Identifying the Fungus Plaguing Your Yard
There are a variety of fungal diseases that can affect your lawn’s appearance. Various environmental factors will allow certain types of fungal diseases to thrive. These include the temperature and humidity of where you live, mowing height, nutrients in the soil, and how compact the soil is. Overwatering can also contribute to some fungal diseases, as well as drought conditions.
Below are some of the common fungal diseases, each caused by a different species of fungus, but all of which you may encounter in your lawn.
- Snow mold appears in early spring after the snow has melted. The grass may appear matted. It may be gray or pink, depending on the type of fungus that has caused it.
- Brown patch may start out as a small patch of brownish grass, but can quickly spread and damage your entire lawn. It most often occurs in hot, humid weather.
Related Read: Plagued by Brown Spots? Here are 4 Causes & Solutions for Your Lawn
- Leaf spot appears as purple and brown spots on the blades of grass. If left untreated, it will cause the roots of the lawn to die. This also can lead to melting out where the turf begins to appear thinned out. Thatch buildup often causes this fungal disease.
- Fairy rings appear as rings of dark green grass within your lawn. Decaying matter in the soil often causes these rings to appear, but sometimes the cause cannot be determined. Proper fertilization often helps this issue.
- Dollar spot appears as straw-colored patches that start out the size of silver dollars. This fungal disease thrives in warm, wet weather.
How to Treat Fungal Lawn Diseases
These are just a few of the many fungal diseases that can ruin your lawn’s appearance. In order to effectively treat these diseases, it is important to determine which fungus is causing it. Treatment can be as simple as mowing at the proper height and watering the lawn the correct amount at the optimal time of day. In other cases, your lawn may require aeration or dethatching to eliminate this problem. Proper fertilization often helps, but sometimes a fungicide is required.
In any case, it pays to let lawn care professionals evaluate this issue in order to properly solve it and prevent it from coming back. Once it is eliminated, proper maintenance of your lawn can also help to prevent future fungal diseases.
Related Read: When to Start Doing Business with a New Lawn Care Company
The complexity of fungal diseases in your lawn often requires the expertise of a lawn care professional. At Custom Lawn & Landscape we can help you identify, treat, and prevent fungal disease. Please contact us today at (913) 782-8315 for a consultation.
