Is your lawn grass looking patchy nowadays, even though it used to be lush once? Also, it has discolored and developed wider circles. If yes, your healthy grass suffers from lawn fungus due to damp and shaded areas. You must pay attention to this scenario if you want to see your green lawn back.
The blog has compiled the top 8 causes of lawn fungus and how to prevent them. This way, you don’t have to lose your healthy lawn. So keep reading ahead to help you recover the grass from fungus in no time while not affecting the surrounding plants.
What Do You Mean by Lawn Fungus?
It is a grass disease caused by a specific type of fungus. It may prove life-threatening for your lawn’s healthy grass and give it an awful shape.
If you don’t treat it immediately, then the chances are high that your lawn grass will develop:
- Strange dispatches.
- Discoloration.
- Grass death.
So, it would be better to talk to a lawn care professional like AgriLife Extension Service. They are professionals who can identify problems with your lawn. This way, they can better determine whether the grass is attacked by lawn fungus and help you prevent it from losing its greenery.
What Does the Lawn Fungus Look Like?
You are welcoming fungi to start residing on the grass if you don’t take care of the lawn aeration besides other strategies. In such cases, the lawn fungus will acquire the given shapes:
- Circles on the lawn.
- Brown or strange-colored spots on the glass blades.
- Powdery coatings on the glass blades.
- Circular rings of any type of fungal growth, mostly like mushrooms.
- Brown, yellow, or dead patches on the overall lawn.
But you must remember that lawn fungus is not limited to just these signs and symptoms. Instead, there can be a wide variety of their shapes. So you should not just rely on these looks because they can vary according to these factors:
- Type of fungi.
- The type of grass in the lawn.
Try keeping a careful eye on any strange symptoms that the grass develops. Then, immediately hop to a grass professional to help you tackle the situation professionally.
What Causes Lawn Fungus and How to Avoid It?
Lawn fungus ruins the overall beautiful look of the grass and makes it nasty. Therefore, you should know these 8 causes of lawn fungus to identify and get rid of it forever with these prevention tips:
1. Overwatering the Grass
The first major enemy of healthy grass is overwatering it beyond 2-3 inches weekly. We all know grass needs water, so you water it whenever you feel the need. But that does not mean you should overdo it.
Doing so will create a cozy environment for the fungus to occur and then spread their growth. Therefore it would be good to water the grass maximum once in the morning. It will give enough time for the water to dry during the daytime and minimize the chances of fungal growth.
2. Poor Drainage
If your lawn lacks a proper drainage system, you are creating an environment for fungi to come and reside there. This happens because the grass will become damp if water doesn’t drain properly. This damp lawn will also attract mosquitoes and flies. So, it’s recommended to seek some professional mosquito, flea, and tick control and ensure proper drainage, in addition to aerating the soil.
3. Over-populated Grass
Moisture starts entrapping in the grass if it is too jam-packed. Again, it is the most common cause of lawn fungus. The good news is that you can eliminate this unwanted situation by properly mowing the grass regularly. You might even need to aerate the soil.
4. High Heat and Moisture
Here comes another thing causing fungus on your lawn. We know you can’t do anything about the weather.
However, you can at least take steps to prevent the fungal growth in such times. You can do it by ensuring proper aeration by trimming the trees and watering the lawn at the right times when the temperature is neither too high nor too low.
5. Mowing Grass Incorrectly
Short grass automatically becomes susceptible to fungi when you cut it too short. Therefore, a good way to avoid this is to never cut more than 1/3rd the height of the grass blades. You can try following some professional mowing tips to help you ease the situation.
6. Poor Soil
Sometimes, your soil doesn’t have the necessary nutrients to fight against the fungus. Its unhealthy nature welcomes fungi to come in. So, you need to test the soil for nutrient deficiency and then add the required ones.
7. Incorrect Fertilizer
Fungi will start building on the grass if you have used the wrong fertilizer. It does more harm than good to the grass. Hence, use a fertilizer suitable for your lawn and follow professional tips while using it.
8. Plant Diseases
Sometimes, plants themselves are the hidden causes behind lawn fungus. Some of them are more prone to getting fungus than others. You need to choose the right plants that are resistant to developing fungus, and then you must do professional tree and shrub care.
Conclusion
All in all, you should never miss any visible symptom of lawn fungus to remove it at an early stage. Otherwise, the situation can get worse and may even leave you with dry and patchy pal geass. Therefore, keep an eye on your lawn for any suspicious symptoms. If you see any, then talk to a professional like Real Green Turf to help you get rid of this situation effectively.
FAQs About Lawn Fungus
- How to use baking soda to treat lawn fungus?
It is one of the natural ways to kill fungi although it is a non-selective herbicide. You can either sprinkle the baking soda or spray it by mixing it with water to get rid of lawn fungus.
- Which grass resists fungi the most?
There is a variety of grass that is resistant to fungi. But the most effective of them is the High-end Kentucky 31. This gas has resistible features to not develop lawn fungus at all or with a very minute ratio. Its benefits double when you grow it in the fall when the soil is properly aerated.
- Can you cut grass with fungus?
It is best not to cut grass with fungus. This infected grass opens the doors to other healthy lawn grasses getting fungus. So, if the grass trimmer ever comes in contact with fungal grass, never use it to mow the healthy one.
- Does the lawn fungus disappear?
Unfortunately, lawn fungus does not disappear on its own. Instead, proper care is required to get rid of it, at least for a long time, if not forever.
- Will grass grow back after fungus?
Yes, your lawn grass can grow again after being treated for fungus. However, it can be possible only if you follow some strategic approaches to prevent the growth of fungus. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get back healthy grass after fungus.
External Links
[1] https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/assets/plants-crops/lawn-garden/
[2] https://www.lawndoctor.com/blog/how-to-water-lawn/#:~:text=It’s%20important%20to%20water%20deeply,%2C%20disease%2C%20and%20pest%20problems.
[3] https://scotts.com/en-ca/how-to-care%2Fmaintain/a-guide-on-how-to-mow-the-lawn.html