Grass identifier and lawn check
What type of grass do I have? Name it from a photo, then fix the lawn
What type of grass do you have, and what is wrong with it? The grass identifier names your lawn grass from one close photo, reads brown patches, yellowing and weeds, and plans the fix for the weeks ahead.
The result
What the grass identifier tells you about your lawn
One close photo and where the lawn is: the report is built for your grass type, region and season.
The most likely grass, or the mix, with how sure the match is and the blade clues it used.
Brown patches, yellowing, bare spots or weeds, with the likely causes ranked: drought or heat stress, fungus, dog urine, compacted soil, the wrong feed.
One plain call, in words. No lawn health score.
- Watch it
- Fix it this month
- Call a pro
Mowing height, deep or light watering, fertilization, weed control and overseeding for the next weeks, timed for your climate and the season.
The type of fertilizer, weed killer or fungicide that suits your grass type, used at the rate and time its label gives.
How the lawn should change week by week if the plan works, in words, and when a new photo should show it.
The grass type, the problem and the plan on one page, to show a lawn service or a garden center.
Method
How the grass identifier works
- 01
Upload a close photo of the grass
Get down to the lawn: a few blades in sharp focus, in daylight. For a problem, include the edge of the patch, where brown meets green.
- 02
Add your ZIP code or town
Your region and climate zone decide which grass types grow there, and when to mow, feed and seed.
- 03
Get the grass type and the problem
The grass identifier names the grass type, reads the brown patches, yellowing or weeds, and says how serious it is.
- 04
Follow the lawn care plan
The steps for the next weeks, in order. Send a new photo later to see whether the lawn is coming back, or whether it is time to call a pro.
Reference
Identify types of lawn grass: cool-season and warm-season
Most lawns are a mix of grass types, and each one needs its own mowing height, water and fertilizer. These are common lawn grasses and the clues on the blade.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season)
Dark green and medium-textured, with a boat-shaped tip and parallel sides that look stiff. Spreads by rhizomes, so it repairs worn spots; grows best in fall, winter and spring.
- Tall fescue (cool-season)
Coarse, medium to dark green, the leaf rolled in the bud. A bunch grass, so open spots may need reseeding; it tolerates heat and drought well.
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season)
Fine-textured and rich green, the back of the leaf shiny and the tip tapered. A bunch grass that takes heavy traffic; often mixed with Kentucky bluegrass.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season)
Medium to coarse and grey-green (hybrids finer), pointed blade tips and a fringe of hairs where the blade meets the sheath. Turns brown and dormant in the cool months.
- St. Augustinegrass (warm-season)
Broad, medium-green blades with a boat-shaped tip; creeps by stolons into a dense turf. Takes shade and heat, not cold, and goes dormant in late autumn and winter.
Source: UC IPM (UC Guide to Healthy Lawns: turf species), as of
Reference
Lawn grass brown patches: what the pattern says
Where the brown is and how it appeared often points to the cause. Most lawn problems have a nonliving cause, such as water, fertilizer or a dog, though they are often blamed on insects or disease.
| What you see | What it often means |
|---|---|
| Spots that appear all at once in one area | A nonliving cause, such as water, fertilizer or something left on the grass |
| Patches that grow slowly over the weeks | A disease or an insect problem |
| Damage soon after mowing, feeding or spraying | That job was not done right |
| Round spots of dead grass with a dark green ring | Dog urine, worst on bunch grasses |
| Dry spots where the sprinkler does not reach | Too little water |
| Patches that turn yellow, then brown or straw, often with green grass in the middle; the leaf base dark, rotted and smelly | Brown patch, a fungus favoured by long wet spells; herbicide damage looks similar but the leaf base stays dry |
- What you see
- Spots that appear all at once in one area
- A nonliving cause, such as water, fertilizer or something left on the grass
- What you see
- Patches that grow slowly over the weeks
- A disease or an insect problem
- What you see
- Damage soon after mowing, feeding or spraying
- That job was not done right
- What you see
- Round spots of dead grass with a dark green ring
- Dog urine, worst on bunch grasses
- What you see
- Dry spots where the sprinkler does not reach
- Too little water
- What you see
- Patches that turn yellow, then brown or straw, often with green grass in the middle; the leaf base dark, rotted and smelly
- Brown patch, a fungus favoured by long wet spells; herbicide damage looks similar but the leaf base stays dry
Pull a few blades from the edge of a patch and look at the base: rot points to brown patch, a dry, tan base to herbicide or fertilizer damage.
