Lawn patches are the bane of every avid gardener trying to maintain a lush, green lawn. Whether it's 'visits' from a neighbor's dog or overuse of fertilizer, the end result is the same: ugly brown patches where grass has died or lost color.

Because there are several different possible causes of those pesky lawn patches, there are also several different ways to solve the problem. The good news is that once you know the cause, you can usually prevent them recurring.

Over-use of Fertilizer or Weed-Killer

One of the most common causes of brown patches is the over-use of fertilizer. Weed killer can also be a problem if it's applied carelessly, but fertilizer is one of the top causes of this issue.

The problem in these cases is that excess nitrogen actually 'burns' delicate blades of grass, first causing them to lose color, and then eventually killing the grass if enough damage was done.

The good thing is that this problem will correct itself within about a month, as excess nitrogen is removed from soil fairly quickly. After a month, try seeding the area, and you should find that new growth will flourish.

In the long term, prevent this problem by making sure you calculate your fertilizer applications correctly (for example, remember that grass under shade needs only around half as much as grass in full sun). Alternatively, cut back on the amount of fertilizer you add and try some alternative methods of adding nitrogen, such as using organic fertilizers or leaving grass clippings on the lawn.

Over-Watering

Too much water can drown grass roots, causing them to rot. The result is dead grass and brown spots. Fixing this problem in the long term requires that you figure out why that spot is receiving too much water.

If you're not over-watering your entire lawn, the problem may relate to the composition of your soil (does that patch have a much higher percentage of sand or clay?), or drainage problems (does the lawn naturally drain to that spot?). Once you've figured out and remedied the problem, you can re-seed that area of the lawn after it dries out.

Animal Visitors

The liquid waste left behind by canine visitors contains plenty of nitrogen, essentially causing the same issue as the over-use of fertilizer. The short-term solution to this problem is also the same. You can hasten the process of nitrogen leaching by watering he area thoroughly (in fact, if you catch the offending animal in the act, you may be able to limit the damage by soaking the grass immediately).

In the long term, the only way to prevent this type of damage is by preventing dogs from visiting your lawn. If it's neighborhood animals that are causing the issue and not your own, check your fence for holes.

Human Traffic

Are your brown patches located in high traffic areas of the lawn? If so, the problem may be that foot traffic has compacted the soil. This causes brown patches because it's more difficult for water to get to the roots of the grass.

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