Posts Tagged ‘lawn disease’

Brown Patch and Other Lawn Diseases

There are many different lawn diseases that can jeopardize the health of your lawn at any given time. Being educated about these different diseases and the harm that they cause can help you to treat and prevent them.

One very common lawn disease is known as brown patches. Brown patches are most common in areas that experience high levels of humidity and shade. They most commonly occur in Kentucky Bluegrass, Bermuda grass, Bent grass, St. Augustine grass, Centipede grass, and Ryegrasses. These brown spots typically will start out small, but they can quickly spread out in horseshoe or circular patterns. They can grow to be up to several feet wide. Many times, as the brown spot is expanding, the inside of it will recover. This will leave a brown ring in your lawn. The best way to prevent these brown spots from occurring is through regular aeration of your lawn. You can also reduce the shade to the effected areas. This will help them to grow back. A couple common fungicides that are used to treat brown patches are benomyl and chlorothalonil.
Another common lawn disease is the fairy ring. Fairy rings can grow in almost any type of grass. They are circular rings that are filled with a fast growing, dark green grass. Typically, the outside of the ring will turn brown and grow mushrooms. They are most typically found growing in soils that contain a lot of wood debris or old decaying trees. The best way to prevent fairy rings from growing in your lawn is to aerate the area that is effected by the fairy rings. This will help to kill them. It is also a good idea to water only in the early morning hours to help prevent them from growing. You should remove any excess thatch from your lawn, as well. Increasing the nitrogen levels in your lawn through fertilization is also a good way to prevent fairy rings.

Red Thread is another lawn disease that can turn your lawn brown. Red Thread is most commonly found in Fescues, Ryegrasses, and Kentucky Bluegrass. The name ‘Red Thread’ is taken from the pinkish-read threads that are formed around the blades of the grass. These threads then bind the grass blades together. The grass that is affected by Red Thread will eventually turn brown. Since Red Thread attacks only the leaves and leaf sheathes of the grass, it is rarely serious enough to kill the grass. It is easiest to spot Red Thread when the grass is wet. The best way to prevent Red Thread from occurring is to aerate your lawn often and remove any thatch that may have fallen onto the lawn. It is also important to follow a regular fertilization schedule. Chlorothalonil is a commonly used fungicide that can help to treat Red Thread.

Lawn diseases can cause a lot of damage to your lawn, if left untreated. With the proper knowledge, you can spot these diseases and stop them before they get out of control. This article was brought to you by the http://www.bestelectriclawnmower.co.uk/ team, thank you for reading.