Avoid these 3 Summer Lawn Diseases

This time of year is prime for lawn diseases to take over your beautiful landscape. Here are 3 common lawn diseases and how to rid them:

 

Dollar Spot

Dollar spot is a lawn disease caused by fungal pathogens and causes your lawn to spot in clusters. While it doesn’t affect the roots of the grass, it certainly causes an unattractive browning on the tissues of the grass.

This disease typically occurs in early summer and can be identified by round, tan spots in clusters in the lawn. The cause comes from extended dew periods that helps mycelial grow and become more active. This disease can then be spread by infected blades while mowing your lawn or doing other types of lawn care.

In order to avoid Dollar Spot disease in your lawn, water your lawn early in the morning so you’re not contributing to longer dew periods. You also want to keep your soil rich in nitrogen by applying fertilizer regularly during mid-summer.

Lawn Rust

Lawn rust is also caused by a lack of nitrogen in the soil and typically occurs during late summer or early fall. This can be identified by an over all yellow or brown color in your lawn and gives off a dusty, rust residue.

A lack of nitrogen in the soil can occur when your lawn hasn’t been watered deeply or frequently enough. It can also occur if you’re cutting your lawn too short.

To rid or avoid lawn rust, mow less often or with a higher blade height. Also be sure to mow your lawn weekly with about an inch of water.

Powdery Mildew

Powdering mildew typically occurs in the shady areas of your lawn and can occur all season long. Powdery mildew is easy to detect because of its powdery look that creates a felt-like surface on blades of grass.

This disease thrives on cool temperatures and low sunlight, hence its location in the shady areas of your lawn.

To solve this lawn issue, prune your trees and try to minimize their coverage of your grass. If it’s not possible to control the shade in your lawn, chemical control techniques may be necessary to eliminate powdery mildew and prevent it from returning.

 

For more information on keeping your lawn healthy this season, call KC Landscape Curbing today!