Lawn diagnosis and irrigation log

Problem snapshot

Item	Notes
Date first noticed
Lawn area	Front / back / side / slope / shade / high traffic / near pavement
Grass type if known	Cool-season / warm-season / mixed / unknown
Pattern	Rings / patches / streaks / sprinkler shape / edges / random spots
Color and texture	Brown / yellow / gray / wilted / greasy / thin / matted
Recent weather	Heat / humidity / heavy rain / drought / frost / wind
Recent work	Fertilizer / herbicide / mowing change / aeration / seeding / construction
Pets, spills, tire tracks, or foot traffic

Photos and measurements

Take repeat photos from the same angle so the pattern can be compared over time.

Photo or measurement	Notes
Wide photo showing the full area
Close photo of affected blades
Healthy-area comparison photo
Soil moisture feel at 3 to 4 inches	Dry / damp / saturated / uneven
Catch-can depth in affected area
Catch-can depth in nearby healthy area
Morning leaf wetness or dew duration

Watering and sprinkler zone log

Zone or sprinkler	Runtime	Catch-can average	Dry spots	Runoff or pooling	Notes

Diagnosis comparison

Likely cause to consider	Clues that support it	Clues that argue against it
Drought stress	Footprints remain, dry soil, sunny slope, low catch-can depth	Soil stays wet, disease-like lesions, shaded wet area
Overwatering or poor drainage	Soggy soil, algae, mushrooms, runoff, low area	Soil is dry below surface, sprinkler misses area
Lawn disease	Ring or patch pattern, lesions, humid nights, wet foliage	Pattern follows sprinkler gap, traffic, pet spot, chemical spill
Insects or grubs	Turf pulls up, animal digging, chewing signs	Roots firm, no larvae found, pattern tied to water
Weed or grass mismatch	Different blade shape, seasonal growth difference	Same turf type throughout, sudden disease-like pattern
Fertility or pH stress	Pale color, slow growth, soil-test issue	Lesions, standing water, pattern linked to irrigation
Mower or traffic damage	Wheel tracks, scalping, path shape, dull-blade tear	Random circular patches away from traffic

Treatment or change log

Date	Change made	Label or source checked	Weather	Result after 7-14 days

Questions before treating

• Does the affected area match a sprinkler coverage pattern?
• Is the soil actually dry, saturated, compacted, or different from the healthy area?
• Did fertilizer, herbicide, mowing height, or watering change recently?
• Are disease symptoms visible on individual blades, or is the pattern mostly environmental?
• Does the product label match the grass type, target pest, weather window, and reseeding plan?
• Would a local extension office, lawn professional, or irrigation technician need photos, zone records, or soil-test results?

Red flags to slow down

• Applying disease, insect, weed, or fertilizer products before identifying the likely cause.
• Watering more when the soil is already saturated or runoff is visible.
• Treating drought stress with fungicide or treating disease while nighttime leaf wetness remains high.
• Ignoring pet, spill, fuel, salt, construction, or mower damage patterns.
• Mixing products, exceeding label rates, or treating before rain when the label says not to.