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Child's Play Organic Lawns services South Bend, Elkhart, Granger and Mishawaka, Indiana. We also work in Southwest Michigan. We specialize in organic based fertilizers and lawn care programs. Organic based lawns are maintained using natural, non-toxic lawn products wherever possible. Organic based lawncare emphasizes fertilization and proper maintenance techniques to minimize weeds, fungus, and insect damage. Natural, organic based lawn care leads to a yard that is safe for kids and pets. Organic based fertilizers help protect our environment and promote ecological sustainability.

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Heat Stress

Heat is very hard on grass (see our primer on grass growth for a discussion of heat, photosynthesis, and the growth cycle of northern turf grass). If you have brown areas in your lawn, and the temperatures have been in the mid to high eighties for a few days, the lawn may be damaged from heat. This is especially common in areas where grass doesn't get enough water (non-irrigated lawns, blocked sprinkler heads, not enough rain, etc.)

Look closely at the grass on the edge of the brown area. Examine the blades that are still green. Heat stress will be indicated by heat banding on the blades. Click the pictures below for examples of heat banding.

"Doesn't look like a disease, looks more like heat stress (heat banding on the leaves) from a lack of soil moisture. Is it dry in these areas? [Fertilizer] burn would leave dark green margins on the patches and dollar spot would have a reddish margin on the lesions."

Zac Reicher
Professor/Turfgrass Extension Specialist
Dept. of Agronomy, Purdue University

It takes quite some time for grass to recover from heat damage. Keep the water on it and reseed if necessary.