Everything You Need To Know About Brown Patches On Your Lawn

Brown Patch Disease And Your Home

Central Florida homeowners know that a beautiful and healthy lawn can make any home look amazing. You want your home lawn to look better than your neighbors, and you want your lawn to stay healthy so you and your family can enjoy the beautiful weather outdoors throughout the year.

Yet, even the best cared-for green lawn can develop brown spots. Lawn disease can hit any lawn without warning, and brown patch fungus can quickly overtake your entire lawn if you don’t take decisive lawn care action as early as possible.

Brown patch disease is named for the brown or yellow color, but it is caused by a species of fungi called Rhizoctonia. This fungus thrives in hot and humid weather, but it is no match for LawnWorx lawn care services!

Let’s take a look at brown patch fungus so you can take the right actions once you notice affected areas in your lawn.

How To Spot Brown Patch Fungus In Your Lawn

Fungal disease can spread throughout your lawn, but brown patch disease doesn’t always start as brown circular patches. Many times, brown patches start as yellow streaks or ovals.

Rhizoctonia fungi rot impacted grass blades from the inside out. As your turfgrass rots, the dead grass will take on a color that looks like an orange, yellow, and even brown.

Lawn fungus can impact all types of grasses, from cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses alike. This lawn disease is especially harmful to tall fescue and ryegrass, but it also impacts common Central Florida grasses like Bermuda, zoysiagrass, and St. Augustine grass.

Brown patches typically set in between September and May when daytime temperatures hit 75-85 degrees. Your lawn is especially susceptible if you have lots of trees and shade in the area, but sunny areas are also susceptible to lawn fungus.

Tips To Prevent Fungal Disease From Your Central Florida Lawn

Rhizoctonia, a specific fungus, is typically the most common cause of brown patches in Central Florida lawns. These circular brown patches can appear throughout the year for several reasons, but here are some ways you as a homeowner can help prevent the appearance of lawn disease in your home’s lawn.

Rain, excessive irrigation, and high humidity are the common causes of infection. The blades of grass become continuously wet with standing water that lasts up to 48 hours or more to trigger an outbreak on your lawn.

Proactive lawn care is the best action to prevent brown patches from appearing in your lawn in the first place. Here are five ways you can help prevent this common lawn issue from taking over your home’s lawn today!

1. Reduce Heavy Thatch

When thatch accumulates on your grass, it provides the perfect environment for fungi to invade because it prevents the soil from absorbing water to the grassroots.

One of the best ways to reduce thatch on your lawn is to aerate your lawn in late summer and early fall. Core aeration increases water absorption in your lawn’s soil. In addition, aeration improves air movement and the delivery of nutrients to make sure your lawn is healthy throughout the year!

2. Fertilize Properly

Nitrogen fertilizer can have a significant impact on the health and beauty of your lawn, but you have to be careful when applying it as part of your home’s lawn care process. Fertilizer can improve a green lawn, but excessive nitrogen can also make brown spots appear in your turf.

Make sure you work with a professional lawn care expert in your area to ensure your lawn receives the proper type and amount of fertilizer needed.

3. