How To Treat Your Yard For Lawn Fungus
Once you have determined what type of fungus or disease is present, its time to treat. Its best to treat a diseased lawn as soon as you spot the problem, as some diseases can spread and kill the whole lawn.
The type of disease or fungus you have will determine the best treatment option. In some cases, the issue is weather or seasonally dependent and will clear up on its own once the weather changes. Other problems need immediate mitigation, such as fairy ring, powdery mildew, or smut, as they can kill the plants or cause permanent damage to the lawn.
To treat your issues, first identify whether it can be eradicated via changing your practices. Powdery mildew, for example, may be able to be taken care of by rinsing the plants and getting rid of leaves or any other nearby debris that is causing it to spread. Avoiding overwatering, letting the grass grow a bit longer between mowing and not over fertilizing can also help clear up the problem.
Some homeowners prefer to try to treat lawn diseases organically, rather than using fungicide. If your areas of fungus are small, using treatments like neem oil, cornmeal or baking soda solutions can be effective. Before you opt for an organic approach, though, do your research and be aware of the potential drawbacks. In some cases, using home remedies can only make the problem worse, or introduce new, unexpected issues.
Causes Of Lawn Fungal Disease
Lawns are full of fungal spores that are usually harmless, although certain conditions can cause them to germinate and lead to the harmful diseases mentioned above.There are several causes of lawn fungus, most commonly:
- Underwatering
- Weather conditions
Whilst some of these are uncontrollable factors – the unpredictable British weather for example – keeping an eye on how much or how little you are watering your turf and mowing to appropriate heights are both aspects of lawncare that you can control.
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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How To Stop The Lawn Fungus
When you spot a fungus problem in your lawn, correctly identify the particular types of disease responsible before deciding on a treatment or get a professional to examine it and proffer the right solution. The following outlines standard methods of treating a lawn with discoloration from fungi. Depending on the severity of the disease infestation on your grass, additional treatment can be applied.
Is Baking Soda A Fungicide
Baking soda has been shown to be used as an effective fungicide. The ion balance of the fungus is disrupted by an application of baking soda. Eventually the spores collapse, dying off. The baking soda then leaves behind an alkaline residue, which helps kill the remaining fungal spores.
If you are looking for a homemade solution to a fungal problem, then baking soda is a good option. Its easy to make, cheap, and effective.
While you should be careful with it, baking soda is safe to handle . Take care if using around children and pets, and keep the solution away from children.
As mentioned, baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. You may notice the first part of that is sodium aka a major component of salt. The sodium is integral to the antifungal properties, as it sucks the water out of the fungus. However, this is also what makes it potentially dangerous to plants.
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Common San Antonio Lawn Fungus Problems
1. Take-All Root Rot Lawn Fungus
- Lawn Fungus Occurs: late March May
- Lawn Fungus Symptoms: TARR is a major disease problem in St. Augustine that grass causes leaf tissue to turn yellow and pull loose from runner In affected areas of lawn, you might find both green and yellow leaf blades. Close examination of the runners will reveal short, dark-brown to black roots.
- Lawn Fungus Treatment: If TARR is the problem, then an application of sphagnum peat moss is one of the best treatments for this disease problem . Apply approximately 1 to 2 bales of the peat moss per 1,000 sq. ft. to the affected areas of the lawn and thoroughly soak the peat moss until it is wet. We have seen better results from a topdressing with peat moss than we have with the application of any fungicide in most cases. Repeat peat moss application a year or two later as needed.
2. Slime Mold Lawn Fungus
- Lawn Fungus Occurs: June-August
- Lawn Fungus Symptoms: Slime mold presents itself as patches of grass, about hand-size, that appear to have cigarette ashes sprinkled on them. No harmful damage, except perhaps a little shading of the areas affected.
- Lawn Fungus Treatment: You can hose off the spores, brush them off with your shoe, or mow to remove them.
3. Gray Leaf Spot Lawn Fungus
4. Brown Patch Lawn Fungus
Hope this information will help you enjoy a fungus free lawn each season!
~The Happy Gardener, Lisa Mulroy
How To Treat And Heal Lawn Fungus
If you are looking to limit the development of fungus, we recommended that you:
- Scarify the lawn in order to reduce thatch.
- Reduce the amount of fertiliser that you are applying.
- Check underneath the lawn for any residue or buried debris that may be there – use a knife to dig under the toadstools and remove any debris you find. You can also remove any existing toadstools simply by pulling them out by hand, whilst wearing a pair of gardening gloves of course, if there are a lot then mow them out using a collection box.
- Mow your turf to a recommended height
- Aerate soil compacted areas.
- Mix a small amount of washing up liquid into a watering can and dilute with water and pour this on the affected areas.
In terms of prevention, there are several things that you can do in order to try and fend off fungal issues. It’s a good idea to aerate your lawn at the end of summer as the extra use and footfall during the warmer months means that the ground will be hard and compacted. You should also rake your lawn in order to remove any thatch and allow the grass to breathe. It’s also important to be careful when watering your lawn to ensure that you are not leaving soggy patches or puddles in your grass. In order to develop a strong root system that can protect itself against fungal diseases, you should water thoroughly but less frequently.
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Helping Prevent Resistance To Fungicides
When using fungicides for recurring lawn disease problems, you need to alternate fungicides. Lawn diseases can become resistant to fungicides with repeated use. It is not as simple as picking two different products or two different brands you will want to select at least two fungicides with different modes of action or active ingredients.
How To Get Rid Of Grass Fungus
Have you been finding it hard to stop those ugly, brown patches from ruining your beautiful lawn? This may be due to the growth of grass fungus and you are right to feel concerned.
Grass fungus is one of the biggest nightmares of every lawn owner. It can rapidly undo all the hard work and time you have spent creating the perfect lawn.
Once grass fungus infestation sets in, it quickly spread and can be quite difficult to control. For that reason, I have put together this guide to show you how to get rid of grass fungus and prevent it from re-emerging.
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Apply Azoxystrobin To Kill Fairy Ring Fungi
If you notice your lawn showing symptoms such as a circular pattern of mushrooms, overgrown grass or dead grass, you need to treat fairy ring disease. The best treatment is to spray anti- fairy ring fungicides like azoxystrobin and flutolanil on your infected lawn.
Another great alternative to get rid of this type of lawn fungus is Consan 20, an indoor and outdoor fungicide and disinfectant.
Is Fungus Or Mold Growing In Your Lawn Heres How To Stop It
Richard Nunn, The Morning Show meteorologist
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Throughout parts of the Jacksonville area, we have seen more than 9 inches of rain for the month so far. All of this wet weather might be leading to growth you dont want, namely fungus and mold.
Believe it or not, I have the same issues in varying amounts and coverage in a few persistent wet spots. Here are some verified tips you can use to bring these lawn wreckers to heel or get rid of them once and for all.
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Got milk? Yes, milk does your body and your yard good. Mix one cup of skim milk to nine cups of water. Spray affected areas twice a week to control and kill mold. Skim milk contains amino acids and salts, which help control and kill fungus. This is safe for pets, plants and wild animals.
Or how about baking soda? Sodium bicarbonate can help control fungus from household plants to yard ornamentals. Be careful with application as too much will increase the soils pH levels. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with a gallon of water. Spray affected areas every three days until the mold or fungus is gone.
These last two options work to both smother some plant pests and keep fungus in check.
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Professional Services To Save You Time
With so many tasks requiring your attention every day, giving your lawn the special care it needs can be a challenge in every season. Because we know how busy you are, we offer professional lawn care in Dallas that take care of everything, including the control of diseases like brown patch on your lawn.
Dont let the hot Texas climate damage your lawn, when the professionals at Gecko Green can keep your grass healthy and vibrant with our year-round services!
How To Identify & Treat Lawn Fungus
Grass, just like any plant, can be afflicted with fungal diseases. Fungal diseases spread through fungus spores that usually do nothing to grass. However, under the right conditions, these fungal pathogens can spread and cause disease.
There isnt just one type of fungal disease, either: there are dozens, and some types of fungal disease are more common in some areas than others. For this reason, its important to understand what fungal infections can be hurting your grass, how they spread, and how to prevent them.
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How Lawn Fungus Works In Central And Southern Maryland
You can work hard all year to make sure your lawn is perfect for the summer, but then you notice something isnt right. There are patchy sections that are appearing within your green lawn.
Thats usually the biggest sign of a lawn fungus infestation: circular patchiness. Other common symptoms are lawn discoloration, brown spots, dead areas and spots on the actual grass blades.
Turf diseases can be challenging to identify because, unlike lawn weeds, they are primarily microscopic in nature. So what you see are the infestation results.
