Have you ever looked out at your lawn in late summer and see what was once green, luscious grass now looks terrible, brown, crispy, and lifeless? Almost every Texan has had this happen. But put the panic on pause.

Before you write it off as a total loss and start pricing out sod, take a breath.

In Central Texas, a brown summer lawn is not always a dead lawn.

Here's what's probably going on and what to do about it.

Heat and Drought Dormancy

Warm-season grasses like Bermuda go dormant when stressed by heat and lack of water. Dormancy is a survival mechanism, the plant shuts down above-ground growth to protect its root system and crown.

Yes, it looks terrible, but the plant is very much alive.

When temperatures drop and rainfall returns in fall, a dormant lawn can fully recover.

Fertilizer Burn

If the browning appeared shortly after a fertilizer application, fertilizer burn is likely the culprit. This is especially common when fertilizer is applied to dry or heat-stressed grass. The affected areas may look striped or patchy following the application pattern.

In most cases, the grass will recover with proper watering, but severe burn can kill the grass in the affected areas.

Irrigation Problems

Sprinkler heads get clogged, zones fail, and coverage becomes uneven over time. Brown patches that don't follow any obvious pattern, especially if neighboring areas are fine, often point to an irrigation issue.

Walk your yard while the system is running and look for dry spots or misfiring heads.

Fungal Disease

Brown patch and other fungal diseases are surprisingly common in Central Texas during summer, particularly in St. Augustine lawns. Fungal issues often appear as circular or irregular brown patches and may have a yellow halo around the edges.

They're more common when the lawn stays wet overnight, another reason to water in the morning.

Pest Damage

Chinch bugs, grubs, and other turf pests can cause significant brown patches in summer. Chinch bugs are a particular problem in St. Augustine lawns and cause irregular brown areas that spread quickly in heat and drought conditions.

If you suspect pest damage, pull back the grass at the edge of a brown patch and look for insects at soil level.

Get a Professional Set of Eyes on It

Not sure what's causing your lawn to look the way it does? Evans Lawn Care can take a look and help diagnose the issue. Sometimes it's something simple, sometimes it needs treatment.

Either way, we'll give you an honest answer.

Contact us for a free estimate.