brown grass - Ask Extension
I have some brown grass growing/dying in my front yard. The rest of the yard looks great and its mostly Kentucky Bluegrass. Do you know what this is...
Knowledgebase
brown grass #930705
Asked May 05, 2026, 2:19 PM EDT
I have some brown grass growing/dying in my front yard. The rest of the yard looks great and its mostly Kentucky Bluegrass. Do you know what this is and how to treat it?
Thank you
Delaware County Ohio
Expert Response
Thank you for writing and including the picture. Determining exactly what disease your grass has may require getting very close (a few inches) and possibly using a magnifying glass.
It appears your grass has some kind of fungus, possibly red thread, rust, or anthracnose.
Whichever it is, the treatment is nearly identical.
Put a small amount of fertilizer on the lawn periodically now and throughout the summer and fall. Don’t overfertilize, but do give it enough nitrogen to become healthier.
Aerate and de-thatch the lawn so that air can get to the stems and roots.
If the condition persists, use an appropriate fungicide.
For more information you may read: Red Thread - Turf ; The Bottom Line on Turf Disease Identification and Lawn and Turf Diseases | Hortsense | Washington State University
It appears your grass has some kind of fungus, possibly red thread, rust, or anthracnose.
Whichever it is, the treatment is nearly identical.
Put a small amount of fertilizer on the lawn periodically now and throughout the summer and fall. Don’t overfertilize, but do give it enough nitrogen to become healthier.
Aerate and de-thatch the lawn so that air can get to the stems and roots.
If the condition persists, use an appropriate fungicide.
For more information you may read: Red Thread - Turf ; The Bottom Line on Turf Disease Identification and Lawn and Turf Diseases | Hortsense | Washington State University
