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 Reduce the risk of disease by keeping your lawn
healthy. Mow high to encourage deeply rooted grass that is more
drought tolerant and resistant to disease problems. Water early in
the day so the grass leaves, blades, dry quickly and less water is
lost to evaporation.
Apply the right type and amount of fertilizer at the proper time to
limit the risk of disease. Regular fertilization, three to four
times per year, encourages better results since most soils do not
contain the essential nutrients for optimum growth.
Avoid high nitrogen quick release fertilizers that promote lush
succulent growth that is more susceptible to disease. Instead use a
low nitrogen slow release fertilizer like Milorganite (milorganite.com)
that promotes steady growth that’s more drought tolerant and
resistant to disease.
Take a closer look at the lawn if you suspect a
disease problem. As the snow recedes, watch for circular gray to
straw colored areas of matted grass caused by snow mold. Use a leaf
rake to lift the matted grass, remove leaf litter and reduce the
risk of this disease. Keep mowing throughout the fall and avoid
heavy fertilization late in the year.
Monitor lawns for Brown Patch when temperatures and humidity rise
and grass remains wet for long periods of time. Infected lawns will
have somewhat circular patches of thin light brown grass. Look for
white cottony strands of fungal mycelium early in the morning on dew
covered lawns. Check grass blades for small irregular tan spots with
dark brown borders on the individual grass blades. Avoid heavy
fertilization with fast release fertilizer in early spring and
summer.
Look for dollar size to 6” diameter spots of bleached or light tan
grass if you suspect Dollar Spot. Infected leaves have white lesions
with reddish tan margins that often resemble an hourglass. Over and
under fertilization, drought, water on the grass blades for extended
time, and mowing too low all increase the risk of this disease.
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Closely examine lawns with a reddish hue to confirm
the presence of rust disease. Rust infected lawns are covered with
an orange or yellowish powder, the fungal spores, that can leave an
orange residue on your shoes. Newly seeded and lawns weakened by
inadequate fertilization and drought are most susceptible.
Stay alert for leaf spot diseases that can attack lawns. Avoid
excess fertilization and watering late afternoon and evenings.
Once you discover a disease, visit Milorganite.com for more detailed
information and photos to help with diagnosis. Correct your lawn
care practices to speed recovery and avoid problems in the future.
Proper care and reseeding dead areas with disease-resistant grass
varieties is usually enough to manage the disease. Be sure you need
a fungicide before applying. These chemicals are costly, the results
can be disappointing and when used improperly they can be harmful to
pollinators and the environment.
Further speed recovery with a change in mowing habits. Continue to
mow high but cut the healthy portions of your lawn first. Then cut
the grass in the diseased areas. Once done, use a disinfectant to
clean the mower blades then rinse with clear water. This along with
collecting and disposing of clippings from the diseased areas of the
lawn reduces the risk of spreading the disease next time you mow.
Provide proper care and monitor your lawn throughout the growing
season. Discovering problems early means better results with less
effort on your part.
[Text from file received from
]
Melinda Myers has written over 20
books, including Small Space Gardening and the Perfect Lawn series.
She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and
the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio
segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds &
Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Milorganite for her
expertise to write this article. Myers’ web site is
www.melindamyers.com.
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