Source: UC IPM (UC Guide to Healthy Lawns: patterns, abiotic disorders); LSU AgCenter (Brown Patch), as of
Reference
Why is my grass turning yellow? Feed, water or a dog
Yellow grass is a symptom, not a cause. Check these before you buy anything.
- Short of nitrogen
- The most common nutrient shortage in lawns: the grass turns yellow and grows weakly.
- Short of iron
- Common in alkaline soils: yellow or bleached spots that mottle the blades.
- Short of potassium
- Blades turn yellow and brown at the edges.
- Water
- Too little gives dry spots; too much, on poor drainage in heat, can scald the grass and invite root disease.
- Dogs
- Round dead spots ringed with dark green grass; watering the spot soon after flushes the salts.
- Soil pH
- Turfgrass grows best at a pH of about 6 to 7; a soil test says what is short and what to add.
Source: UC IPM (UC Guide to Healthy Lawns: nutrient deficiencies, watering, dog injury), as of
Reference
Lawn grass weeds identification: broadleaves, grasses and sedges
Lawn weeds fall into three groups, and the grass identifier names the weed as well as the grass, so you know which treatments suit both the weed and your grass.
- Broadleaves
Weeds such as dandelion and buckhorn or broadleaf plantain.
- Weedy grasses
Crabgrass, dallisgrass and annual bluegrass look like lawn grass at first glance: the check tells them apart from your grass type.
- Sedges
Nutsedge is a sedge, a group of its own; hand weeding is one of the best ways to keep it out.
- What the weed says
Many weeds point to a lawn condition, such as overwatering, compacted soil or low fertility. Fixing it is part of the plan.
- Before any weed killer
No single herbicide controls all lawn weeds, and not all can be used on every grass: the weed and your grass type both have to be known first.
Source: UC IPM (Weed Management in Lawns), as of
Photos
How to photograph grass for the grass identifier
Grass types differ in the blade, so the photo has to show the blade up close, not the whole yard.
Do
Get close
A few blades fill the frame: the tip, the width and the colour are the main clues.
Show where the blade meets the stem
Pull one shoot and lay it on your hand or a sheet of paper.
Use daylight
Out of harsh midday sun, so yellow and grey-green look as they do.
Shoot the edge of a patch
Where brown meets green shows how a problem is spreading.
Don't
No wide yard shots alone
A whole lawn from the porch hides the blade.
Not right after mowing
Mowing cuts off the tips, and the tip is a key clue.
No flash at dusk
Flash can change the colour; daylight shows it best.
Treating a lawn with children or pets on it?
Read the whole label of any weed killer, fungicide or fertilizer, and keep children and pets off the lawn for as long as it says. The plan names the type of product for your grass type; the label sets the rate and the timing.
Scope
What the grass identifier can and cannot tell from a photo
A photo can show
- Common cool-season and warm-season lawn grasses, and mixes
- Brown patches, yellowing, bare spots and common lawn weeds
- The likely causes, ranked, and how serious the problem is
- A lawn care plan for your grass type, region and season
Only an expert with it in hand can tell
- Grubs, roots and soil below the surface: dig a small square to look
- A lab test of soil or a sample: a soil test or an extension office can run one
- Whether a treated lawn is safe for pets and children: the product label says
A grass name is the start. The grass identifier goes on to what is wrong with the lawn and a step-by-step plan for the weeks ahead, with a clear line on when to call a professional.
Next
After the grass identifier: when to get help
The plan covers the fixes you can do at home. Some problems need a test or a person on the lawn.
- 01
Test the soil, don't guess
Before you feed, a professional soil analysis says which nutrients are short and what to add to reach the right pH for your grass.
- 02
Fix the water first
Check for broken or blocked sprinkler heads and uneven coverage before you treat a dry or yellow area.
- 03
Ask your extension office
A local Cooperative Extension office can name a problem the photo cannot settle, such as a disease or insects in the soil.
