Keeping a beautiful lawn means not only contending with pests we can see – like bugs, grubs, and critters – it also means dealing with pests on a microscopic level. Many of the most common lawn diseases are caused by fungi. Thankfully, Griffin Organics has the solution! We’ll teach you how to identify these annoying fungi and how our organic lawn care program can knock them out!
Identifying Turfgrass Fungus
Even with regular lawn maintenance, sometimes fungal growths can sneak into our lawns. You may not even realize you have a problem until the problem is widespread.
Types Of Turf Disease
Brown Patch
As you probably guessed from the name, brown patch is a fungal disease that creates brown spots in your turfgrass. It’s caused by the Rhizoctonia fungus. Usually, it won’t show up until the middle of summer when conditions are hot and very dry. These brown patches appear like symmetrical circles, and the grass in the diseased area will have tan irregularly shaped lesions. It can also manifest as white mycelium.
Powdery Mildew
This fungus looks like baby powder spilled on the grass and typically shows up in late spring.
Red Thread
Unlike the other fungal diseases we’ve discussed, red thread is unique because it doesn’t actually harm the grass blades or roots. It will create red, vine-like growths that resemble antlers. And since every homeowner dreams of having a pristine green lawn, this red growth will swiftly become an eyesore. While a fungicide will treat red thread, you can also use organic lawn fertilizer to nourish the turfgrass and help it withstand the onslaught of red thread infestations.
Necrotic Ring
The necrotic ring is harder to deal with because, unfortunately, this fungus is a perennial, meaning it will come back on its own year after year if left untreated. It shows up as circular, donut-shaped rings of dead grass. It typically crops up in late July or early August, but you can preemptively remove it from your lawn through an early fungicide application. The necrotic ring is tough on cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. Sometimes, turfgrass can recover on its own, but it’s better not to leave this to chance.
Dollar Spot
No, this disease won’t sprout money in your lawn. It will create white lesions on the blades of your turfgrass. These white spots are roughly the size of a silver dollar coin, which is where the name comes from. A brown border will usually surround the white spots. Individual blades of grass may have one large lesion or many lesions. In more advanced cases, the entire blade may appear brown and strawlike. As the fungal infection progresses, the infected area will seem sunken in. As the dollar spots expand, they will coalesce to form larger blighted patches.
How To Treat And Prevent Fungus In Turfgrass
Fungal infections thrive in environments that are high in moisture. Therefore, you can help prevent fungal infections by mitigating excess water.
- An aeration treatment will break up thatch build-up in your lawn, so water doesn’t pool.
- Rake up dead leaves from your lawn, so they don’t trap excess moisture.
- Get a professional fungicide treatment.
This last tip is really the only way to enjoy a guaranteed fungus-free lawn all year. At Griffin Organics, we pride ourselves on our gentle but effective lawn care services. Our fungicide application can easily be incorporated as part of our regular lawn care program. The best part about our fungicide: it is both curative and preventative! We’ll knock out any existing problems and prevent future ones down the road. Year over year, summer temperatures and humidity levels have increased, creating the ideal environment for fungi to thrive. Now’s the perfect time to stop lawn disease before it starts. We highly recommend performing this vital service by July at the absolute latest to avoid fungal problems. As discussed previously, some fungal infections may already be cropping up, but others won’t appear ’til mid to late summer. Just because you don’t see a problem now doesn’t mean there won’t be one down the road.
If you really want to make sure your yard stays healthy and disease-free, a fungicide application is the way to go.
Find Lawn Care Near You
Don’t let a fungus ruin your lawn! The experts at Griffin Organics are here to help! Right now, we’re offering 10% off fungicide applications when you sign up and prepay! Call 914-788-9622 or contact us online to learn more or schedule an appointment.
We Offer Lawn Care Services in Southeast New York
Whether your lawn needs patching up or a complete redo, the experts at Griffin Organics are here to help. We service these cities and more!
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