Streaks of burned turf are usually an indication of what?

• A. A fertilizer was not applied evenly
• B. Overwatering
• C. Pest damage
• D. Soil compaction

Answer: (A)

Streaks of burned turf come from uneven fertilizer application. When fertilizer is spread in patches, some areas receive a much higher salt concentration than others. Turf grasses are sensitive to soluble salts; those salts draw water away from roots and tissue, causing desiccation and leaf scorch that shows up as brown or yellow stripes that follow the pattern of the application. This is different from overwatering, pest damage, or soil compaction, which produce more uniform symptoms or patchy irregularities rather than clean, linear burn lines. To prevent it, calibrate and distribute the fertilizer evenly, consider splitting applications, and water in after spreading to flush excess salts.