What are signs of a struggling lawn?

A struggling lawn often tells on itself with several visible and underfoot clues. You may notice thin, patchy areas, lots of visible soil, and more weeds than grass. Color changes are common: the lawn looks dull, pale, or yellow instead of a consistent, healthy green. The ground may feel hard and compacted, or the grass may crunch underfoot in summer because roots are shallow and dry. You might also see slow recovery after mowing, bare spots that never fill in, or frequent disease spots and mushrooms. When those symptoms show up in Oklahoma City, they usually indicate problems with soil health, watering, fertility, or weed and pest pressure.