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How To Fix Lawn Fungus

Lawn Disease And Lawn Insect Damage

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The warmer temps and humid conditions of late spring bring lawn disease and often lawn insects. Doc shows some of the damage that can be done to your when insects are present and their PREY, start digging up your yard. Also shown is some lawn disease and lawn fungus that if not treated now, can cause major issues in the next few weeks.

Below you can see dollar spot lawn Fungus

How To Control Anthracnose

Proper lawn care maintenance which includes adequate fertiliser, reduction of thatch levels, aeration, morning watering that is deep and infrequent and mowing at regular intervals is recommended to prevent Anthracnose.

Alternately if the above lawn care maintenance procedures do not work, common remedies such as Neem oil, Bacillus subtilis, Sulfur Dust Fungicides, Liquid Copper Fungicides or Fungicides with the Common Active Ingredient Penthiopyrad please first seek advice from your Local Garden Centre.

How Do I Get Rid Of Red Thread Disease

Almost any lawn is susceptible to this turf fungus. However, it isnt uncommon for some lawns to have more issues than neighboring properties. Property owners often wonder what can be done to get rid of Red Thread on lawns when it shows up. The remedy is to disrupt the disease triangle so that this fungus stops growing. The disease triangle is used to illustrate how fungi grows on plants, in this particular case, your lawn. The susceptible host are grass plants that are lacking in nitrogen and have started to not grow as aggressively as they have in the months prior. The pathogen is present in the thatch layer of a lawn and impossible to completely remove. When the plant is weak, and the temperature and relative humidity is favorable, Red Thread will begin and continue to grow.

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My Lawn Has Bare Spots

If, on the other hand, your grass is in generally good condition but has a few bare spots, youll want to take a different approach. You can get those areas growing again with Scotts® EZ Seed® Patch & Repair or Scotts® Sprouts.

EZ Seed® has a unique combination of Scotts® high performance seed, premium continuous release lawn food, and super-absorbent growing material. You loosen the soil with a rake, spread the seeds according to the package directions, and water daily until new grass seedlings are 2 tall .

With Sprouts, you start the growing process in the bag. Just add 3 cups of water, wait 3 days for the seeds to sprout, and then spread the already growing grass onto any bare spots. Following the label directions, you should see grass pop up in 1 to 2 days.

Stop Cutting Your Lawn Too Short

Brown Lawn Repair

If you cut your grass too short, then this puts stress on it and can make it more vulnerable to fungus.

Make sure you always leave about three inches of grass height, although the height thats right for your specific lawn grass will vary.

You can learn more about different grasses and their requirements in Eight Different Types Of Grasses.

Its also important to ensure that your mowers blade is sharp.

If its blunt, this can tear off grass instead of cutting it, leaving ragged grass thats much more prone to getting fungal infections as well as other diseases.

Always make sure the blade has been sharpened in spring before lawn mowing starts, but if you use your mower regularly or you have a large garden you should check the blade regularly.

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Possible Causes To Consider

What causes lawn fungus? Lots of things! The best way to stop lawn fungus is knowing what causes it, too.

The following are some of the most common reasons why fungus grows in grass.

  • Drought
  • High humidity
  • Compacted soil

Preventing lawn fungus starts with healthy soil and proper maintenance, but even then, it often takes an expert eye to keep it at bay.

What Is Red Thread

Red Thread is a fungal disease found on lawns and is circular or irregularly shaped with small to large patches in diameter.

The first symptom of Red Thread in turf is the tan colour of dead grass leaves.

Dead lawn leaves caused by Red Thread are generally interspersed among uninfected leaves giving an overall diffuse, scorched or ragged appearance to the patch.

Red Thread thrives in temperatures between 17°C to 29°C which are also humid.

Read Thread causes fungus primarily during periods when grass is growing slowly as a result of low temperatures, drought or inadequate fertility.

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What Is Brown Patch In Your Lawn

Brown Patch is a lawn summer disease caused by a fungus and is rife during warmer months when the humidity is high.

Once started, Brown Patch can quickly spread on your lawn with damage first appearing as a circular area of brown and dead grass enclosed by a darker colour.

Typically, Brown Patch infects lawns of poor health.

If You Need To Water Water Properly

Fungus in a Spring Lawn – Identify and Treatment Plan

Many diseases infect lawns when the grass blades are wet. To keep grass blades dry, water only if needed and water deeply so you can go longer between watering. Watering in the morning, between 6AM and 10AM, is best since the grass blades have plenty of time to dry during the day. Especially avoid watering late in the day or at night, since the grass blades will stay wet all night long, encouraging leaf diseases. One simple way to ensure that your lawn gets just the right amount of water at the right time is to pair the Gro® 7 Zone Controller with your irrigation system. It automatically adjusts itself based on real-time local weather data and can be monitored from anywhere via your smartphone or tablet.

