Lawn damage patterns: The most common lawn diseases & care mistakes at a glance
Lawn diseases, burns and weeds: There are numerous types of damage that you can discover on your lawn. Before you tackle them, you should identify the cause and, ideally, fix it. This can be quite difficult, because it is not always easy to identify the cause of the damage.
We have therefore summarised for you the types of damage that can occur in the lawn. We will also present the causes and show you how to fix them. The products from RasenExpert can help you with your lawn care - so that no more damage occurs to your lawn in the future.
Lawn diseases: snow mold, fairy rings & Co.:
When lawn diseases spread, the cause is often a lack of care.
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Dry damage due to lack of lawn care:
During dry months, you should water your lawn thoroughly to avoid burns.
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Discoloration in the lawn:
Discoloration is caused by a lack of water, incorrect fertilization or a pH value that is too acidic.
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Weeds in the lawn:
If weeds are spreading in your lawn, there may be various triggers responsible.
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Lawn diseases: snow mold, fairy rings & Co.
If you discover damage to your lawn, you may have a lawn disease. This is usually a fungal disease that can spread across your lawn and cause significant damage. Once a fungus has infected the grass, you need to act quickly.
These lawn diseases are particularly common:
Snow mold:
If your lawn is infected with snow mold, rotten patches will form in your lawn. These are usually moist and measure between 5 and 25 cm. Snow mold occurs at lower temperatures with high humidity and is caused by waterlogging and a lack of ventilation.
Red tip:
Red thread causes the lawn to develop yellow patches on which red blades of grass grow. The disease occurs at temperatures between 15 and 20 °C in combination with high humidity. It is often triggered by a lack of nutrients.
Dollar spots:
You can recognize dollar spots by white spots up to three centimeters in size in the lawn. They appear when it is hot during the day and cold at night. Nutrient deficiencies and dryness encourage the formation of dollar spots.
Lawn damage is often caused by a lack of care. This in turn means that your lawn is not supplied with enough nutrients and is therefore susceptible to fungal diseases. Therefore, make sure that you fertilize your lawn sufficiently. This will strengthen it and reduce the risk of lawn disease.
We recommend a long-term fertilizer. It is best to apply this in spring or autumn and it will provide your lawn with nutrients for several months.
Dry damage due to lack of lawn care
If you have discovered damage to your lawn, you should take a close look at the affected areas. If the blades of grass have turned brown and are dead, then the cause is probably a lack of water.
From spring to autumn, you should continually check whether your lawn is receiving enough water. In dry years, water shortages can quickly occur, which can cause significant damage to your lawn. Additional watering is therefore essential. You can also find out what you need to consider when watering your lawn correctly in our knowledge library.
Also make sure that the lawn is not too short when the sun is shining. If temperatures are above 30°C in summer, you should leave your lawn a few centimetres longer - this will prevent it from burning. Also mow late in the evening to avoid direct sunlight after mowing.
Has your lawn died in some places? Then you should definitely reseed them. Bare patches in the lawn often provide a good breeding ground for lawn diseases or weeds. You can find the right lawn seeds at RasenExpert.
discoloration in the lawn
As a hobby gardener, you dream of a lush green lawn. You've probably noticed that your lawn suddenly changes color. Yellow or brown discoloration occurs, which initially has no apparent cause. In these situations, it is particularly important to identify the trigger - there are three common possibilities.
First of all, incorrect watering can be the cause. If your lawn suffers from a lack of water, it will turn brown and burn. Watering too much can also damage your lawn and lead to unwanted discoloration. Therefore, make sure to water your lawn heavily once or twice a week and not a little every day.
If your lawn has changed color, incorrect fertilization could be the cause. If you have given your lawn too much fertilizer, it will not be able to absorb the excess nutrients and will change color. If you buy a lawn fertilizer, it will contain a dosage recommendation that depends on the size of your lawn. Be sure to follow this recommendation and measure the fertilizer you need using a scale.
Another cause of discoloration in the lawn can be an incorrect pH value. At a pH value between 5.5 and 7.0, the lawn grows optimally and can develop excellently. However, if the soil is too acidic, your lawn can discolor. It is best to carry out a pH soil test to determine the pH value without much effort.
weeds in the lawn
Weeds are one of the types of damage to lawns in many gardens. Without proper care, lawn weeds will continue to spread and displace your lawn over time.
Moss is particularly common in lawns. It initially forms between your lawn and then spreads uncontrollably. Moss forms due to various triggers: nutrient deficiency, a shady location, waterlogging and heavily compacted soil are just a few examples. Removing moss is therefore very difficult and often a lengthy task.
This also applies if you discover clover or millet in your lawn. These types of weeds settle in your lawn when it is patchy, suffers from a lack of nutrients or the soil conditions are not optimal.
Once a weed has established itself, it spreads extremely quickly via its seeds. In many cases, the only solution is to pull out the weeds and then scarify the lawn. You then have to reseed the bare patches and see if the weeds grow again.
Prevent lawn damage with proper care
There are many different types of lawn damage: They are usually caused by a lack of lawn care. Common causes are a lack of nutrients, soil that is too dense or gaps in the lawn. If you want to prevent further damage to your lawn, you should pay close attention to lawn care .
Fertilization is a particularly important aspect. In order to grow, your lawn needs nutrients: over time, it uses up the nutrients in the soil. This creates a nutrient deficiency that weakens your lawn and encourages damage to occur. That's why fertilization based on needs is crucial.
In addition, you should avoid waterlogging. If water is standing on your lawn, your soil could be very compacted. These soil conditions can damage your lawn and at the same time encourage the growth of weeds. That's why it can be helpful to aerate the lawn .
If damage has already occurred, it may be necessary to scarify the lawn . This will remove weeds and thatch. Then you can reseed the bare patches and thus ensure a denser and stronger lawn. You can find more information on lawn care in our knowledge library:
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about lawn damage
Yes, damage to the lawn can be caused by insects and their larvae. The so-called grubs eat away at the roots of your lawn and can cause great damage. Ants can also spread across your lawn and damage the roots.
You can find out what is wrong with your lawn by taking a close look at your lawn. You may notice that it is too dry, the soil is too compacted, or a disease has spread.
Lawn damage after winter indicates that you have not prepared your lawn ideally for the cold months. You should fertilize your lawn again before winter, avoid walking on it during frost and remove leaves from the lawn.
Conclusion: Detect damage patterns early & minimize effects
A wide variety of damage can occur in your lawn. It is important to identify possible causes and to remedy them as quickly as possible. This will prevent your lawn from suffering further and, in the worst case, dying. We advise you to strengthen your lawn as best as possible with comprehensive and regular lawn care.