Grass Diseases
Common Grass Diseases And Steps To Avoid Them
Of the more common grass diseases, some affect most of the major varieties of turf grasses, while others are limited to one or two varieties. We'll look at the more common warm and cool season grasses, and the diseases they are most likely to encounter. Several methods of preventing the diseases from occurring are discussed.
While we can't always totally prevent grass diseases, there are steps we can take to lessen the probability of one or more of them taking hold. A good lawn care maintenance system, focusing on proper watering, feeding the lawn the right fertilizer at the right time, setting the mower to a proper height, and periodic thatching and aeration, will go a long ways towards keeping your lawn healthy and looking great. Most of the grass diseases are actually infestations of mold or fungi, so you'll want to avoid conditions that promote these diseases, to keep them from taking hold.
Anthracnose is a fairly common disease, often attacking the warm weather grasses, such as St. Augustine grass and Buffalo grass (though the latter is one of the more disease resistant grasses). It can affect areas up to 20 feet in diameter, and is most common in damp conditions. Anthracnose is treated with a fungicide. Brown patch is another disease affecting warm weather grasses, particularly Bermuda grass. It is also one of the more common diseases affecting Perennial Ryegrass and the fescues. It often occurs when a lawn has been fertilized with an excess of nitrogen, combined with warm nights and high daytime temperatures. It also is treated with a fungicide, and can best be avoided by holding back on fertilizers just before warm periods.
The grass diseases primarily affecting Kentucky Bluegrass, are Necrotic Ring Spot and Summer Patch. Ring Spot also affects fescues. These diseases can often be prevented by mowing at a proper height, in other words, avoiding too-close mowing, resulting in a less efficient root system, hence a less robust plant. Perennial Ryegrass, not bothered by these diseases, is often over sown in lawns where Bluegrass has been affected. Perennial Ryegrass on the other hand, can fall victim to Powdery Mildew, most commonly occurring in shady areas, or areas of poor air circulation. Treat with a fungicide.
There are several other diseases as well, with one of the common causes being improper fertilizing. More often than not, this means fertilizing too heavily, or too often, rather than holding back. You also want to be using fertilizer having a proper balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. What a proper balance should consist of will vary with the season. Be aware that chemical fertilizers can lead to problems with disease, more so than is the case with slow-release organic fertilizers.
Keeping the soil moist also promotes a healthy lawn, as it helps to keep the grass from becoming stressed in hot weather situations. Over watering however, especially when the air is humid, can lead to fungus, which thrives on wet roots.
To keep the more common grass diseases away from your lawn, prevention is really the key. Know how to maintain your lawn to keep it at its best, and follow good maintenance practices. This will go a long way in keeping disease away.