Dead Grass Due to Human Activity

Soil Compaction

• If grass is in a very high traffic area, such as the tee-off box on a golf course, the grass will die if not properly taken care of because of soil compaction. Every time a person walks on the grass, his weight presses down on the soil that it is rooted in. This slowly makes the soil denser. Eventually, this creates soil that can't operate as a natural ecosystem any longer, as organisms, water, nutrients and air are unable to move the way they are supposed to.

Mowing Improperly

• Mowing a lawn with the wrong equipment or with equipment set up incorrectly quickly leads to dead grass. Sharpen mower blades regularly. This prevents a condition called leaf shredding that kills the end of the grass. Leaf shredding also makes your lawn more prone to disease. Make sure that you don't cut the grass too short. If you can see yellow or brown on the grass after you cut it, you have scalped the grass, which causes dead patches.

Objects

• If you put lawn furniture, bird waterers, statuary or anything else on your lawn and leave it there for a prolonged period of time, expect some adverse effects as a result. You could notice grass starting to die even if you leave a lawn implement parked on the grass instead of putting it away in the shed. Avoid this problem by rotating furniture regularly or putting it down on a bed of wood chips or soil rather than on grass.

Preventing Dead Grass

• The more your grass is used, the more care you need to take to make sure that it survives even after intense use. Aeration is something that should be done at least once a year to heavily used grass. This process involves poking small holes in the soil. This loosens up the ground and reverses the effects of soil compaction. Regular watering and fertilizing the grass will help make it stronger and more resistant to the abuses of humans.