Seasonal Lawn Fungus Threats

The seasonal lawn fungus threats are at their peak in Spring and Fall when nights are cool and humidity is high here in Northeast Florida.  A good lawn fungus application is recommended. There are natural solutions such as baking soda and neem oil but rarely do lawn care pest control companies go that route for commercial applications.

A well-maintained lawn is the best defense against most lawn issues. A healthy lawn is less susceptible to long-term fungal disease outbreaks. Plus, minor outbreaks may go away on their own as some die with seasonal temperature variations and increases or decreases in rain and watering. Those same variations in temperature, water supply, and nutrition put the poorly maintained lawn at greater risk of damage from disease when an outbreak occurs. To understand this better consider that a healthy body heals quicker than a sick one.

Dethatching and aerating the turf along with the proper type of fertilizer at the proper timing for fertilization improves turf disease resistance. Mowing the grass at the proper height with a sharp blade likewise reduces turf disease susceptibility. And no good deed goes unpunished as putting out that same high nitrogen fertilizer you were using earlier in the year will mostly grow weeds and forms of fungus in the Fall. Reduce the days and duration of watering in the fall and increase again in spring.

Lawn fungus appears in many forms including white, yellow and brown patches, multiple colored spots on the grass blades, a powdery or stringy coating on the grass and slick, slimy darkened colored grass. Whatever type of fungus you may have, know that it spreads by spores. So walking on it increases the risk of spreading the spores to other parts of your lawn.

There are two types of lawn fungicides, foliar liquids and granular systemic. The liquid is fast-acting with less residual benefit whereas the granular works its way up through the root system over time. For long-term treatment, alternate both modes of application foliar and granular since different fungicides absorb differently and build resistance to treatments.

For seasonal lawn fungus here at Earth Works we use and recommend a broad-spectrum fungicide that is available in both foliar and granular form by the brand name HeadwayG with azoxystrobin & propiconazole. This treats various brown patches, rust, ring spots, powdery mildew, blight, red thread, and root rot. Typically treat twice and fourteen days apart. The untreated fungus can spread and be very damaging to the lawn over time. So don’t mow when the fungus is present which would encourage its spread.

GARDEN CENTER
12501 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32246

LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS
(not open to the public)
St. Johns Bluff
1119 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N.
Jacksonville, FL 32225

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Sunday 10-5

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