How To Identify and Treat Invasive Fungi In Your Lawn
Invasive fungi in the lawn will do a lot of damage. If you can identify and treat invasive fungi, you will be doing the lawn a big favor. Many people ignore the fungi, which will only lead to a terrible-looking yard at any time of year.
As a homeowner, you want your yard and lawn to look great and be in the best health - which all require maintenance. Unfortunately, too much care can lead to those invasive fungi infections. One big problem is over-watering, and another one is too much fertilization. Even under-fertilization of a garden lawn can lead to significant problems.
On top of maintenance mishaps, there is the added struggle of dealing with the weather. It is out of your control, but the wrong weather can sometimes lead to invasive fungi in the lawn as well. Too much moisture and some heat can lead to a lot of fungi growth.
At Fence Armor®, we know, from personal experience, about invasive fungi in the lawn. We put together a post to help our customers find out how they can identify and treat invasive fungi. Let’s take a closer look at how you can identify and treat invasive fungi in the lawn.
How to identify invasive fungi in the lawn
There are many causes of fungal infections in your lawn, from mowing too low to over-watering, fertilizing improperly, weather conditions, and droughts.
The first thing you want to do is find out what your grass should look like when healthy. If you do not know that, you will have trouble finding irregularities in it. A healthy lawn should be green, with few patches, and grow regularly during the warm months of the year. If you see yellow and brown patches of grass, it is an indication of invasive fungi in the lawn. You should also be aware of any circular patterns, which could be grass dying off due to infection. Take a look for dust-like layers of yellow, white, or gray in the grass on a dry day. When you spot black or brown spots or even threads between blades, you are definitely in trouble with invasive fungi in the lawn, as these are all signs of disease.
It is important to check weekly to identify and treat invasive fungi in the lawn and stop it spreading. Check your soil too for signs of fungi, as it can infect that as well. The inspections are vital, and once you identify and treat the invasive fungi in the lawn, it is much easier to control and prevent.
How to treat invasive fungi in the lawn
If you are struggling with persistent, invasive fungi, the best course of action is to use a fungicide. When shopping for one, it is essential to purchase a product specifically for the disease. The suitable fungicide will help your maintenance practices work and allow the lawn to grow.
The best thing you can do is to use preventative measures and identify and treat invasive fungi in the lawn.
How to prevent lawn diseases from taking hold
Luckily, there are many preventative options out there; some of them you may be doing already. Let’s take a look at the ones for stopping invasive fungi from taking hold in the lawn.
De-thatching
De-thatching is excellent for removing thick buildups of thatch in your lawn, allowing the soil to breathe. If the thatch gets too thick, it prevents air, water, and sun from reaching the earth, inhibiting growth, and leading to problems like fungal infections.
Aeration
Aeration helps to loosen up the soil every year or two. A well-aerated lawn will grow a stronger and more vigorous grass that is more equipped to fight invasive fungi in the lawn. If you are looking for a guide on aeration, click here.
Top dressing
Adding a top dressing helps to improve the soil, allowing drainage to increase, therefore fighting disease. You want to add a mix of sand, loam, peat, or soil that matches your existing soil content when top dressing. Spread it evenly and work the top dressing into the aeration holes.
Always make sure your top dressing is no more than one-inch deep over the existing grass. If you lay it too thickly, it could kill the growth and lead to more invasive fungi.
Call us - 888-289-5617
At Fence Armor® we know a lot about invasive fungi in the lawn. Identifying and treating invasive fungi in your lawn is part of the annual maintenance. When you do it correctly, the lawn will thrive every summer. Call us today for all your fence post protection needs.
Shop Postsaver® - Rot Barrier
Shop Stain & Seal - Wood Stain
