY unlikely since I apply fertilizer myself using the same technique every year and have NEVER had that problem before. Also the likelihood of all my neighbors having the same problem again for the first time in 40 years doesn't make any sense.
My only other thought is to investigate the soil underneath these spots. Do a soil test and see if there is an unusual amount of nitrates in these areas and then to figure out how it got there.
https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/
https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/
