Regardless of how lush and beautiful your lawn happens to be, it is almost inevitable that you will have some type of problem that requires lawn fungus treatment. To know how to treat lawn fungus, it is helpful to understand what lawn fungus is and the various types of treatments that are available. Depending on the amount of rainfall Georgia experiences and how hot or cool the weather is, several different types of lawn disease may invade even the healthiest of lawns.
What Is Lawn Fungus?
Fungus is a natural occurring lawn disease that is caused by living microscopic organisms that live in and on the soil. The ground in Georgia can get quite cold during the winter months; so, it is after winter when fungus is the most prone to develop.
If there is a shaded spot in your lawn that didn’t receive much sunlight during the colder days, this is the perfect place for fungus to grow. If you notice patches of yellow, red or orange on your lawn, it is an indication of fungus being present. During the humid months, you may see dollar spots, grease spots, and brown patches that indicate the presence of fungus.
Some of the most common types of lawn fungus include:
- Pink spot mold, which makes yellow or brown spots in the grass. There may also be a whitish fungus appear after a big rainstorm.
- Leaf spot disease thrives in warm weather and causes spots that are purplish in color to appear on grass leaves.
- Fairy ring fungus appears as a ring of brownish colored mushrooms that grow in place of the grass. It is typically caused by excessive amounts of dead vegetation under the grass.
- Slime mold causes a slimy substance to form on the grass. Fortunately, they do not attack the lawn. However, if they remain in the lawn for too long, they can block sunlight, which causes yellowing of the grass.
- Rust can cause the grass to appear light green or yellowish in color. Georgia lawns are notorious for rust fungus because it thrives in warm, humid temperatures and grows especially well when the nights are warm.
Consider Your Options
Fortunately, maintaining correct lawn care practices provides a host of benefits towards the prevention and treatment of lawn fungus. However, in certain cases, lawn fungus treatment includes the use of a fungicide to help eradicate the spores and prevent them from spreading.
Some of the most common types of lawn fungus treatment include:
- Organic fungicides, which are less toxic than traditional fungicides, are safe for animals and pets. It is important that organic fungicides be used with proper fertilization techniques and other routine maintenance.
- Chemical fungicides are extremely difficult to use and apply safely. It is essential that you hire a professional lawn service to apply the application. There are two types of chemical fungicides; contact fungicides and systemic fungicides.
Contact fungicides remain on the outside of the plant and form a barrier, which protects against diseases that may penetrate the leaf blade. Systemic fungicides enter the inside of the plant and travel to the plants vascular system.
Is Lawn Fungus Treatment Effective?
For the treatment to be effective, it is important that the person applying the treatment use the correct lawn fungus treatment. Contact fungicides do not penetrate the blades. Therefore, they must remain on the surface of the leaf blade for about 3-8 days to be effective. The primary purpose of contact fungicides is to form a barrier, which prevents fungus from entering the leaves, so it typically should be applied before the disease begins.
Systemic fungicides will enter the grass blade and go to the roots; so, they work from the inside out. This type of fungicide is longer lasting than contact fungicides. This kind of treatment does require watering for the fungicide to reach the roots. One of the main disadvantages with systemics is the chance the disease will develop a resistance to the fungicide.
It is important to keep in mind that some fungicides can be dangerous to the environment. They can be especially dangerous if the user does not use it correctly. So, if you are not experienced with fungicides, it is a good idea to contact a local lawn care service. They will be able to evaluate the problem areas and apply the appropriate lawn fungus treatment.
For more information on lawn fungus or to schedule an appointment for one of our technicians to evaluate and apply lawn fungus treatment to your lawn, contact our team at Think Green Lawn Service by calling (678) 648-2556.