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Problems Associated With Rust Fungus

Coated leaf blades with lawn rust fungus can minimize the ability of the grass to . The blades of grass are the collectors of solar energy, which is turned into carbohydrates or plant sugars to fuel the growth of the sod. When the leaves are excessively covered with spores, the photosynthetic action cannot be carried out efficiently and the fuel for good health and growth is not adequately collected.

Poor vigor and a susceptibility to pests and other diseases will follow high rust on grass infestations. In addition, the accumulation of spores create dust when mowing and may cling to shoes and lawn or garden equipment, increasing its spreading nature.

Getting Rid Of Lawn Rust Naturally

Lawn rust forms almost exclusively when the grass is in a period of slow growth, so anything that interferes with your lawns normal, healthy growth puts it at risk for this fungus. While theres not much you can do about the weather, there are plenty of other ways to optimize your lawns growing conditions.

Nourish your lawn Throughout the growing season, feed your lawn small amounts of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer every six weeks. Just 0.2 to 0.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is generally enough. Pay special attention to fungus-prone areas, such as shady spots.

Steer clear of high nitrogen fertilizers in the fall. Too much growth toward the end of the season leaves grass vulnerable to other problems, such as Fusarium patch and red thread disease.

Water in the morning Good watering practices protect your lawn from the damaging effects of heat stress without leaving it damp and prone to fungal infections. Watering your lawn in the cooler hours of the early morning gives the grass a chance to dry out during the day. Avoid watering in the evening because it creates the ideal wet, cool conditions for lawn rust fungus to grow and release spores.

Give your grass around 1 to 1 1/2 inch of water per week or enough to keep the soil soaked 6 inches deep. Water two or three times a week, rather than daily, so the lawns surface can dry between watering.

Rinse your lawn equipment after using it on areas of lawn rust.

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How To Treat Rust Lawn Disease

If youve identified rust as the problem in your lawn, you should take action right away. First, make sure your lawn is well fed and sufficiently watered. If you dont see any improvement within a couple of weeks, apply a systemic lawn fungus control. Because stressed, hungry, and improperly irrigated lawns are more susceptible to rust diseases, one of the best ways to help prevent them is to keep your lawn healthy and strong.

The Weeds Are Out Of Control

Brown Patch Solutions

From dollarweed and dandelions to oxalis, crabgrass, creeping Charlie, and more, weeds are the bane of any self-respecting lawn caretaker. If youve got a particular problem with crabgrass, refer to the next section, but for all other weed problems, heres what you need to know. You can help avoid the issue in the first place by maintaining the overall health of your grass. To do that, follow these mowing tips, give your lawn just the right amount of water, andfertilize your grass regularly. If weed problems show up anyway, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Weed & Feed3* to feed grass while controlling weeds, or use Scotts® Spot Weed Control for Lawns if you have just a few to manage.

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Preventing Lawn Disease And Fungus

The best way to deal with lawn disease and fungus is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Often, issues arise due to the way homeowners care for their lawns. Even some well-intentioned habits can cause problems, and making changes can prevent disease or keep it from causing permanent or widespread damage.

Some of the best methods of lawn fungus control to keep disease away include:

  • Watering properly. Overwatering can cause mold, mildew and yard fungus to form. Once your grass is established, water deeply but less frequently. Your grass only needs about an inch of water per week. Water early in the day so grass will dry in the sun wet grass is more susceptible to fungus.
  • Mow regularly, but dont cut the blades too short. Grass that is too short is more hospitable to disease. Keep your blades sharp so they cut without damage.
  • Clean up debris from your yard. Leaving piles of leaves, branches and other debris creates the ideal breeding ground for fungus.
  • Improve drainage. If you have low-lying areas or spots that dont drain well, fix them so that water doesnt pool and cause problems.
  • Test the soil. Sometimes the problem is due to the nutrient balance in the soil, and changing or adjusting how you feed can solve it.
  • Prevent spread by cleaning tools. Clean all of your lawn tools, including mower blades, rakes and shovels with a mixture of water and bleach to kill any spores that could be hiding there, waiting to cause a problem.

Identifying Fighting And Preventing Lawn Diseases

When disease hits your lawn grasses, control can be difficult unless you know how to identify lawn and grass diseases and understand the causes behind them. Many common lawn and grass diseases have fungal problems at their source. Fortunately, proper lawn maintenance and care prevent and resolve most fungal lawn diseases. To keep your lawn healthy and fungus-free, learn:

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How To Identify Control And Prevent Brown Patch

In summer, your lawn serves as the welcome mat for pool parties, barbecues and Fourth of July celebrations.

But the seasonal heat can bring unwelcome, uninvited visitors, too: brown patch and other summer fungus lawn diseases.

I kind of jokingly tell people when you wake up in the morning and go out, and all you hear is the hum of you neighbors air conditioning, its already hot and humid, thats perfect brown patch weather, says Dennis Patton. Hes the ornamentals, turf and extension master gardeners agent for the Kansas State Extension in Johnson County, where brown patch is a common headache.

If youve seen those tell-tale brown splotches or signs of other lawn diseases appearing across your yard, heres how to stop brown patch in its tracks to get your home lawn back to its green best, and how to make fungicide a part of your lawn care arsenal so it doesnt crop back up next year.

