Why Is My Lawn Turning Yellow?
A yellow lawn is your turf telling you something is off. We’ll help you figure out what’s causing it and how to get the green back.
Symptom overview
What This Looks Like
A yellow lawn in Middle Georgia usually points to a nutrient deficiency, overwatering, or the early stages of a fungal issue. The cause depends on timing, grass type, and recent care history.
Possible causes
What Could Be Causing This
Iron or Nitrogen Deficiency
Centipede and St. Augustine lawns are especially prone to iron chlorosis, which causes a uniform yellow-green color across the entire lawn. Nitrogen deficiency produces a similar look but tends to start in older growth first.
Overwatering or Poor Drainage
Saturated soil suffocates grass roots and leaches nutrients out of the root zone. Yellowing from overwatering is often patchy and concentrated in low spots where water pools.
Large Patch (Rhizoctonia)
Large patch causes circular areas of yellow-to-brown turf in spring and fall when temperatures are between 60–80°F. The edges of the patch often have a distinctive orange-yellow halo.
Learn moreSoil pH Imbalance
Middle Georgia soils tend to be acidic. When pH drops too low, nutrients like iron and manganese become unavailable even if they’re present in the soil. Centipede grass is especially sensitive to pH above 6.0.
Chinch Bug Damage
Chinch bugs suck sap from grass blades, causing yellowing that starts at the edges of sunny areas and spreads inward. Most common in St. Augustine lawns during hot, dry summers.
Learn moreDiagnose it
Narrow Down the Cause
Is the yellowing uniform across the entire lawn?
This usually points to a nutrient deficiency (iron or nitrogen) or a soil pH issue. A soil test will confirm.
Patchy yellowing suggests a fungal disease, drainage issue, or localized pest damage.
Have you been watering more than 1 inch per week?
Overwatering is likely contributing. Cut back to 1 inch per week and water deeply but infrequently.
Watering probably isn’t the issue. Look at nutrient levels and soil pH next.
Do the yellow areas have a circular pattern with orange edges?
This is a strong indicator of large patch fungus. We can treat this with a targeted fungicide application.
Large patch is less likely. Focus on soil nutrition and watering habits.
Still not sure? A professional lawn assessment takes the guesswork out of it.
Get QuoteSeasonal timing
When This Is Most Common
In Middle Georgia, yellow lawns are most common in early spring (when warm-season grasses are emerging from dormancy and nutrients are low) and in fall (when large patch fungus is active). Summer yellowing usually points to chinch bugs or irrigation problems.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my centipede grass turning yellow?
Centipede is the most common grass type to turn yellow in Middle Georgia. It’s sensitive to both iron deficiency and over-fertilization. Too much nitrogen actually makes centipede decline. A soil test tells us exactly what’s missing so we can correct it without overdoing it.
Will fertilizer fix a yellow lawn?
It depends on the cause. If the yellowing is from nitrogen deficiency, the right fertilizer helps. But if it’s from overwatering, soil pH, or disease, fertilizer can actually make things worse. We always diagnose before we treat.
How fast will my yellow lawn recover?
Once the underlying cause is corrected, most warm-season grasses green up within 2–4 weeks during active growing season. Iron applications can produce visible greening in as little as 48 hours.
Is a yellow lawn in March normal in Georgia?
Partially. Warm-season grasses are just coming out of dormancy in March, so some yellow-brown color is expected. But if your neighbors’ lawns are greening up and yours isn’t, there may be a nutrient or soil issue holding it back.
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.
