How do I help my yard to stay green when it is yellowing/browning?

Lyle W EXPERT August 11, 2009

You did not mention the type of grass that you planted. Normally the tilled ground should have been graded and then a layer of sandy loam top soil would have been applied before laying down the sod on top of mostly clay soil.

The sod may be suffering from too little water. If the summer has been hot and you have not been watering it thoroughly nearly every night, then you could have dry sod that does not have roots catching. Make sure that the sod is regularly watered. You may need to water the brown or yellow areas extra. Watering restrictions may limit this strategy in some areas of the country.

You will normally want to fertilize sod such as Bermuda grass on a monthly or bi-monthly basis with a high nitrogen fertilizer. If you have not been fertilizing, you will need to thoroughly water the grass then spread the fertilizer according to the proper rate for the type that you are using. Keep the grass well watered for the next several days after fertilizing.

If you planted St. Augustine grass, you will normally not have to fertilize this grass. Keep it well watered. You may be able to spread sandy loam lightly over the brown spots and runners will normally cover up these spots quickly.

If you need more help with this sod, resubmit your question with additional details about the type of grass that you used and your watering/fertilizing patterns.