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Lawn Fungus Identification Guide & Pictures + 6 Ways to Avoid Them 

 March 30, 2022

By  admin

There are a lot of different types of lawn fungus that can pop up in any region around the country. Knowing how to identify and avoid them is important for preserving your health as well as your beautiful home exterior.

Lawn Fungus Identification Guide & Pictures + 6 Ways to Avoid Them. Lawn fungus is a type of fungus that can be found on lawns, trees, and shrubs, which are the most common places where these fungi can be found.

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A lawn that is unsightly is something that no gardener wants. Plant placement and DIY decorations may be readily fixed, but diagnosing, treating, and removing lawn fungus might be the biggest nightmare of all. Continue reading to learn more about how to prevent similar scenarios. 

What Causes the Lawn’s Deterioration?

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Lawns that have been well-kept are always pleasing to the sight. When the grass reveals Patch of Brownes or yellow areas after hours of hard effort, most gardening lovers will hurry to water and replenish the lawn. But wait, before you attempt to fix the problems with fertilizers, figure out why the grass is suffering.

Fungal development is the most prevalent cause of grass deterioration. Fungi thrive when there is enough organic debris to feed on and the grass environment is damp and gloomy. This post provides helpful information, hacks, and lawn fungus identification photographs to assist you in identifying grass fungus.

Identification of Lawn Fungus

Here are seven different varieties of fungus that might help DIY gardeners identify lawn fungus. When checking for these signs, be patient since misunderstanding is a typical mistake.

Patch of Brown

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Caused by Rhizoctonia fungi, Patch of Brownes start small but are quick to spread. It is easy to identify a Patch of Brown, as it looks like a large spot where the grass seems to be dry and dying. Most of the time, the inside of the patch appears lighter in color than the outside.

Seen in both cool-season and warm-season grasses, lawns are more prone to this fungi when the temperature hits 65F to 70F after sundown. The Patch of Brown usually appears as a circle or close to one, often going up to 3ft in width. Since this situation goes out of hand rapidly, early detection and correction are crucial.

Avoiding overwatering and excess use of fertilizers is the recommended treatment for this fungal attack. Experts often suggest the use of appropriate fungicide, usually with fludioxonil, to get rid of Patch of Brown.

Snow Mold in Pink

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Microdochium nivale is the reason behind the Snow Mold in Pink in your lawn. Unlike what the name suggests, Snow Mold in Pink does not need snow to thrive nor does it appear pink for long durations.

Occurring in cool conditions, especially after the snow has thawed in spring, it causes the grass to turn matted and straw-like. At times, the fungi form a white or pink coating over the grass as well. Usually, Snow Mold in Pink shrinks on its own when the temperature climbs up.

If this becomes an annual issue for the grass, the answer is to apply thiophanate-methyl fungicide before the snow falls. Aerating the grass and eliminating the residual thatch after mowing are two more techniques to regreen it.

Snow Mold, Gray

Snow Mold, Gray occurs as a result of the growth of various Typhula fungi species. It is seen in lawns that remain constantly damp and cool. The lawn fungus identification here is the gray or straw-colored patches on the turf.

One can differentiate between pink and Snow Mold, Gray, by the greyish tint to the matted grass in the case of Snow Mold, Gray. The site of the fungal attack is usually six to twelve inches wide. Again, like in the case of Snow Mold in Pink, the fungi die out as the temperature increases.

The greatest technique to speed up the healing process here is to mow and aerate the grass. Raking away the remaining thatch and mowing the grass shorter than normal also aids in the healing process.

Blight of Pythium

When different members of the Pythium family spread in the lawn during the hottest months, the grass suffers from Blight of Pythium. Also known as grease spot or cottony blight, orange spots with gray rings around them are the markers of the disease.

Generally inflicting the cool-season grass, Blight of Pythium develops fluffy masses similar to cobwebs on the lawn. The infection takes better hold as the humidity increases and makes the lawn unsightly.

Fighting Blight of Pythium without renovating the entire lawn can be done by applying mefenoxam fungicide. As a preventive measure, this fungicide can be applied at periodic but regular intervals.

Ring Spot Necrotic

This is a serious ailment that affects lawns during the colder and wetter months as a consequence of the proliferation of the Ophiosphaerella korrae fungus. The illness, which affects the lawn’s root system, begins by yellowing the grass and progresses to reducing its thickness.

The fungus thrive on decaying organic materials and dirt in the yard, and are especially detrimental to Kentucky bluegrass. The emergence of frog eye-like rings on the grass may be used to diagnose this condition. These rings vary in size from three to fifteen inches in diameter, depending on the severity, and may even exceed three feet in length in extreme situations.

An ideal method of containing the damage by Ring Spot Necrotics is by executing systematic and timely maintenance. If the condition warranted the use of fungicides, thiophanate-methyl or fenarimol-containing ones should be used. It is more effective when administered immediately after irrigation and when the soil temperature is around 60F to 70F.

Patches of Summer

It occurs when Magnaporthe poae fungi invade the lawn. Patches of Summer, as suggested by the name, is a disease that peaks during summertime, but the fungus starts growing in early summer or late spring. Be warned as this infection mostly affects cool-season grass.

Easily identifiable with the initial appearance of dark wilted patches that develop into large and yellow-brownish colors with time, Patches of Summer causes the grass to die from the tip. Once the damage is done, it is extremely difficult to correct it. Hence, prevention is essential in this case.

