Question
i have just put up a fence in my backyard and due to the by-laws for my community they will no longer cut my lawn.
i had to wait a week until i got a lawn mower. the grass was extremely long. after we cut it half of it was dead. it hasn't grown back. we cut the grass weekly so that the rest of the grass is healthy. it rains alot here in Florida so it is getting water. why are there brown patches and what can i do to fix them?


Answer
Ilene:

The brown patch could have many causes.  First, I do not know what type of turf you have, so any answer will be generalized.

Second, it sounds like one of two things:

1.  Cutting tall grass exposed to summer heat may have cooked the roots and lower plants, killing them.

2.  There are fungi which predominate when temperatures, nutrients and moisture are favorable.  Brown patch is one of them.  A fungicide is an easy treatment to apply before resewing or plugging or resodding the area.

If you wish to take the risk, replant without treatment.  The lawn must have been healthy to have grown so tall.  The soil may be fine with no diseases.

If concerned about fungus, check with your local ag agent for a diagnosis.  May require a tissue analysis and soil sample at plant pathology to determine disease or lack thereof.

Best wishes.