why is my kentucky bluegrass turning yellow

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Because of its fine textured, lush blue-green leaf blades, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is an evergreen, cold season grass that is often planted as turfgrass for lawns, golf courses, and sporting fields. Kentucky bluegrass that is becoming yellow is most frequently the result of a disease or poor cultural circumstances. Finding and addressing the cause of the issue is critical to restoring the grass’s health.

Rust Ruin

1. Rust is a fungal disease that causes leaf blades to develop masses of yellow, orange, or reddish spores. The lawn may seem to thin when the leaf blades turn yellow at the tip. Rust may appear from early spring through early autumn, preferring wet locations with low light. Increase light penetration and air circulation by trimming or removing surrounding shrubs and trees that throw shadow on the lawn to help minimize rust.

Dollar Spot Sorrows

1. Dollar spot is common on drought-stressed grass, resulting in multiple straw-colored spots. Remove thatch, a tangle of live and dead grass, from your lawn in late summer or early autumn by using a vertical mower. This improves drainage and reduces drought and nutritional stress by aerating the grass and soil. Avoid mowing Kentucky bluegrass too short, since this might lead to dollar spot.

Anthracnose Attack

1. Anthracnose grows in high temperatures ranging from 80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, preferring salty, compacted, and too rich soil. The disease is characterized by uneven patches of brown or yellowish-tan grass with black fruiting structures. The University of California IPM advocates improving cultural conditions and avoiding using fungicide on household lawns. During the hot summer months, avoid fertilizing Kentucky bluegrass and water only in the morning to enable the grass to dry by evening.

Culture is Caring

1. Providing your Kentucky bluegrass with the proper cultural conditions from the start can help avoid future foliage issues. The grass is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, and it prefers a sunny location with well-draining, wet soil. In late winter, late spring, and early autumn, apply 4 to 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. During the summer, water every one to three days to keep the soil wet, since Kentucky bluegrass is not drought resistant.