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Bermuda Grass Turning Yellow: Causes, Fixes, and Prevention

Seeing yellow patches, streaks, or spots in your Bermuda lawn? This guide explains the most common reasons Bermuda grass turns yellow, how to diagnose each one quickly, and the exact fixes that restore deep green colour fast. Works for common and hybrid varieties (e.g., Tifway 419, TifTuf).

Why Bermuda Grass Turns Yellow (Most Common Causes)

Yellowing usually traces back to nutrients, mowing, water, or stress. Use this list to match what you see on the lawn:

Low Nitrogen: Uniform pale colour after rapid growth; lawn looks dull and thin. Fix: Resume a steady N program during active growth.
Iron/Micronutrient Unavailability (often high pH): Interveinal chlorosis (veins green, tissue yellow). Fix: Foliar iron/micros; check pH and amend.
Drought or Hydrophobic Soil: Yellowing/bronzing in patches that resist wetting. Fix: Deep, infrequent irrigation; use a wetting agent; cycle/soak watering.
Scalping or Dull Blades: Bronze/yellow after mowing, especially on bumps. Fix: Raise height, sharpen blades, level high spots.
Heat/Stress + Excess Salts: Mid-summer fade with leaf tip burn. Fix: Light leach irrigation; spoon-feed nutrients; avoid midday apps.
Thatch & Compaction: Spongy feel, poor infiltration; yellowing from shallow roots. Fix: Core aerate; verticut if thatch >12 mm.
Disease (humid spells): Spots/patches with lesions or fuzzy growth. Fix: Water mornings only; reduce leaf wetness; fungicide if confirmed.
Insects (armyworms/cutworms/grubs): Irregular thinning or chewed blades. Fix: Confirm pests; treat per label; support recovery.
Shade or Traffic: Persistent yellowing in high-wear or low-light areas. Fix: Increase sun, redistribute traffic, raise mow height slightly.
Urine/Spills: Small bright-yellow spots that later brown. Fix: Flush with water; encourage even growth to mask.

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Step-by-Step: Diagnose and Fix Yellow Bermuda Fast

Follow this quick protocol to isolate the cause and correct it efficiently:

1) Check mowing first: Are tips shredded or is turf scalped? Sharpen blades; mow 25–50 mm (1–2″) and obey the one-third rule. Level humps with light topdressing.
2) Test soil moisture: Probe 75–100 mm deep. If dry or water-repellent, apply a wetting agent and irrigate in cycle/soak (short on/off runs) to push water deeper.
3) Address nutrition: During active growth, feed modestly but consistently. As a guideline, many Bermuda lawns respond to ~0.5–1.0 lb N/1,000 ft²/month (≈0.25–0.5 kg N/100 m²/month). Prefer slow-release granular for even feeding; use liquid spoon-feeds to tune colour without surge growth.
4) Suspect iron deficiency? If veins stay greener than the tissue (especially on high-pH soils), apply a foliar iron/micro blend and plan a pH correction strategy after a soil test.
5) Relieve compaction/thatch: Core aerate compacted zones late spring–summer when turf is vigorous; verticut if thatch >12 mm to improve infiltration and nutrient use.
6) Rule out pests/disease: Soap-flush or dusk scouting for caterpillars; tug test for grubs. If disease suspected, shift watering to mornings, reduce leaf wetness, and apply a labeled fungicide only if confirmed.
7) Re-evaluate sun & traffic: Bermuda needs 6–8+ hours of direct sun. In shade or heavy-wear lanes, raise mowing height slightly, reduce N, and spread foot traffic.

Quick recovery tip: a hose-on liquid feed can restore colour fast while your granular program does the heavy lifting.

Recommended product: CompleteGrow Lawn Grow – Hose-On Liquid Lawn Fertiliser for even coverage and rapid green-up on Bermuda between granular applications.

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Prevent Yellowing: Seasonal Plan, Targets & FAQ

Seasonal plan
• Spring: Soil test & pH adjust; start balanced or P/K-supported feeding; set mowing height and cadence; begin deep, infrequent watering.
• Summer: N-forward feeding (granular or liquid spoon-feeds); mow frequently with sharp blades; deep watering 1–2x/week (25–38 mm total); core-aerate if compacted.
• Autumn: Taper N; keep K supportive; verticut if thatch >12 mm; tidy weeds pre-winter; light topdressing/levelling as needed.
• Winter: Pause N while dormant; water only to prevent desiccation; plan spring reno.

Targets to keep colour: 6–8+ hours sun; mow 25–50 mm; steady N in season (avoid surges); deep, infrequent irrigation; maintain pH ~6.0–7.0; relieve compaction annually.

FAQ

Why is my Bermuda grass turning yellow after mowing?
Likely scalping or dull blades. Raise height, mow more often, and sharpen blades. Level uneven areas to prevent “high-spot” scalping.

What deficiency causes yellow Bermuda?
Most commonly low nitrogen. If veins stay green but tissue is yellow, suspect iron unavailability (often high pH) — use a foliar iron/micro and address pH after a soil test.

Why is only part of my lawn yellow?
Localised dry/hydrophobic soil, compaction, shade, traffic lanes, or pet spots. Treat the site-specific cause (wetting agent, aeration, traffic spread, flush urine spots).

How fast can I green it back up?
Liquid hose-on feeds often show cosmetic improvement within days; pair with a balanced granular program for sustained colour and density.