How to Treat Lawn Fungus
Only water your lawn as much as necessary., Avoid spreading it., Fertilize your lawn., Keep your lawn mowed at a healthy height., Give things time., Mulch leaves into your lawn in autumn., De-thatch your lawn., Top-dress your yard to improve the...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Only water your lawn as much as necessary.
The average yard only needs about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) of water once a week to stay healthy.
Most fungi, including brown patch and pythium blight, thrive in moist conditions.
Do not keep your lawn too dry, however, since dry soil will lead to weak grass subject to diseases like rust and mildew.
Water early in the morning.
Your lawn can absorb all the water it needs and dry by the afternoon. -
Step 2: Avoid spreading it.
Dollar spot and several other fungal diseases spread within minimal effort.
Avoid walking over the fungus and clean your yard tools after they touch the infected area. , Grass that does not receive enough nitrogen and potassium can become weak, which makes it easier to catch a fungal disease and harder to fight off.
Fertilizer does for sick lawns what vitamin C does for humans during a cold.
A good dose of slow-release fertilizer can give your grass what it needs to begin its recovery from various fungi, such as red thread and rust.
Note that too many feedings can also weaken your lawn, however.
It is best to apply fertilizer as instructed on the label.
Try using a low-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer to prevent fungal diseases like gray snow mold.
Even though grass deprived of nitrogen is susceptible to fungi, it is also easy to overdose your grass with nitrogen and weaken it that way. , Raise your lawn mower blade to the highest setting and never trim away more than 1/3 of the grass height at a time.
Your grass needs to stay thick and lush.
Short grass is young grass, and young grass is tender and weak against fungi.
Taller, older grass is stronger and stands a better chance of fighting back against disease.
Make sure you keep the blade sharp and clean.
Dull blades do a sloppy job of cutting and may make the grass weaker.
Dirty blades could spread lawn disease.
Mow your lawn a little shorter than usual before snow comes.
Stubble spells death for your lawn during any season, but notably long grass during the winter may breed gray snow mold. , Many fungal diseases go away on their own with proper lawn maintenance.
Gray snow mold usually goes away once temperatures reach above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), especially if the temperatures climb quickly.
Likewise, red thread usually disappears by summer, when the weather heats up and dries out.
Even though these diseases are unsightly, they do not always mean immediate death for your lawn. , A thick coating of leaves could invite gray snow mold and other winter-bred fungi.
Instead of allowing the leaves to pile up, remove them completely or use your lawnmower to mulch them into the grass. , Thick build-ups of thatch—a layer of dead grass, leaves, roots, and stems—smother the soil, preventing it from breathing.
Soil that lacks proper air circulation is more likely to get a fungal disease, so de-thatching is often used for preventative treatment.
De-thatching can also stop the spread of some fungi, like necrotic ring spot, melting out, leaf smut, and summer patch, after it infects your lawn. , Top-dressing is a layer of nutritional, well-draining growing medium.
It often consists of materials like sharp sand to improve drainage, a crumbly soil like loam or topsoil, peat, or compost to provide extra nutrition.
Spread the top-dressing over your lawn and rake it into the soil.
The top-dressing will improve the soil's ability to drain, thereby fighting fungi. , Usually, you need to apply a fungal control product once every other week, three times or more.
Some fungi respond best to certain chemical treatments, however, while others do not respond to any at all.
Before purchasing and applying a fungicide, you should determine what fungus your lawn has and which chemical can take care of it best.
Benomyl is potent against a range of fungi, including snow mold, brown patch, and dollar spot.
Triadimefon works well against anthracnose and rust.
Chlorothalonil does best against brown patch and red thread.
Fairy ring has no cure once it establishes itself in your lawn, and fungicides are only effective against necrotic ring spot if accompanied by a de-thatching process. , If you prefer to stay away from chemical fungicides, many natural treatments can be used instead, especially while the fungus is still small.
Neem oil, compost tea, and baking soda solutions are some of the most common. -
Step 3: Fertilize your lawn.
