Landscaping
The Fight Against Fungus
Summer is here and that means heavy rain, hot temperatures and the increased potential for fungus in your turfgrass. Lawn diseases like rust, brown patch, root rot and several types of leaf spots plague Florida lawns during this time of year. Monitoring the overall health of your lawn can help prevent any small problems from becoming huge issues. If discolored areas begin to present, this may be a sign of disease, although it isn’t always a definite. Brown and yellow areas can also be caused by drought or cold damage.
The best way to tackle issues in your lawn is to practice preventative maintenance. Incorrect watering, mowing or fertilization all make turfgrass more susceptible to diseases.
Although cultural practices play a role in preventing turfgrass diseases, you may be surprised to learn that fungus is already present in your lawn. Yes, you read that right: Fungus is already present in your soil, patiently waiting on the right conditions and a host plant. For example, a blend of overwatering and hot temperatures stresses turfgrass, which creates the perfect environment for fungus to rear its ugly head.
Typically, fungus presents in a few different ways, but all result in a brown or thinned appearance in the lawn. Different types of fungus cause grass blades to turn brown, brown spots or rings and random patterns of yellowing throughout the lawn. If you are looking for an official fungus diagnosis, you can submit a sample of the grass blade to a local laboratory or your extension office.
After positively identifying a fungus problem, you can treat the turfgrass with a fungicide. There are a variety of fungicide options on the market, all with different active ingredients. Azoxystrobin, Chlorothalonil, Myclobutanil, Propiconazole, T Methyl are chemicals commonly used to treat fungus. Here is a list of some of our recommended fungicides:
Big Earth has a variety of granular or liquid fungicides to help keep your lawn in tip-top shape this summer. For additional questions or information about fungus, contact us here.
