Summer month lawn diseases can quickly turn a thick, beautiful lawn into a thinned-out, patchy mess. But you don’t have to wait until it’s time for aeration and seeding in the fall.
There’s a Fungus among Us
So why does this happen to a seemingly healthy lawn? Often, the answer is FUNGUS. Airborne fungal spores can cause lawn disease and result in uneven brown patches, gray splotches, string-like red threads, and other symptoms. When a fungus attacks your lawn, you must take swift action to stop it from taking over and destroying your grass. With the right treatment, affected areas are able to recover, but getting them in time and with a professional determination of the disease(s) and cure.
An Ounce of Prevention
If you may already have a fungal lawn disease, the right fungicide treatment can help to stop the damage. But the best “treatment” is protecting your lawn from the ravages of these deadly spores in the first place. In our area, late spring is an ideal time for treatment.
Do It Yourself?
To manage diseases affecting your lawn caused by fungus is tricky business, involving testing the soil, identifying the specific disease(s) involved, determining best chemical combination for treatment, and more factors to consider.
According to the University of Florida, “Employing a lawn and landscape service for fungicide applications is the best choice for all homeowners. Those determined to make their own applications should exercise extreme caution and make informed decisions.” (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp154)