When your lawn is in good health, turf disease can come through and look pretty bad for the season but then go away when conditions that spike it go away, leaving minimal damage. However, lawn fungus that is encouraged with the right triggers on a lawn that isnt properly maintained can leave dead spots in its wake.
To understand lawn fungus, you might first understand what conditions cause it to thrive. There are 5 critical components that lead to turf disease.
How To Remove Fungus Using Baking Soda
Step 1.
Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 2 liter or clean water. Please use tap water, mineral water is not really needed. Actually please dont waste drinking water.
Step 2.
After mixing it thoroughly, add few drops of cooking oil or any vegetable oil in the water. This will help the water to stick with plants and leaves easily.
Step 3.
Spray the mixture over the affected area. Use a sprayer if possible. You can also use a spray bottle to spray the mixture of baking soda and water to the affected area in the garden.
Step 4.
You can also sprinkle half spoon baking soda over the soil and mix it thoroughly. Add some water to mix it completely.
Baking soda is very effective for the excessive outgrowth of fungus in the soil as well as over the small garden plants. It dissolves the soft velvet-like covering and kills the fungus instantly.
Using Baking soda for removing fungus from the soil is a better alternative than using cinnamon powder. Yet, I always recommend cinnamon powder than anything else.
Care: Excessive use of baking soda can be harmful sometimes. It can reduce the acid content of the soil i.e., the true acidity of the soil. Many plants like acidic soil and too much baking soda can disturb this balance.
Tips: Only use baking soda mixture over the plants and soil if necessary. Whenever you find excessive outgrowth of fungus or it seems out of control then only use a diluted mixture of baking soda.
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Fungal Disease In Lawns
Fungal disease in lawns, for the most part, are not common in residential lawns across Australia.
Unfortunately, when the conditions are right, the odd fungal issue will rear its head. Some turf varieties are more susceptible than others and some areas are prone to suffer more than others too.
When these turf diseases take hold, it is important that you identify the particular condition and target it with an appropriate response quickly.
What causes fungal disease?
The most common reasons fungal diseases occur are:
- Weather conditions
- Overwatering
- Overfertilising or using the wrong type of fertiliser
- Incompatible grass varieties for your area
- Poor mowing habits
Fungal related symptoms to look out for:
Coloured patches or rings in your lawn
- Powdery coatings or threads on the grass blade surface
- Thinned out areas, or areas of wet or slimy looking turf
- Leaf blades with irregular discolouration or texture
Treatment
It is important that you identify the specific fungal disease that you have so that you can take the correct steps to rectify and eradicate the disease. For most everyday lawn owners, there are a few treatment steps which will be common across a broad range of fungal diseases.
These include:
Aeration
Loosening of the soil to remove compaction and improve drainage. Aeration will improve your lawns ability to absorb water, nutrient and oxygen which will help your lawn stay healthier.
Fertilising
Remove thatch
Irrigation and Shade Management
Fungicide application
How To Tell If Your Lawn Has Fungus
The most important step when you spot fungus or another problem on your lawn is to correctly identify the specific type of disease thats present. Different lawn issues have different causes and symptoms, and treating your grass for the wrong thing could only lead to more damage not to mention, youll still have to deal with the original issues. Before you invest in a treatment, therefore, take the time to closely examine the issue or better yet, get a professional to identify the disease so you know exactly what youre dealing with and choose the right treatment the first time.
There are a number of signs to watch out for that indicate a problem with your lawn, and some of them are more obvious than others. In most cases, discoloration is the most obvious sign, as grass will turn yellow, tan, or brown in spots. Keep in mind, though that its not always a disease that can cause this. Higher than normal temperatures, inadequate watering, and insects can also cause dead or dying areas, only underscoring the need for adequate identification.
Assuming that everything else is normal, discoloration is just one sign that your lawn is sick. Brown patches not attributable to pets, slimy patches of grass, a film covering the grass and spots on individual blades of grass are all signs of an issue. While specific fungi and lawn diseases have unique signs, some of the most common types of disease and fungus include:
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How Do I Get Rid Of Lawn Fungus
First and foremost, you want to spot it early as many lawn fungus diseases can spread rapidly. If you are already utilizing professional lawn care and have a lawn care technician visiting your property regularly, then theyll be keeping an eye out for early signs of a problem.Even so, breakthroughs can occur in between visits. If you spot fungus on grass, you should contact your lawn care provider. There are lawn fungicide products that can be used to control the fungal spores.