Why is my buffalo going yellow?
Quick answer
The most common causes are hunger (it needs a feed while it's growing), waterlogged or very dry soil, mowing too low, and the normal winter colour change in cooler areas. Armyworm and lawn grubs can also cause yellow then brown patches. Check when you last fed, how wet the soil is, your mowing height and look for pests before treating.
Why this happens
Yellow is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Buffalo turns yellow for several different reasons, and the fix for one can make another worse, so it’s worth five minutes of checking before you buy anything.
Is it winter? In temperate and cool areas, buffalo slows down and loses colour as the weather cools. That’s dormancy. It will green up in spring, and feeding a dormant lawn won’t change that.
Is it hungry? A buffalo lawn that hasn’t been fed during the growing season pales off evenly across the whole area. If the soil is moist but not soggy, the mowing height is right and there are no pests, a feed at the label rate while it’s actively growing is the likely fix.
Is it the water? Buffalo in waterlogged soil yellows because its roots are short of air. Buffalo in dry or water-repellent soil yellows and then browns. Push a screwdriver into the soil a day or two after watering: soggy means cut back and improve drainage; dry a few centimetres down means water isn’t getting in.
Was it mown low? Buffalo cut too short shows its yellowish stems. If yellowing appeared straight after a mow, that’s scalping. Raise the mower and let it recover.
Is it pests? Lawn armyworm strip the leaves, leaving yellow, chewed-looking patches that spread fast in the warm months. Lawn grubs eat roots, causing yellow-then-brown patches that lift easily. Check at dusk for caterpillars and lift turf at the edge of patches.
Patterns help
Even yellowing across the lawn usually means season, hunger or mowing. Patches suggest water, pests or a spill. Stripes after feeding mean uneven spreading.
What you may be seeing
- The whole lawn paling off evenly
- Yellow stripes or patches, sometimes in a pattern
- Yellow that turns brown and spreads
It depends on your grass and climate
| If you have… | What changes |
|---|---|
| Temperate and cool areas | Buffalo pales and slows over winter. That's dormancy, not a problem, and it greens up in spring. |
| Subtropical areas | Buffalo usually holds colour longer. Yellowing in the warm months points to hunger, water or pests. |
Rows that match the grass and climate zone you've set are highlighted. Set your climate zone
What you can do
Check the seasonCheck first
In cooler areas, yellowing in late autumn and winter is normal for buffalo.
Check soil moistureCheck first
Push a screwdriver in. Soggy days after watering means drainage or overwatering; bone dry means watering or water-repellent soil.
Check the mowing heightCheck first
Yellow after a low mow means scalping. Raise the mower and let it recover.
Look for pestsCheck first
Check at dusk for caterpillars and lift turf at patches to look for grubs.
Feed if it's hungryProduct step
If none of the above, and it hasn't been fed this season, feed at the label rate while it's actively growing.
What not to do
- Feeding a waterlogged or winter-dormant lawn.
- Spraying for pests without confirming them.
- Mowing lower to tidy up a yellowing lawn.
How much do I need?
Place straight-sided containers around the zone, run it for a set time, then measure the depth of water in each with a ruler. How to do a catch-cup test
Run time for this zone
Enter at least two cup readings, the test time and the water you want to apply.
Log it
Keep a record of what you applied, when, and at what rate. Your Lawn Journal works on this device without an account, and reminds you when the next step is due.
What's next
Related grass types, weeds, pests and diseases
Grass types
Lawn problems
Related questions
Related guides
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Sources
- Healthy Lawns: cutting off one-third of the grass blade, UC Statewide IPM Program, University of CaliforniaRemoving too much leaf at once stresses grass. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Native armyworm (including lawn armyworm, Spodoptera mauritia), Business Queensland, Queensland GovernmentLawn armyworm damage. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Bring your brown lawn back to life, Water Corporation (Western Australia)Dry patches and water-repellent soil. Accessed 4 October 2026.