Marty Baldwin
Evenwell maintained grasscan sometimes be plagued with a lawn disease.
The first step in combatting the problem is identifying the specific disease infecting your turf.
This quick reference guide highlights the 12 most common lawn diseases and provides ways to cure and prevent them.
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Mostgrass species turn brownwhen infected with brown patch, but St. Augustinegrass takes on a straw-colored hue.
Brown patch is most prevalent in hot, humid weather when the soil is saturated.
Too much nitrogen fertilizer encourages the growth of brown patch.
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Dont fertilize when the disease is active.
Fairy Rings
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Fairy ringsoften appear seemingly overnight.
Some fairy rings include a band of dead grass.
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Lightly fertilize as determined by a soil test.
With spore production, the spots enlarge and become blue-gray and fuzzy.
Dead spots of turf often grow together to form irregular dead patches.
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What to do:Manage irrigation well to control gray leaf spot.
Water deeply and infrequently in the morning to minimize the time leaf blades are wet.
Also,mow regularlyto remove excess leaf tissue and encourage good airflow through the turf.
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This fungal disease produces small dark spots or streaks on leaf blades.
The spots are more numerous near the base of the leaf.
A lawn infected with Helminthosporium leaf spot will become brown and thin.
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When:Spring, summer, and fall during long periods of wet weather.
Take a soil test to check nutrient levels.
Fertilize as necessary.Aerate to promote strong root growth.
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Ifpoor drainage is prevalent, improve water movementthrough the soil profile of the lawn.
Fertilize turf that is nutrient deficient.
Improve turf drainage through aeration and topography to help yourlawn shed water well after heavy rains.
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Provide adequate nitrogen fertilizer.
Rust
Dean Schoeppner
Rust is easy to identify.
Simply look at your shoes after walking across rust-infected turf.
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Your shoes will take on a red-brown cast from rusts fungal spores.
While rust discolors clothing and equipment, it often disappears as soon as weather conditions change.
Slime Mold
Prolonged moist growing conditions can spur slime mold to form on grass blades.
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Warm, dry weather quickly eliminates slime mold.
The patches are often noticed shortly after snow melts in spring.
Prevent snow molds bypreparing the lawn well for winter.
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Remove or mulch leaf litter and mow regularly until the grass goes into dormancy in late fall.
This lawn disease often consists of several spots that merge to form irregular dead patches.
Aerate to reduce soil compaction and promote strong plant growth.
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