Bald Spots in the Grass

Fertilizing

• Excessive nitrogen from fertilizer can cause bald areas in the lawn. Nitrogen burns up plants by dehydrating the grass. It can be easy to apply too much if you have not calibrated your fertilizer spreader. Also, quick release fertilizer applied on hot days quickly burns up the grass. Avoid applying more than 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in the yard to reduce the risk of causing bald spots. Water the fertilizer after applying to help prevent grass burn.

Mowing

• Mowing your lawn too low can weaken grass roots, create wounds where fungal infections can enter and create bald spots. Each grass type has its own preferred height it needs to be healthy. For instance, keep tall fescue at a height of 2 inches in the fall and spring, but allow the grass to grow to 3 inches in the shade or during hot months. Taking off more than 1/3 of the grass blade will also lead to weak root development.

Melting Out

• Melting out occurs after leaf spot infects the. Leaf spot, caused fungal spores, causes grass blades to discolor and the tips to die. As the disease moves down the blade of the plant, melting out fungi travel down to the root system of the plants. Grass begins to die out in patches and produce bare areas. Apply fungicides when the grass exhibits signs of leaf spot, but once melting out occurs there is little you can do but dig up the infected grass.

Powdery Mildew

• Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that causes yellowing of blades and eventually the grass to die out. Gardeners should monitor their lawns when conditions are damp and temperatures range between 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Oftentimes, powdery mildew infects grass grown in the shade. You can increase the sunlight in the lawn by pruning back branches and refraining from watering grass in the late afternoon. Remove dead grass from the area and reseed the bald spots.