No yard is immune to lawn diseases. While we want to have a green, lush turf, this isn’t always the case. Bald patches or brown spots may show up on your lawn and demolish the grass that took you years to grow. So, a homeowner who wants to ensure their lawn is looking the best has a lot of work ahead of them. In order to thrive, every lawn needs appropriate weed control, pest control, fertilizing, watering, mowing, and aerating. Keep reading to learn how to protect your yard from common lawn diseases and avoid brown spots and bald patches.
Common Lawn Diseases Homeowners Face During the Year
Different lawn diseases could damage your yard and landscaping, but five are the most common among homeowners. They are:
We will discuss how to ID these destructive diseases and how to treat your turf if it is already invaded by one of these diseases.
Lawn Disease Identification
Controlling lawn diseases is easier if you can recognize the specific type. However, the identification process can be challenging because so many lawn diseases are similar.
Brown Patch
A common fungal disease that shows up on lawns as a purple-gray ring. The ring can vary in sizes, but usually, it is up to 20 feet in diameter.
Leaf Spot
Another fungal disease, but unlike Brown Patch, creates small lesions (some say they look like cigarette burns), which can grow into large, bald patches.
Dollar Spot
As the name says, this common fungal disease forms dollar-sized marks where the turf is short (you can almost see the roots). Although small, the dollar spots can spread over time and appear all over your green lawn.
Rust
Many homeowners deal with rust in their lawns. If your turf turns light yellow and then progresses to orange color, it means you have rust in your yard.
Fairy Ring
Unlike Brown Patch that creates purple-gray rings, this common lawn disease creates dark circles to 20 inches in diameter. Fairy ring shows up due to a fungal outbreak beneath the turf and may cause mushrooms to grow all over your lawn.
Identifying these five common lawn diseases can mean the difference between enjoying a healthy, green lawn, and watching your turf suffocate.
What Causes Brown Patch, Leaf Spot, Dollar Spot, Rust, and Fairy Ring
Lawn fungal diseases may take on different forms – from rust to brown patches and visible dark spots. Once deep in the ground, fungal infections can be tough to treat.
In most cases, the wrong conditions can cause fungus to thrive in your lawn, causing severe consequences. Here are some of the most common causes of each common lawn disease.
Brown Patch
It is caused by Rhizoctonia solani, which thrives when your turf receives excessive water and fertilizer. Brown patch is typical to show in late summer or early spring when the temperatures are going down, and the lawn can keep more of the nutrients, but homeowners keep watering and fertilizing anyway.
Leaf Spot
It would be best to keep an eye for small lesions (typical sign for leaf spot disease) when the temperatures vary between 77 and 86 degrees during the day and above 65 degrees at night. It is most common to show up during the humid and rainy season because the fungus creates spores that are easily spread by rainfall and mowing.
Dollar Spot
It thrives in wet, humid, and nitrogen-rich soil. Dollar Spot can also be spread to the entire lawn by disposing infected grass clippings on green, healthy turf.
Rust
The reason for having rust in your lawn is “dust” caused by a fungus. The “dust” discolors your lawn and spreads with the wind. Your pets or children can also spread it when walking through the yard.
Fairy Ring
When Fairy Ring invades your lawn, it doesn’t attack the turf, but the soil. It hijacks the vital nutrients and moisture, leaving your turfgrass to dry out. Fairy Ring is another disease caused by a fungus, which can be spread to your entire lawn by disposing infected grass clippings on a healthy, lush grass.
How to Control & Prevent Lawn Diseases From Invading Your Turf
The best option for eliminating lawn diseases is stopping them from infecting your turf. It is easy to keep Brown Patch or Dollar Spot under control by practicing lawn care. Here are a few tips you can apply:
The best defence against fungus is a healthy and strong lawn. By keeping your turf in good condition, your lawn will withstand fungal diseases without professional help. It is also important to ensure your fertilization schedule is set up for the year and fits your grass type. If necessary, consult with your local lawn care professional to arrange fertilization on time so that your soil can receive the proper nutrients and resist common lawn diseases.
Practical Treatment Solutions: How to Deal with Lawn Diseases (If They Have Already Invaded Your Yard)
Even with the best methods, expert tips, and proper mowing and watering, there is a chance that you will need to take action against common turf diseases. In most cases, it is necessary to use a combination of chemical products to eliminate the outbreak. Here is what you need to do:
Lawn treatments are useful but require high expertise before application. That is why we recommend acquiring help from a professional lawn care company that knows how to deal with any lawn disease and treat your turf the right way.
Call us today at
920-634-6780 and see how our team at Pest Badger can help you eliminate lawn diseases from your lawn.