Patches of Summer can be prevented by not mowing away more than two-thirds of the length of the grass. Applying fungicide with propiconazole when the temperature reaches 65F is another preventive measure. Once the patches appear on the lawn, chemical treatments become ineffective and irrigation is the only way to save the turf.

Thread of Red

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Occurring in conditions that are warm, moist, and abundant in nutrients, the fungus Laetisaria fuciformis causes this disease. While the fungi do not directly damage the lawn, it makes the grass more vulnerable to pestilence and other diseases. Especially found in soils that have low nitrogen levels, the Thread of Red is extremely easy to spot

When portions of grass have a reddish tint, it’s time to identify the lawn fungus. They eventually become yellow or bleached and grow to a maximum diameter of two feet. In fact, this disease completely eliminates itself from the grass.

It is not recommended to use chemicals to treat this fungal infection, although in extreme situations, a fungicide containing strobilurins may be used. The issue should be solved primarily by nitrogen fertilization and frequent aeration.

6 Ways To Stay Away From Lawn Fungus

Here are six efficient ways to prevent fungus from growing in your beautiful lawn:

1. Water the grass on a regular basis.

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Grass thrives when it receives enough water on a regular basis. Overwatering or underwatering the grass may cause it to deteriorate quickly. The timing of watering is also important for maintaining a lush green lawn free of fungal infections.

In fact, the greatest time to water the grass is first thing in the morning. The grass will have plenty of time to dry this way. Because fungus grow in damp, gloomy environments, gardeners must provide adequate time for the water to drain. Remember that allowing moisture to remain inside all night increases the risk of fungal infection.

2. Make sure to aerate your grass on a regular basis.

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Aerating the grass thoroughly may help it defend itself against fungal infestations. The grass roots may readily develop better and deeper by enabling nutrients, air, and water to pass via the microscopic pores in the soil. Aerating the grass may also help to prevent soil compaction.

Thatch and debris left in the grass are removed during the aeration process. This inhibits the development of fungus much further. Keep in mind that aerating the soil is best done during the growth season.

3. Only use sharp mowers.

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It is common knowledge that lawn mowing practices have a significant impact on the health of the grass. As a result, it’s critical to use a sharpened mower. The top of the grass is torn off with a blunt mower instead of being chopped, and ragged grass blades are more susceptible to fungal infections.

Furthermore, removing more than the appropriate length from grass blades stresses and damages the grass. Mow the grass no more than one-third of the blade length to maintain it healthy and resistant to fungal infections. This may result in more frequent mowing sessions, but it significantly improves the lawn’s health.

4. Maintaining a balanced pH in the soil

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The grass must have a proper pH level in order to grow. At a slightly acidic pH level, grass thrives lush and green. The optimal pH level varies depending on the kind of grass planted, although values between 6 and 7 are typically considered acceptable.

Because very acidic soil encourages the development of weeds, fungus, and moss, it is recommended that lime be added to the soil. If the soil is overly basic, sulfur may be blended with it to balance it out. Check the pH levels on a regular basis to see how you might help the grass develop. Furthermore, for the grass to absorb all of the components available to it, the appropriate pH is critical.

5. Make good use of fertilizers.

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The grass will seem malnourished if there aren’t enough nutrients in the soil. Patchiness, browning, and fungal invasion are all telltale indications of malnutrition. As a result, fertilizer plays a vital part in lawn care. These fertilizers offer a good nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium ratio to help grass grow healthily.

Furthermore, overfertilizing the lawn might have a negative impact on the grass’s health. Worse, too many nutrients cause the grass blades to grow too quickly. The roots can’t keep up with the quick development, and the lawn’s health suffers as a result.

6. Try cultivating a different grass species.

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It may be time to consider planting a new kind of grass if you discover that no matter how hard you try to maintain a healthy lawn, the grass just does not flourish. Look for grass species that can thrive in your area, since various places have varied weather and soil conditions that favor different kinds of grass.

In addition, combining multiple kinds may help to prevent illness from spreading over the lawn. Because certain grass species are more susceptible to disease than others, a complete overhaul may be necessary to bring your lawn back to life.

Conclusion

Even the greatest lawns go through periods of dormancy. Identification of lawn fungi and execution of methods to eliminate them may go a long way toward keeping the grass lush and green. This guide has been put together to assist individuals with a green thumb in maintaining a fungus-free lawn, and the lawn fungus identification photographs provided will aid in detecting and selecting the best course of action to combat the fungal invasion.

Lawn health is ensured by being proactive and responding swiftly when symptoms of trouble appear. For a healthy lawn that may also be beautified by landscaping, remember to water the grass properly and use fungicide in situations of fungal infestations.

Black lawn fungus is a type of fungus that can be found on many different types of plants. Black lawn fungus is not harmful to humans, but it can cause damage to your garden and landscape. The black lawn fungus identification pictures will show you the most common types of black lawn fungus.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify grass fungus?

A: Grass fungus is a type of fungus that grows on grass, usually appearing in patches or clusters. Its also referred to as damping off because it kills other plant life by destroying the roots and stems.

How do I get rid of fungus in my lawn?

A: To help remove fungus in your lawn, all that you need to do is water your lawn with a spray bottle. Simply keep applying the moisture until it starts to get out of control again.

Will lawn fungus go away?

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Emil Schoene


Born and raised in Austin, TX I come from a background of home renovation. By helping my family in my younger years with their construction business, I learned the ropes quickly and as I grew it became my passion that I still do today. Looking to share my knowledge with others. I invite you to leave comments on any post as I know you will have questions that you are not finding anywhere else.

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