Why is my St. Augustine turning yellow or brown?

St. Augustine is the most common grass we get called about when it starts dying. Here's how to narrow it down.

1. Chinch bugs (summer, full sun)

Yellowing patches that turn straw-brown, usually in the hottest, sunniest spots (along the driveway or sidewalk) in July and August. Watering doesn't green them up. Part the grass at the edge of a patch and look at the soil line for tiny black-and-white insects. Needs a labeled insecticide.

2. Brown patch / large patch (spring and fall, cool and wet)

Circular brown rings, often several feet across, that show up when nights are cool and the lawn stays wet. Blades pull easily from the runner and are rotted at the base. Cut back watering, water early morning only, and hold off on nitrogen. Fungicide can help if caught early.

3. Take-all root rot

Irregular yellowing that thins out, with dark, rotted roots and runners. Common after wet springs. Improving drainage and topdressing with peat or compost helps more than anything sprayed.

4. Gray leaf spot (hot, humid summer)

Small gray-brown spots with dark borders on the blades; the lawn looks scorched. Often follows heavy nitrogen in summer. Ease off fertilizer and water in the morning only.

5. Drought stress

Blades fold and turn blue-gray, and footprints stay pressed in. Check your sprinkler coverage: heads blocked or tilted are the usual cause.

Not sure? We'll look at it. Send us a request with a photo and we'll tell you what we see.

More guides

• A month-by-month lawn calendar for North Texas
• Bermuda, St. Augustine or zoysia: which grass for your North Texas yard
• Why your backyard holds water after every storm (and how to fix it)
• When is the best time to lay sod in North Texas?
• How much does sod installation cost in North Texas?
• What does a French drain cost? (And when you don't need one)
• Lawn mowing prices around Rhome and north Fort Worth
• 20 tough plants for North Texas yards (that survive August)
• How long should you run your sprinklers in North Texas?
• When to trim trees and shrubs in North Texas (and when not to)