Did Fertilizer Burn Your Lawn?
Brown, scorched grass after fertilizing is fixable — if you act fast. Here’s what happened, how to recover, and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Symptom overview
What This Looks Like
Fertilizer burn happens when too much product is applied too fast, scorching the grass with excess salt and nitrogen. It’s one of the most common DIY lawn care mistakes in Middle Georgia — and it’s usually fixable.
Possible causes
What Could Be Causing This
Over-Application of Fertilizer
Applying more fertilizer than the label rate or overlapping passes with a broadcast spreader concentrates salts in the soil, drawing moisture out of grass roots. The result is brown, scorched turf within 1–3 days of application.
Applying Fertilizer to Wet Grass
Granular fertilizer that sticks to wet grass blades dissolves on the surface and burns the leaf tissue directly. This causes spotty browning wherever granules stuck, rather than the uniform burn from soil-level over-application.
Wrong Fertilizer for the Grass Type
Centipede grass is extremely sensitive to nitrogen. Applying a bermuda-rate fertilizer to centipede can cause severe decline or death, even at what seems like a normal rate. Each grass type has its own nitrogen tolerance.
Fertilizing During Drought Stress
Applying fertilizer when the lawn is already drought-stressed compounds the damage. The salt concentration in dry soil is higher, and the grass has no moisture reserves to buffer the impact.
Spill or Spreader Malfunction
A fertilizer spill or a spreader that jams open dumps a concentrated pile of product in one spot. These areas turn brown-to-black within 24 hours and may need soil flushing or even sod replacement.
Diagnose it
Narrow Down the Cause
Did the browning appear within 1–3 days of applying fertilizer?
The timing confirms fertilizer burn. Immediately water the affected area heavily (1+ inches) to flush excess salts through the soil.
If browning appeared more than a week after fertilizing, the cause may be disease triggered by the fertilizer rather than direct burn.
Is the browning in streaks or lines that match your spreading pattern?
Overlapping passes with the spreader caused double-application in those areas. This is one of the most common causes of striped fertilizer burn.
Uniform or random browning may indicate the rate was too high overall, or the product was applied during poor conditions (heat, drought).
Did you water the lawn within 24 hours of applying the fertilizer?
If you watered and still got burn, the application rate was likely too high. The water helped but couldn’t fully dilute the excess.
Watering immediately after application is critical. Run your irrigation or hose for 20–30 minutes to wash fertilizer off the blades and into the soil.
Still not sure? A professional lawn assessment takes the guesswork out of it.
Get QuoteSeasonal timing
When This Is Most Common
Fertilizer burn is most common in Middle Georgia during late spring and summer when homeowners are eager to green up their lawns. The risk is highest during hot, dry periods when grass is already stressed. Professional lawn care programs apply the right product at the right rate, every time.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my lawn recover from fertilizer burn?
Mild to moderate fertilizer burn usually recovers within 2–4 weeks with heavy watering to flush the salts. The grass blades may die back, but the crowns and roots often survive. Severe burns (black, crispy grass) in a concentrated area may need resodding.
How do I fix fertilizer burn right now?
Water immediately and heavily — soak the affected area with at least 1 inch of water to dilute and flush the excess salts. Repeat daily for 3–5 days. Do not apply any more fertilizer. The grass needs time to recover.
How much fertilizer is too much?
It depends on your grass type. Bermuda can handle 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per application. Centipede should never get more than 0.5 lb per application. Always follow the label rate and use a properly calibrated spreader.
Is this why you recommend professional fertilization?
Exactly. We calibrate our equipment, match the product to your specific grass type, and adjust rates based on current conditions. Fertilizer burn is one of the most common — and avoidable — DIY lawn care problems we see.
Related problems
Other Lawn Problems to Consider
Take action
Stop Guessing and Start Fixing
Every lawn problem has a solution. Get a professional diagnosis and targeted treatment plan from Attaboy Lawn Care.
