4 Common Lawn Diseases and How to Identify Them

76% of Americans who have a yard say that space is one of the most important parts of their property. This means that keeping it nice and healthy is essential to not just having a lawn you’re proud of, but one you can enjoy without worry.

Unfortunately, lawns are susceptible to diseases, some of which can completely destroy your beautiful yard. But if you know what to look for and take quick action, you can avoid this devastating situation.

Read on for 4 common https://www.holmesutah.com/west-jordan/, as well as how to identify and treat them.

1. Brown Patch Lawn Disease

This is a type of fungal disease that affects cool-season grasses and some warm-season grasses; it’s especially harmful to tall fescue and ryegrass. But if you’ve got Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues, then you have less to worry about, as they’re more resistant to brown patch.

As the name suggests, you’ll see brown-yellow circular patches that range in size. They can be as small as 6 inches or as big as 10 feet in diameter!

Brown patch (aka Rhizoctonia blight) mostly happens when there’s been a stretch of heat and humidity and nighttime temperatures are above 68 F.

The solution for brown patch is to just wait out the heat and humidity. Your lawn will recover on its own afterward.

2. Fairy Ring

Fairy ring is similar to brown patch but you’ll get darker circles. They’ll grow anywhere between 20 inches to over 30 feet in diameter.

This is also a fungal infection and you might see mushrooms growing all over your lawn as a result. So you might see just a darkened patch, a darkened patch and mushrooms, or just mushrooms.

The good news is, fairy ring doesn’t cause much damage. So you can just leave it alone, especially since it’s tough to eliminate.

3. Powdery Mildew

Another fungal disease, powdery mildew is most common on cool-season grasses. You’ll see white dust appear on your lawn’s grass blades, especially those in shaded areas.

To get rid of and prevent powdery mildew from coming back, you should decrease shaded areas and get better air circulation around infected areas. Avoid watering your lawn in the evenings and if needed, use some fungicides.

Enlisting the help of a professional lawn care service (like https://www.holmesutah.com/west-jordan/) can help too.

4. Red Thread

Red thread is mostly found in areas that are wet and cool, such as the middle to northern parts of the US and the Pacific Northwest. Your leaf blades will start turning reddish and might even clump together.

You’ll need to dethatch your lawn and bag clippings when mowing. You’ll also want to go over the infected patch last so you don’t spread it. Expert lawn care professionals can maintain your lawn optimally so red thread is minimized.

Keep an Eye Out for These Lawn Diseases

Now that you know what the common lawn diseases are, you’ll be able to detect the slightest change before it gets out of hand. And as a result, you’ll have a healthy lawn that looks and feels great!

Of course, hiring a lawn care company can do wonders for your property and they can perform lawn disease control. Plus, you won’t have to lift a finger!

Keep reading our blog page to learn more about taking care of your property.