Anatomy of a healthy lawn

• A healthy lawn is one which is receiving the right amount of oxygen, water and sunlight.
  
  A healthy lawn is one that is green and plush looking. It is one that grows from healthy soil and receives adequate water, but is not too deeply watered (too much water in the ground can cause lawn health issues). A lawn in good health is also comprised of grasses appropriate for the climate. If certain conditions are not met or if a lawn is infected with disease, however, it can lose its overall good picture of health and not thrive. Brown spots are one of the results of a lawn dealing with a particular circumstance or unhealthy condition.
  
  

Improper Mowing

• Improper lawn mowing can be a cause of brown spots. When a blade is not sharp enough, it shreds the grass, which causes it to dry out. Additionally, when there are uneven spots of grass in a lawn to begin with, and they are mowed to closely, this can cause a phenomenon known as scalping, which can also result in brown spots.
  
  Excessive exhaust from the mower can cause it to dry out as well. A gasoline leak from the mower or when refilling the mower, can also cause spotting in a lawn.
  
  

Sloping in the Terrain

• Brown spots can result from environmental and other factors.
  
  Sloping in a lawn's terrain can also cause brown spotting. When sloping occurs, the water may run off too quickly and not adequately nourish the grass.
  
  

Excessive Heat or Drought

• Excessive heat or drought can also cause brown spotting in the grass. If not given adequate water to keep up with heat demands, a lawn will not thrive. Heat can also be transferred to the lawn from nearby pavement, which is a natural heat absorber. Inadequate precipitation can also be a factor. The remedy for this issue is to provide adequate water for the lawn.
  
  

Compaction in the Soil

• If a soil is too compacted, it can result in brown spots in the lawn. Compaction can be caused by soils that are too rich in clay, or that are compressed by excessive rain, foot or machinery traffic.
  
  

Debris and Thatch

• Debris in a lawn, such as rocks, sticks and other matter, can cause it to not receive adequate mowing, nutrients and water, and cause browning conditions. Thatch is an additional spongy layer that can affect lawn health and result in brown spots.
  
  

Tree Root Competition

• Tree roots can sometime compete with grasses for water and nutrients. It is suggested to keep the area surrounding the tree roots grass free, if this appears to be the case.
  
  

Dog Urine and Feces

• Dog urine and feces results in excessive nitrogen on a lawn and brown spots can result.
  
  Dog urine and feces are very common causes of spotting in a lawn. Both are rich in nitrogen. Excessive nitrogen can impact the balance needed for a healthy lawn, and increase the occurrence of brown spots. A solution is to remove feces quickly or to insure a dog does its waste elimination in areas away from the lawn.
  
  

Diseases

• There are particular diseases that can increase brown spotting in a lawn. Rhizoctonia Yellow Patch, Sclerotinia Dollar Spot, Rhizoctonia Blight, Typhula Blight, Stripe Smut and Pythium Blight are a few of these.