08/13/2026
At this time of the year, the answer is not always about moisture.
If a section of lawn stays brown no matter how much you water it, and the turf lifts up easily like a loose carpet when you tug on it, grubs are a likely culprit. They feed on grass roots just below the surface.
A simple way to check is to cut a small square of turf about an inch deep and fold it back. Several grubs in that section is usually enough to explain the damage.