Recognize and treat the most common lawn diseases with simple tips

As a garden owner, you dream of lush green lawns that are a feast for the eyes all year round. Viruses or fungi can spoil this picture. If your lawn is affected by a lawn disease, you should act as quickly as possible. The pathogens can cause lasting damage to your lawn.

That's why we've summarised the most common lawn diseases for you in this article. You'll learn how to recognise them and how to treat them. At the same time, we'll show you what's important in terms of prevention so that no further infestation occurs.

Snow mold: Gray-brown spots on your lawn

Snow mold is a lawn disease caused by a fungus. Round, gray-brown spots form on your lawn. They can be up to 20 cm in diameter. The grass in the affected area is often wet and rotting. There is a white slimy film on the blades.

Snow mold often occurs in spring or autumn. The fungus thrives at temperatures between 0 and 10 °C. The name snow mold can therefore be misleading: the disease does not only occur when there is snow. The combination of low temperatures and high humidity provides the best conditions for the fungus to spread.

If the lawn disease has occurred, you have two options. In summer, the fungus usually dies as temperatures rise. If you want to prevent the snow mold from spreading immediately, you can scarify the affected areas.

You can prevent snow mold by avoiding waterlogging. Be careful when watering and water in small increments. We recommend that you aerate and sand your lawn regularly. This will ensure adequate ventilation and prevent the spread of snow mold.

Red tip: Red or brown tips

Red thread is considered one of the most aggressive and dangerous diseases that can affect your lawn. If left untreated, in the worst case scenario it can even lead to the death of the entire lawn.

Red thread is a fungus that occurs at temperatures between 15 and 20 °C. It grows particularly quickly when there is high humidity. You can recognize red thread by the red to brown tips of the blades of grass. Over time, this causes larger patches to appear in the lawn until the discoloration spreads further and further.

The fungus develops when your lawn is not supplied with enough nitrogen. If you notice a fungal infestation, fertilizing is the most effective measure. It is best to choose a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen and potassium. The grass will then sprout and grow back. You can also scarify your lawn to remove the infected grass.

To prevent a new infestation, you should fertilize your lawn several times a year. This will prevent a nitrogen deficiency from occurring again and the fungal infection from returning. You can choose the PREMIUM long-term lawn fertilizer from RasenExpert.

Dollar spots: Small, white spots on your lawn

Dollar spot is also a common lawn disease. It manifests itself in small spots on your lawn. These have a diameter of 1 to 3 cm and are white. In the morning hours you can see a white mycelium on the grass.

The so-called dollar spots occur particularly at high temperatures in combination with cool nights. If dew forms on your lawn in the morning hours, then the risk of dollar spots is high. But nutrient deficiencies and dry soil can also encourage the disease.

The most important preventive measures for dollar spots are to ensure that the lawn is supplied with the right nutrients. At the same time, you should also make sure that it does not dry out and that it is watered sufficiently in the summer. You can also scarify and remove thatch to combat dollar spots.

Fairy rings: rings with dead grass

Fairy rings are another lawn disease caused by fungi. You can recognize them by circular rings on your lawn that are brown in color. Fungi can also grow on the lawn. The rings have a diameter of 2 to 5 cm. It is not uncommon for the lawn within the fairy rings to have already completely died. The reason for this is a fungal network that continues to spread.

In many cases, the disease is caused by a lack of nutrients and spreads quickly. You should therefore never destroy the fungi. This could release the spores and spread further across your lawn. A better solution is to cover it with sand. If this does not kill the fungi, then the lawn must be dug out over a large area and replanted.

You can prevent fairy rings from forming by providing the soil with the right nutrients. To do this, however, you must first determine the needs of your lawn. A practical pH soil test can help you with this.

Detecting and Treating Lawn Diseases

To ensure that your lawn looks good and stays healthy all year round, you should keep a close eye on it. Keep an eye on the growth after mowing and check regularly to see if you notice any discoloration or spots. The sooner you detect a lawn disease, the better you can treat it.

It can be difficult to identify the exact disease. There are numerous lawn diseases, some of which can also occur in combination. Such a mixed infection is particularly difficult to identify and treat. So you should take a close look before treating your lawn.

First check which disease is present and then treat it with appropriate measures. Whether sanding, liming or fertilizing: At RasenExpert you can order the right products for your lawn care and declare war on lawn diseases.

Prevent lawn diseases with proper lawn care

Lawn diseases can cause lasting damage to your lawn and are sometimes very stubborn. Getting rid of them can take some time. That's why you should first find out how you can avoid the most common lawn diseases. Since you have no influence on the weather and temperatures, lawn care is particularly important:

Also make sure that you only use high-quality seeds that are particularly robust. In addition, you should set the correct cutting height when mowing and always remove the grass clippings from the lawn.

Conclusion: With the right care you can effectively prevent lawn diseases

Lawn diseases are annoying and can keep you busy for several weeks or even months. To prevent this from happening, you should protect your lawn with the right care. This will create the best conditions for healthy growth without disease.