Lawn Diseases

• Leaf Spot — a name given to several fungal diseases that form brown to purple lesions or spots on grass blades. These spots usually form in cool spring and fall weather. As warm weather arrives, irregular dying areas form. Can be caused by excess nitrogen fertility, excess thatch buildup, over-watering or combinations of these conditions. Fungicides may be needed to prevent the serious melt-out stages of the disease.
  
  Prevention: Aeration treatment is recommended to reduce the effects and prevent future development. Mow at the proper height and don't remove more than 1/3 of the total grass height at any one time. Water thoroughly 1 - 2 times a week; not every day and not at night. Some types of Kentucky Bluegrass are more susceptible-- look for improved varieties if planting new seed.
  
• Red Thread — most serious on fine fescue lawns and perennial rye grasses, but may also effect Kentucky Bluegrass. Usually not serious enough to kill a lawn completely. Cool, wet conditions favor disease activity. In serious infestations, a fungicide may be required. Also a change in the fertilizer mix may be called for.
  
• Dollar Spot — caused by a fungus that causes a light brown or straw colored circular area about the size of a softball. Patches may combine to form large irregular patches several feet wide. Upon close inspection of the infected areas you'll notice on individual leaf blades and hourglass shaped brown area. Most severe on Kentucky Bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass. Lawns under stress are more likely candidates for contracting Dollar Spot. Fungicides may be required if infestation persists.
  
  Prevention: Regular fertilization at the recommended rate. Control thatch. Water only in the morning if possible and then only 1 - 2 times a week.
  
• Brown Patch — caused by a fungus that creates scattered dead areas about 4 - 8 inches across that may grow to as large as 1 - 2 feet across. All types of grass are susceptible to brown patch. Hot, humid summer conditions favor this disease. Fungicides are required as soon as the disease becomes visible and repeated every 7 - 10 days for at least 3 treatments after the first.
  
  Prevention: Keep grass as dry as possible until the infection is corrected. Control thatch buildup with regular aeration treatments.
  
• Snow Mold — a fungus that develops during cool wet weather especially after snow has been on the ground for extended periods. In most cases it will clear up after warm weather returns, but in extreme cases a fungicide treatment may be required. For newly seeded lawns in the fall, we highly recommend a preventive fungicide for snow mold just before 1st snow fall (early December).
  
  Prevention: Reduce shade in the affected areas. Avoid over-fertilization of the lawn. In the fall, continue mowing until the grass stops growing. Make last mowing of the season as short as possible without scalping the lawn. Reduce thatch buildup with regular aeration treatments.

  In general, thatch buildup favors most disease activity. That is why core aeration is an important component of quality turf management. Proper mowing and watering practices can help reduce the threat of disease on your lawn also. However, because the weather plays such a big role in the development of lawn fungus, your lawn may still get disease. At TurfMasters, our service team members will closely monitor your lawn for signs of disease activity and recommend fungicides if necessary.

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