Signs of Lawn Disease and How to Treat It
Fungal lawn disease is a frustrating development that can occur in any lawn or field. In Georgia, dozens of fungal species can affect the growth and health of turfgrass. Some are active in the spring and summer, while others are more active in the fall or winter—if both types infect your turfgrass or soil, you can experience poor lawn health all year long.
To help you determine if your lawn or field is affected by a fungal lawn disease, check out the following signs to look for and discover the best solutions to eradicate the disease and restore lawn health.
Signs of Lawn Disease in Your Yard
Some of the most common signs or symptoms of a disease-affected lawn include:
Brown Patches in the Grass
Brown patches in the grass indicate that Rhizoctonia fungi have made your lawn their home. Brown patch fungal disease affects grass blades at the root, causing the blades to turn brown and develop a dry, withered texture.
Signs of Brown Patch in Your Yard
Telltale signs of brown patch in your lawn include:
- Large patches of discolored grass
- Patches that range in size from a foot in diameter to several feet in diameter
- Grass that looks thinned out
- Grass that looks brown and wilted or withered
Rhizoctonia fungi affect all cool-season turfgrass species, most especially:
- Fescue
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Ryegrass
They are also damaging to certain warm-season grasses like:
- Augustine
- Zoysia
Small Tan or Brown Spots in the Grass
If small tan or brown patches about the size of a silver dollar appear in your lawn or field, it could be a sign of dollar spot, a disease caused by the fungus Clarireedia jacksonii (formerly called Sclerotinia homoeocarpa).
Signs of Dollar Spot in Your Yard
Common symptoms of the dollar spot fungus in your lawn include:
- Discolored patches of grass
- Small patches of discoloration that develop in clusters
- Light or brown grass with a hint of purple or red
- Grass that develops a straw-like texture
This fungus affects a variety of grasses, including:
- Annual bluegrass
- Bentgrass
- Bermudagrass
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Ryegrass
Grass Patches That Look Like They Have Been Bleached
Some lawns develop circular patches that look as if someone has poured bleach onto the grass. This is called spring dead spot and is caused by soil-dwelling fungi belonging to the Ophiosphaerella genus.
Signs of Spring Dead Spot in Your Yard
Spring dead spot creates a distinct appearance on your lawn that is hard to miss:
- Circular patches of discolored grass
- Grass that looks lightened in color, either light tan or whiteish
- Spots or patches that form in clusters
- Patches that are a few inches or a couple of feet in diameter
- Grass that develops a dry and withered look
This fungal disease can affect grass types like:
- Bermudagrass
- Zoysia
Grass That Looks Powdery
Grass that appears powdery, as if someone has lightly dusted areas of your lawn with flour or powdered sugar, is typically a sign of powdery mildew, a disease caused by the fungus Erysiphe graminis.
Signs of Powdery Mildew in Your Yard
In the beginning, powdery mildew shows signs of its presence through small patches of gray spots on grass blades or even plant leaves.
Over time, the fungal disease can take over the majority of each affected grass blade or leaf, discoloring it and creating a powdery-looking substance on the surface.
This fungus commonly affects turfgrass species like:
- Annual bluegrass
- Bermudagrass
- Fescues
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Perennial ryegrass
- Zoysia
Grass That Looks Frayed or Dull
If the grass in certain areas of your yard looks discolored in such a way that it appears dull in color or frayed, it could be a sign of gray leaf spot (caused by Pyricularia grisea) or leaf spot (caused by the Helminthosporium genus).
Signs of Gray Leaf Spot or Leaf Spot in Your Yard
Each of these fungal diseases causes discoloration to the affected blades of grass, but the appearance varies. They also affect different turfgrass species.
Gray Leaf Spot Appearance:
- Small gray or brown spots with a dark brown border
- Spots that grow into misshapen ovals or rectangles
- Spots that cause the tip of the grass to die back
Grass Species Affected by Gray Leaf Spot:
- Ryegrass
- Fescues
- Augustine
Leaf Spot Appearance:
- Small reddish-brown or purple spots, sometimes with a yellow or tan center
- Spots that grow into oblong shapes and develop a lighter-looking center
- Blades of grass that appear withered, straw-like, or overall “sick”
Grass Species Affected by Leaf Spot:
- Bentgrasses
- Bluegrasses
- Fescues
How to Treat Lawn Diseases
There are some tips and tricks you can apply to try and manage your lawn and treat any present fungal diseases. Still, the most effective, efficient way to treat your lawn is to partner with a trusted lawn care company like Mid Georgia Turf Solutions.
Our lawn care experts have extensive experience treating fungal lawn diseases and managing the turf to prevent disease from returning. Our solutions work for homeowners and property owners across Middle Georgia.
Through our specialized, individualized lawn care treatment and management programs, you can rest easy knowing your turfgrass is healthy, vibrant, and disease-free.
Are you spotting signs of lawn disease in your yard or field? Talk to Mid Georgia Turf Solutions about our lawn treatment solutions.
Our lawn care experts treat lawns and fields across Middle Georgia with disease control solutions that eliminate fungi and restore healthy, lush, and even grass growth. We’ll evaluate your yard, determine the disease(s) affecting your grass, and create a treatment plan that is right for you.
Schedule a lawn disease control evaluation today: 478-992-5705
Mid Georgia Turf Solutions provides essential lawn care to homeowners and property managers throughout the Middle Georgia area. We service customers in and around:
- Barnesville, GA
- Bolingbroke, GA
- Bonaire, GA
- Byron, GA
- Centerville, GA
- Covington, GA
- Eatonton, GA
- Fayetteville, GA
- Forsyth, GA
- Fort Valley, GA
- Gray, GA
- Griffin, GA
- Hampton, GA
- Jackson, GA
- Juliette, GA
- Kathleen, GA
- Knoxville, GA
- Lizella, GA
- Macon, GA
- Manchester, GA
- McDonough, GA
- Milledgeville, GA
- Monticello, GA
- Newnan, GA
- Perry, GA
- Sparta, GA
- Stockbridge, GA
- Thomaston, GA
- Warner Robins, GA
- Zebulon, GA
Recent Articles:
Like Us!