Spring Fungal Disease
Dollar Spot
Dollar spot affects a wide variety of grasses and will likely make an appearance soon in warm-season turf such as Bermuda and zoysia grass. The fungus is active throughout the growing season, especially when there is low soil moisture and excess surface moisture. This fungal disease, which is most common in the spring and summer, appears as small white patches that are 1-3 inches in diameter (about the size of a silver dollar). Sometimes, a large number of spots can come together and form larger brown areas.
Brown Patch
Brown patch is another common fungal disease that affects cool-season grasses such as fescue during the spring and summer. Brown patch favors high humidity as well as daytime temperatures over 80 degrees and nighttime temperatures over 60 degrees. This disease thrives in areas that receive more than 10 hours of foliar wetness for several consecutive days. Brown patch is characterized by nearly circular areas of dead leaves that may be a few inches to several feet in diameter. Affected areas can be tan, brown, or straw-colored, depending on the type of turf.
Promoting healthy growth is the best way to prevent a severe disease outbreak. Most common lawn diseases can be avoided by optimizing maintenance and watering practices. Stressed turf is much more susceptible to disease than healthy turf. Even if a disease-causing pathogen is present, infection will not occur unless the environmental conditions are conducive to disease development. However, if environmental conditions become favorable for disease, fungicide applications may be necessary to control them. Certain lawn diseases can cause major damage to a lawn if not properly treated. Agropro offers fungicide programs specifically designed to control each individual disease.
Agropro Lawn Care ~ Lawn care specialists serving these North Georgia: Acworth, Alpharetta, Atlanta, Buckhead, Canton, Cumming, Dunwoody, Holly Springs, Johns Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Suwanee, and Woodstock.
