Released On 24th Jun 2026
What Causes a Brown, Patchy Lawn?
Well, summer has well and truly arrived with a bang! It’s only June, but we’re already going through our second intense heatwave of the year, with temperatures hitting new record highs every day. But while you might be enjoying the sunshine, your lawn might not be. Such intense sun and heat can be tough on grass, and if it doesn’t get the right care, it can become stressed. You’ll notice telltale brown patches, crispy blades and wilting, which is why it’s so important to take action now before all your hard lawn work goes to waste.
Why do I Have a Brown, Patchy Lawn?
There are a lot of reasons your lawn might have started turning brown or losing patches of grass, revealing bare soil underneath. A lot of these issues start turning up around this time of year, as the temperature starts to ramp up and more exposure to the sun means water evaporates from your soil much more quickly. That lack of moisture is often the problem, and it causes 3 issues:
Dry patches: Without enough water each blade of grass will dry out and die. This is what causes the brown, patchy areas in your lawn. This doesn’t happen all across your lawn, as some areas will be affected by lack of water more than others.
Soil compaction: The drier soil is, the more compacted it becomes. Compacted, hard soil is much harder for water to work its way through, and much less of it is going to reach the roots of your grass.
Shallow roots: If your lawn isn’t watered often enough, then the grass roots will stay closer to the surface, drinking up every drop they can find. Shallow root systems aren’t visible, but because they’re closer to the surface they’re much more vulnerable to heat and drought.
Other Reasons for Patchy Lawns
While lack of moisture is the biggest culprit, if you’re watering effectively and still seeing those brown patches, there might be something else at play. A few of the other reasons lawns go brown or patchy include:
Lack of nutrients: Grass is a plant, which means it needs a variety or nutrients to grown and thrive. Without them, your lawn can show signs of stress, which include brown patchy areas. The answer to this is to apply a balanced fertiliser at the appropriate time each year. But don’t overdo it, because that can scorch the grass and lead to brown patches too!
Thatch build-up: We know leaving some cuttings on your lawn after you mow is a good thing, but you need to make sure you’re not leaving too much either. If you let a thick layer of dead grass and roots build up, it creates thatch. This blocks nutrients, air and water from reaching the soil. The easiest way to prevent this is to scarify the lawn in autumn and overseed to replenish it.
Incorrect mowing: Believe it or not, there is a right and a wrong way to mow a lawn. For example, if you have dull mower blades, they will shred the grass rather than cut it cleanly, causing damage. And if you cut your grass too short you can ‘scalp’ the lawn, which stresses the grass and causes brown patches.
Grubs: Did you know there are 2 common lawn pests in the UK? Chafer grubs and leatherjackets both feed on the roots of grass, causing it to wilt, brown and die. They can cause a huge amount of damage to your lawn, and you likely won’t know they’re there until the damage is done. If you suspect an infestation, you’ll need to have a professional come out to assess and treat it, since the pesticides that work can only be used by licenced professionals.
Pet urine: If you have pets (especially dogs), patches like this will come up. Particularly if they prefer a certain spot to use the bathroom. Animals have a very high level of nitrogen in their urine, and direct contact with it can burn grass very quickly.
Lawn disease: Lawns can get diseases too, and they often end up causing these patches that look like dryness or dead grass. Dry Patch, Dollar Spot and Red Thread all thrive in warm humid conditions, so even if you’re watering your lawn they can still crop up.
How to Water Effectively
Thankfully the most common cause of a brown, patchy lawn is easy to fix. Water! Not just splashing it all over the place mind you, but making sure you’re watering your lawn effectively. As long as there are no water restrictions in place (like hosepipe bans), we recommend:
Water early or late in the day: Watering early in the morning or late in the evening means you’re avoiding the hottest parts of the day, and less water will evaporate from the grass before it’s had a chance to filter down to the roots.
Water deeply, but less often: You don’t have to water your lawn every day! Instead, aim for 1 or 2 deep watering sessions every week, where you apply around 1-2 inches of water. This will encourage deep root growth and keep the grass well hydrated.
Use a sprinkler: Sprinklers are a great way to achieve this. We love an impact sprinkler, since they are adjustable and suit lawns of all shapes and sizes, but any sprinkler will get the job done.
If your lawn is looking brown, patchy or just not very happy, we recommend having a professional take a look to diagnose the problem. At CMA Garden Design we spend a lot of our time caring for lawns, so we’re perfectly placed to tell you what’s going on, and give advice on how to fix it. If you’d like to find out more, just get in touch with our team today.