- 04
Call a pro for a spreading patch
When the plan says "Call a pro", or a patch keeps growing after you have fixed the water and the feed.
A free grass identifier online: no app, no account
The grass identifier runs in the browser on your phone, out on the lawn. No lawn expertise required. Trying the form here is free: no card, no account and no trial, so there is nothing to cancel.
Limits
What a lawn photo cannot settle
The grass identifier gives the most likely grass type and cause, not a certainty: mixed lawns, soil and local climate can confuse a photo. Follow the label of every lawn product, and keep children and pets off a treated lawn for as long as it says.
FAQ
Grass identifier questions
Is there an app that can tell me what kind of grass I have from a photo for free?
This grass identifier works in the browser on a phone, with nothing to install. Trying the form here is free: no card, no account and no trial.
How can I identify the type of grass on my lawn?
Look at the blade up close: its tip (boat-shaped or pointed), its width, its colour, and how it grows (spreading or in bunches). The grass identifier reads the same clues from a close photo.
Can I identify my grass from a picture, and how accurate is it?
A close photo of a few blades in daylight is the place to start. The report shows how sure the match is and the clues it used. Mixed lawns are common, so it names the mix when it sees one.
Is this a grass identifier or a full lawn diagnosis tool?
Both. It names the grass type, then reads the problem in the photo and gives a lawn care plan for that grass in your region.
Is it more than a lawn grass identifier?
Yes. After the name it reads brown patches, yellowing and weeds, says how serious they are, and gives the steps to fix them, with a summary to share with a lawn service.
What do I get after the identification: a care plan or just the grass name?
A care plan: mowing, watering, fertilization, weed control and overseeding for the weeks ahead, timed for your grass type and region.
How do I know what kind of grass I have for better lawn care and fertilizer timing?
Grass types need different mowing heights, water and fertilizer, and cool-season and warm-season grasses grow at different times of the year. Once the grass type is named, the plan sets the timing.
How can I tell what kind of grass I have so I can safely treat these weeds?
Photograph a few blades of your grass and the weed. No single weed killer controls every lawn weed, and not every one can be used on every grass (UC IPM), so the plan names a type that fits both, and the label decides the rest.
Can I do grass weeds identification from pictures?
Yes. Photograph the weed up close, leaves and stem in focus. The grass identifier tells broadleaves, weedy grasses such as crabgrass, and sedges such as nutsedge apart from your lawn grass.
What is wrong with my lawn when I see brown patches?
Spots that appear all at once usually have a nonliving cause, such as water or fertilizer; patches that grow slowly point to disease or insects (UC IPM). Round dead spots with a dark green ring are often dog urine.
How to get rid of brown spot disease in my lawn?
For brown patch, LSU AgCenter puts water and nutrient management first: water only when needed, in the early morning, and avoid heavy nitrogen when the disease is likely. LSU calls the proper use of fungicides the surest control, used as their label says.
Will brown patches or yellow spots in my lawn go away on their own, or do I need fungicide?
It depends on the cause. A dog spot or a dry spot needs water and time; a nutrient shortage needs the right feed; a fungus may need a change in watering first. The plan says which, and when a fungicide is worth it.
Can grass that has turned brown or yellow be saved and become green again?
It depends on the cause. Bermudagrass turns brown and dormant in the cool months (UC IPM), which is a season, not damage. For other causes the plan says whether to wait, fix the water or the feed, or reseed.
Why does my St. Augustine grass have brown patches?
Brown patch can be the cause: LSU AgCenter notes that on St. Augustinegrass it is often mistaken for herbicide or fertilizer damage. A rotted, smelly leaf base points to the fungus.
What's the best fertilizer for yellow grass?
The one that adds what is short. Nitrogen is the most common shortage, but iron and potassium also turn grass yellow (UC IPM). A soil test, or the plan from your photo, says which.
How much should I be spending on my lawn each year?
That depends on the lawn and the region. The plan lists only the steps your lawn needs, so you do not buy products it does not.
Brown patches, yellow grass or weeds in the lawn?
Take one close photo of the grass and the edge of the problem. The grass identifier names your grass type and gives the plan.