Diy Lawn Fungus Control Vs Professional Treatment

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If you discover fungus on your lawn, you want to address it right away. But should you DIY it or call a professional for help?

If the issue is a simple fix, and you know exactly what it is and how to go about killing the disease, doing it yourself can save time and money. However, if you dont choose the correct treatment, you could do more harm than good, and end up spending more in the long run. Not to mention, lawn fungus treatment products designed for consumer use arent always as powerful as those used by professionals, so it may take longer to solve the problem on your own.

Lawn fungus and disease is a common problem, and it doesnt have to mean that all of your hard work was in vain. Sometimes its due to factors out of your control, but taking the right steps to prevent and treat disease can keep your grass looking beautiful all season long.

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Identify Summer Patch Lawn Disease

Summer patch is a highly destructive fungus that can kill grass by infecting and destroying its roots. Summer patches usually stay in the soil, but when hot weather comes they’ll invade your lawn’s vascular system disrupting plants’ ability to take up water or nutrients because of how quickly it attacks them – not just attacking one area at time like other fungi do! It has been reported as being able survive through winter if left untreated thanks however once infected with this nasty disease you will see damaged leaves as well many times where brown spots may appear then spread all over until finally everything dies off leaving behind sickly looking dead stalks which are brittle enough for easily breaking under foot pressure.

Summer Patch changes in appearance as the disease progresses. Look for any or all of these early warning signs and late-stage symptoms:

  • Dark-green, wilted, irregular circles of grass up to 2 in diameter.
  • Straw-colored patches, rings, and crescents that increase in size during summer.
  • Enlarged patches, each with an outer edge that looks yellow or bronze.
  • Grass blades that are dying back from the tip.

Use A Commercial Fungicide To Kill Fungus

You can use store-bought fungicide or a natural fungicide. Store-bought options come in two styles contact and systemic.

Contact fungicide is a liquid that coats the blades of grass and kills fungus on contact. Systemic fungicide typically comes in small granules that you spread across the soil.

Many fungicides are designed as all-purpose fungus killers while others are designed to target specific types of fungi. Always read the label to ensure that the product can treat your problem.

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How To Spot Fungal Diseases In Your Lawn

From highly-obvious spots, rings, threads to dead-looking patches brown patches, fungal diseases can take many forms. Examine your grass for signs of dampness, squishy roots and stems or fine white threads in your soil.

Others signs your lawn may have a fungal disease include:

  • A wet-looking, slimy or greasy-looking lawn
  • Patches or rings, usually white, yellow, or brown, that grow in diameter.
  • Discolouration, frayed or distorted-looking blades of grass.
  • Spots on the stems or blades of your lawn, often gray, black, red or orange.
  • Powdery or threadlike coatings around and on grass blades

Fact: Mowing your grass too low can encourage fungal diseases.

How To Treat Lawn Fungus

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Choose the Correct Product

Some lawn fungicides are broad spectrum, meaning they can control the spread of many diseases while others are narrow spectrum, meaning they only affect a few disease.

Choosing the right product is where disease identification is important. Using the wrong product for a disease that was misidentified may have no effect on the disease at all.

Carefully read the product label to make sure you are choosing the right fungicide for your needs.

Apply Fungicide

Lawn Fungus can be tricky to cure and may need more than one application of fungicide. Most fungicides can be reapplied every 14 28 days, but be sure to read the product label.

If you apply the same fungicide many times, your lawn can build up a resistance to the active ingredients. Due to this resistance, fungus may appear in your lawn even if you put down a preventative treatment.

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How To Control Powdery Mildew

Proper lawn care maintenance which includes adequate fertiliser, reduction of thatch levels, aeration, morning watering that is deep and infrequent and mowing at regular intervals is recommended to prevent Anthracnose.

Alternately if the above lawn maintenance practices do not work a fungicide that contains the Common Active Ingredient, Myclobutanil will inhibit the mildews development please first seek advice from your Local Garden Centre.

There Are Ugly Brown Spots On My Lawn

Okay, to be honest, this ones a little more complicated, because there are several things that could be causing the spots. Possible culprits range from grubs or fungus to foot traffic, weed dieback, and dog urine. So, before you grab a product and start spreading or spraying, its important to identify what the problem is.

  • If critters like raccoons and skunks have begun digging in your yard, or the dead patches of grass lift up like loose carpet, chances are you have grubs. Check out section 4 below to find out what to do.
  • Spots caused by dog urine tend to have brown centers with green outer rings. Get rid of them with Scotts® EZ Seed® Dog Spot Repair Sun and Shade .
  • Fungus tends to cause irregular patches of yellow or straw-colored grass that can range in size and shape. To fight back, apply Scotts® DiseaseEx Lawn Fungicide, will control a variety of fungal diseases for up to 4 weeks. Be sure to follow label directions.
  • For brown spots caused by foot traffic or areas of dead weeds, a product like Scotts® EZ Seed® Patch & Repair will do the trick.

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