If you live in Florida and your lawn has taken on an unhealthy look, it may be suffering from fairy ring, brown patch, leaf spot fungus, red thread or another lawn disease native to the Sunshine State. These diseases tend to flourish in Florida’s hot, humid environment. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that all of the most common lawn diseases in Florida can be treated and your lawn brought back from the brink. It won’t happen overnight, and it will likely require regular lawn treatments and service, but in most cases, you won’t have to tear up your lawn and start again.
Below, we’re going to look at common lawn diseases, provide ways to identify them, and suggest treatments you may want to consider.
6 Common Lawn Diseases Found in Florida
Brown Patch Fungus
Mostly affects: Bermuda, St. Augustine, Bahia and Centipede grasses.
Appearance:The infection will usually appear as a round, yellowish patch and spread quickly.
As the name suggests Brown Patch Fungus begins as a small brown or yellow patch on the lawn. But it can quickly spread to encompass a larger and larger portion of the lawn. You can thank the Rhizoctonia Fungus for this particular disease. It attacks the tissue at the base of the leaf, choking off nutrients and causing the leaf to die. It is not unheard of for new sprigs to appear in the center of an infected area, which can create the appearance of a brown ring. In order to save your lawn from the Brown Patch scourge, you will need a fungicide. There are several that have proven effective but you should talk to the pros at your local garden center to find the one that’s right for your lawn in your part of Florida.
Grey Leaf Spot Disease
Mostly affects: St Augustine grass
Appearance: Produces oval-shaped light-colored spots with dark brown borders.
St. Augustine is a popular type of grass in Florida because of its affinity for warm, moist climates and the thick carpet it creates. However, St. Augustine grass is also a favorite of the Pyricularia Grisea Fungus which causes Grey Leaf Spot Disease. It’s hard to mistake this particular disease for any other because of the characteristic oval-shaped spots that appear on the leaf. If left untreated they can overwhelm the entire leaf, causing it to die. Grey Leaf Spot Disease can appear and spread quickly, especially if the grass stays wet for an extended period of time, either because of weather or over-watering. The best course of action is to apply a fungicide pro-actively, in order to prevent infection.
Fairy Ring Fungus
Mostly affects: Bermuda (both hybrid and common), Bentgrass, Centipede, St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses.
Appearance: Dark-ish rings, often accented by mushrooms.
Fairy Ring Fungus is one of the more bizarre lawn diseases Florida homeowners are confronted with. Fairy rings may be caused by any one of nearly 60 different species of the fungi Basidiomycota. This fungi attacks the grass from below in circular patterns. As the grass breaks down, nitrogen is released which causes the grass to take on a dark appearance. In most cases, the disease causes white mushrooms named Marasmius Oreades to sprout in the affected area completing the look and leaving no doubt about a diagnosis. Fairy rings are often difficult to control but are sometimes brought to heel by the combination of core aeration and the antifungal agent dichlorphen.
Dollar Spot Fungus
Mostly affects: Fescues, Ryegrass, Bluegrass, Bentgrass, Bermuda, and Zoysia grasses.
Appearance: First appears in the spring when nighttime temperatures rise enough to permit it. Over time, small circles appear and then expand and coalesce.
Several lawn diseases manifest themselves as spots or circular shapes, and that includes Dollar Spot Fungus. It’s called Dollar Spot because the circles it produces typically start as small patches 2 inches or so in diameter, or just a wee bit larger than an actual US silver dollar. They don’t stay that size, however. They can quickly expand to 6 inches or more and then join together to create large brownish areas on your lawn. Dollar Spot Fungus is fond of Fescues, Ryegrass, Bluegrass, Bentgrass, Bermuda, and Zoysia grasses. There are a couple of products that are currently approved for Dollar Spot Control. They are BioJect Spot-Less and EcoGuard.
Lawn Rust
Mostly affects: Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue and Ryegrass
Appearance: Starts as yellowish flecks which expand to create large rust-colored stripes on the blades.
Lawn Rust is a particularly nasty infection that first appears as a yellowish fleck on the grass. Over time these flecks grow, becoming thicker and longer until they finally rupture and release rust-colored spores. Lawn Rust typically appears in the late summer or early fall when temperatures have begun to moderate. It’s one of the oldest known turf diseases, but it is not as widespread as some others, such as Dollar Spot. Lawn Rust can be a gateway for other lawn diseases that take advantage of the weakened state of the grass. Fungicides are often recommended to treat lawn rust. But making sure your lawn has adequate levels of nitrogen, removing excess thatch, and aeration are some proven methods for controlling the problem.
Take-All Root Rot
Mostly affects: St. Augustine Grass and Bermuda Grass
Appearance: Starts as small yellowish patches that expand and take over larger areas.
Take-All Root Rot has an ominous name to denote its merciless appetite. This disease goes right after the root of the grass and mostly affects St. Augustine and Bermuda grasses. It typically makes its first appearance in the spring or early summer. It starts as yellow patches of varying size and can spread to encompass large portions of your lawn. Grass affected by this disease is easy to pull up, because the root has died and is no longer holding onto the soil. Because it attacks the roots it also makes it difficult for the lawn to absorb water and nutrients. There are several OTC products that claim to handle Take-All Root Rot. You can also try adding potassium to the lawn, cutting the grass longer than you usually do, and applying slow-release nitrogen to the soil.
Final Thoughts
Lawn diseases in Florida are often enabled by the warm, humid climate in many parts of the state. The key to keeping your lawn healthy is to keep an eagle eye out for trouble and address it immediately. In some cases, you may be able to prevent various types of lawn disease by proactive, preventive measures.
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