Keeping Your Lawn Healthy: Preventing, Identifying, & Remedying Common Turf Grass Diseases

Maintaining a lush, green lawn in New England comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to dealing with turf grass diseases. In particular, fungal turf diseases can wreak havoc on your lawn if left unchecked. Here’s a little information to help you to correctly prevent, identify, and remedy turf diseases, so that you can help us keep your turf grass healthy and vibrant year-round.

Identifying Turfgrass Diseases

Identifying which specifc disease your lawn is afflicted with is less important than simply identifying that your lawn is suffering from a fungal diease. Below are the three most common fungal diseases found on residential New England lawns.

Red Thread

One of the most prevalent diseases in New England, red thread manifests as pinkish-red threads or patches on grass blades, often accompanied by tan lesions. These patches can range in size and may appear in irregular shapes across the lawn.

Dollar Spot

Characterized by small, circular patches of dead grass about the size of a silver dollar, dollar spot often occurs during periods of high humidity and warm temperatures. The affected grass may have a light brown or straw-like appearance, with distinct lesions on the blades.

Brown Patch

This disease typically strikes during hot, humid weather, causing circular patches of brown, dead grass to form. The affected areas may expand rapidly, and a closer inspection might reveal a dark, water-soaked appearance near the soil surface.

Remedying Turfgrass Diseases

Now that you know what to look for in order to identify these diseases, the question becomes how best to prevent against and remedy them. It is essential to understand The Disease Triangle. The Disease Triangle concept illustrates the three key factors necessary for disease development: a susceptible host (the grass), a virulent pathogen (the disease-causing organism), and favorable environmental conditions (e.g. persistent warmth and moisture). In New England, our warm, moist late spring and late summer months provide an ideal breeding ground for many turf diseases. In order to prevent and remedy turf diseases, one of the three legs of The Disease Triangle must be disrupted. The most straightforward approach is to disrupt any favorable environmental conditions, in particular the presence of water. If you start to see any discoloration and you believe it may be due to any of the diseases listed above, your first step should be to reduce watering events, causing the soil, grass, and disease to dry out. This will help to deprive the fungal turf diseases of the moist conditions they require to survive.

Preventing Turfgrass Diseases:

• Proper Mowing: Maintaining a sharp mower blade, mowing the lawn no shorter than 3”, and mowing with adequate frequency is essential for promoting healthy growth and preventing disease. Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass blade length at a time, as excessively short grass is more susceptible to diseases and other pressures.
• Adequate Watering: Water your lawn deeply and infrequently to encourage deep root growth and minimize stagnant surface moisture, which can create favorable conditions for disease development. Water early in the morning to allow the grass to dry before nightfall, reducing the risk of fungal infections. Allow at least one day if not two days between watering established lawn. Dry days are as important to your lawn’s health as days when the lawn gets irrigation or rainfall.
• Fertilization and Soil Health: Regular fertilization and soil testing can help ensure that your lawn receives the nutrients it needs to thrive while maintaining proper pH levels. Healthy soil promotes strong, resilient grass plants that are better equipped to resist disease.We also use an arsenal of organic liquid soil probiotics which encourage proliferation of the healthy microbes which in turn help to prevent disease.
• Routine Annual Aerations: Aerating your lawn helps alleviate soil compaction, improves air circulation, and allows water to filter down through the soil instead of sitting on the surface encouraging disease. Aeration will also break through the thatch layer which can harbor disease-causing organisms. Annual aerations are an essential component of a comprehensive lawn care routine.

Conclusion

By familiarizing yourself with common turf grass diseases in New England, understanding the principles of the disease triangle, and implementing proper lawn maintenance practices, you can safeguard your lawn against the threat of infections like red thread, dollar spot, and brown patch. With diligence and care, you can enjoy a lush, green lawn that enhances the beauty of your outdoor space year-round.