-
Step 4: Keep your lawn mowed at a healthy height.
-
Step 5: Give things time.
-
Step 6: Mulch leaves into your lawn in autumn.
-
Step 7: De-thatch your lawn.
-
Step 8: Top-dress your yard to improve the soil quality.
-
Step 9: Apply a fungicide to your lawn.
-
Step 10: Try an organic fungicide.
Detailed Guide
The average yard only needs about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) of water once a week to stay healthy.
Most fungi, including brown patch and pythium blight, thrive in moist conditions.
Do not keep your lawn too dry, however, since dry soil will lead to weak grass subject to diseases like rust and mildew.
Water early in the morning.
Your lawn can absorb all the water it needs and dry by the afternoon.
Dollar spot and several other fungal diseases spread within minimal effort.
Avoid walking over the fungus and clean your yard tools after they touch the infected area. , Grass that does not receive enough nitrogen and potassium can become weak, which makes it easier to catch a fungal disease and harder to fight off.
Fertilizer does for sick lawns what vitamin C does for humans during a cold.
A good dose of slow-release fertilizer can give your grass what it needs to begin its recovery from various fungi, such as red thread and rust.
Note that too many feedings can also weaken your lawn, however.
It is best to apply fertilizer as instructed on the label.
Try using a low-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer to prevent fungal diseases like gray snow mold.
Even though grass deprived of nitrogen is susceptible to fungi, it is also easy to overdose your grass with nitrogen and weaken it that way. , Raise your lawn mower blade to the highest setting and never trim away more than 1/3 of the grass height at a time.
Your grass needs to stay thick and lush.
Short grass is young grass, and young grass is tender and weak against fungi.
Taller, older grass is stronger and stands a better chance of fighting back against disease.
Make sure you keep the blade sharp and clean.
Dull blades do a sloppy job of cutting and may make the grass weaker.
Dirty blades could spread lawn disease.
Mow your lawn a little shorter than usual before snow comes.
Stubble spells death for your lawn during any season, but notably long grass during the winter may breed gray snow mold. , Many fungal diseases go away on their own with proper lawn maintenance.
Gray snow mold usually goes away once temperatures reach above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), especially if the temperatures climb quickly.
Likewise, red thread usually disappears by summer, when the weather heats up and dries out.
Even though these diseases are unsightly, they do not always mean immediate death for your lawn. , A thick coating of leaves could invite gray snow mold and other winter-bred fungi.
Instead of allowing the leaves to pile up, remove them completely or use your lawnmower to mulch them into the grass. , Thick build-ups of thatch—a layer of dead grass, leaves, roots, and stems—smother the soil, preventing it from breathing.
Soil that lacks proper air circulation is more likely to get a fungal disease, so de-thatching is often used for preventative treatment.
De-thatching can also stop the spread of some fungi, like necrotic ring spot, melting out, leaf smut, and summer patch, after it infects your lawn. , Top-dressing is a layer of nutritional, well-draining growing medium.
It often consists of materials like sharp sand to improve drainage, a crumbly soil like loam or topsoil, peat, or compost to provide extra nutrition.
Spread the top-dressing over your lawn and rake it into the soil.
The top-dressing will improve the soil's ability to drain, thereby fighting fungi. , Usually, you need to apply a fungal control product once every other week, three times or more.
Some fungi respond best to certain chemical treatments, however, while others do not respond to any at all.
Before purchasing and applying a fungicide, you should determine what fungus your lawn has and which chemical can take care of it best.
Benomyl is potent against a range of fungi, including snow mold, brown patch, and dollar spot.
Triadimefon works well against anthracnose and rust.
Chlorothalonil does best against brown patch and red thread.
Fairy ring has no cure once it establishes itself in your lawn, and fungicides are only effective against necrotic ring spot if accompanied by a de-thatching process. , If you prefer to stay away from chemical fungicides, many natural treatments can be used instead, especially while the fungus is still small.
Neem oil, compost tea, and baking soda solutions are some of the most common.
About the Author
Kayla Collins
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: