Fungi are some of the most abundant organisms on Earth being present in almost all natural biomes. In most cases fungi are a beneficial part of a healthy soil ecosystem and their presence on your lawn is often a good sign - in fact some types of fungi can help degrade thatch in a lawn. There are however a few notable species of fungi that can cause lawn disease which have the potential to lead your grass to become patchy, develop brown spots, rings or slimy areas. These need to be addressed before they become a major problem. 

 

Types of Lawn Fungi

Some of the most common lawn disease include: 

 

Anthracose (Colletotrichum cereal)- exhibits small patches of yellowy grass during warm weather which can lead to basal rot during wetter spells.

 

Red Thread (Laetisaria fuciformis) – causes small to medium patches of straw coloured grass. Diagnosis can be confirmed by tiny pinkish-red strings that protrude from the brown grass stems. This is arguably the most common lawn disease in this part of the UK.

 

Leaf blight - leaf blight tends to exhibit during wet weather when the ends of the leaves wilt and turn brown, it can be caused by several types of fungi. 

 

Dollar spot (Sclerotinia homeocarpa)- causes small spots of slightly sunken, pale grass. Tends to affect closely mown turf during periods of high-humidity. 

 

Rust disease – Large patches of yellow-orange affected grass, usually appearing in the autumn. When rubbed between your fingers a grass blade will leave the orange spores behind on your fingers. A mild disease caused by several types of fungi, it will usually go of its own accord.

 

Fusarium (Fusarium nivale) – Circular patches of yellow-brown grass that can spread and join together. Usually prevalent in autumn or mild winter weather and often apparent after snow has melted. Active fungi can have a candy-floss appearance. 

 

Fairy rings – Not technically a disease, fairy rings are usually caused by an item of decaying organic material such as an old tree stump. Fungal mycelium spreads out from this and creates concentric rings where the mycelium both dries the lawn and also fixes nitrogen, these rings are often associated with mushroom caps.

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Diagnosis is important and your Hampshire Lawncraft expert will help you identify the fungal disease you are experiencing. Once we know what it is, we can prescribe the best course of action to rectify the cause and strengthen the grass helping it to fight off the disease naturally. Often this is all that is necessary but in severe cases we can also remove the fungus through use of a professional fungicide treatment. A regular lawn maintenance plan will then help prevent the fungal disease from returning. 

 

How effective are fungicide treatments? 

Most lawn diseases can be controlled or prevented by effective cultural practice and often the use of fungicide is unnecessary. The best approach is to make sure the lawn is well maintained throughout the year and that any issues are dealt with swiftly. A lawn that is sufficiently aerated and nourished will increase the overall health of the grass and help prevent a disease outbreak. Fungicides should only be applied by an appropriately trained technician; our lawn care expert is fully qualified in this regard. 

 

What if my lawn needs repair after a lawn disease outbreak? 

If the lawn has been severely damaged, it may be necessary to recommend a lawn renovation plan, which involves stripping the lawn back, scarifying and aerating the lawn, top soiling and overseeding to allow new, strong, healthy growth.