Teg Blog & News

A lush green lawn is more than just an attractive feature—it’s a sign of healthy turf, strong roots, and proper maintenance. But when summer arrives, many homeowners notice their once-vibrant grass fading into a dull, yellow shade.

You might assume it’s just the heat, but lawn discoloration can stem from a variety of hidden stressors. Watering alone won’t always solve the problem, and applying fertilizer without diagnosing the real issue could do more harm than good. Proper lawn care is key to restoring your grass’s vibrant color and overall health.

If your grass is struggling this season, it’s not too late to fix it. The key to recovery is understanding the underlying cause—whether it’s soil depletion, watering mistakes, or something lurking beneath the surface. Here’s why your lawn might be turning yellow and what you can do to bring back its healthy green color.

The Real Culprit: What’s Causing Your Lawn to Yellow?

Lawn discoloration is rarely random. If you spot patches of yellow across your yard, your turf is signaling distress, and you’ll need to identify the issue before applying treatment.

Common causes include:

• Heat stress and drought: High temperatures deplete moisture, leaving grass brittle.
• Nutrient deficiency: Grass needs nitrogen and other minerals to retain its deep green color.
• Overwatering issues: Too much water suffocates roots and creates fungal problems.
• Compacted soil: Dense soil blocks oxygen, nutrients, and hydration from reaching roots.
• Pest infestations: Grubs and insects feed on grass roots, weakening turf from below.

Each of these stressors affects the lawn differently, meaning one-size-fits-all solutions won’t work.

Heat Stress vs. Overwatering: Finding the Right Balance

The biggest mistake homeowners make? Assuming yellow grass always needs more water. In reality, both excessive watering and drought conditions can lead to discoloration—it’s all about maintaining the right balance.

Signs of Heat Stress and Drought:

• Grass blades feel dry and fragile.
• Yellowing spreads across sun-exposed areas.
• Soil pulls away from walkways and edges.

Signs of Overwatering Issues:

• Grass feels spongy or mushy after watering.
• Slimy, mold-like patches appear on the turf.
• The lawn stays damp for too long after irrigation.

How to Fix It:

• Water deeply, but less frequently—grass needs deep root hydration, not constant surface moisture.
• Stick to morning watering to minimize evaporation and allow roots to absorb moisture efficiently.
• Improve drainage if puddles form—standing water suffocates roots and promotes disease.

When watering is done correctly, grass builds resilience to summer conditions rather than weakening under stress.

Lawn Nutrition: Is Your Grass Starving for Nutrients?

Grass requires consistent access to essential nutrients to maintain its healthy color. If levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium drop, lawns weaken and turn pale.

How to Restore a Nutrient-Deficient Lawn:

• Apply slow-release fertilizers for steady nourishment instead of short-term bursts.
• Conduct soil testing to target specific deficiencies before choosing a fertilizer.
• Introduce organic matter to strengthen soil structure and long-term turf health.

Lawn feeding isn’t just about making grass greener—it’s about ensuring strong root development, which protects turf from seasonal stress.

The Silent Threat: Pests and Lawn Diseases

Heat and soil issues aren’t the only reasons for yellowing grass. Sometimes, the problem is hidden below the surface, where pests or fungal infections quietly damage your lawn’s structure.

Signs of Pest Damage:

• Grass pulls up too easily, exposing eaten roots.
• Yellow patches spread in clusters rather than evenly.
• Presence of insects or burrow holes in the soil.

Signs of Lawn Disease:

• Mold-like slime or powdery buildup appears on blades.
• Grass develops ring-shaped discoloration.
• Brown spots worsen despite proper watering and fertilization.

How to Fix It:

• Apply pest control treatments before infestations take hold.
• Use fungicide applications to stop disease progression.
• Strengthen turf resilience with aeration, fertilization, and regular lawn care.

Left untreated, lawn diseases spread quickly, making early intervention critical for recovery.

Fixing Compacted Soil: Why Your Grass is Suffocating

Healthy roots depend on loose, oxygen-rich soil. If the ground becomes compacted, water and nutrients struggle to reach the grass, leading to yellowing and thinning turf.

How to Improve Soil Health:

• Perform seasonal aeration treatments to break up dense soil.
• Limit foot traffic in areas where grass struggles to regrow.
• Add organic soil conditioners to enhance nutrient absorption and strengthen root development.

Aeration treatments allow grass to breathe, improving nutrient absorption and hydration efficiency.

Bring Your Lawn Back to Life with Expert Care

When yellow patches start spreading, it’s tempting to try quick fixes—but temporary solutions won’t protect your lawn in the long run. It takes expert care to truly restore its strength, color, and resilience.

At The Experienced Gardener, we provide:

• Tailored fertilization treatments designed to nourish struggling lawns.
• Aeration services that break up compacted soil and improve hydration.
• Pest and disease control to eliminate hidden threats beneath the surface.
• Custom lawn solutions built for Central Valley conditions, ensuring lasting results.

Summer can be tough on lawns, but the right treatments will bring back that rich green color and keep your turf thriving—even in extreme heat.

Don’t settle for dried-out, struggling grass. With expert solutions from The Experienced Gardener, your lawn can flourish again—no matter how hot the summer gets.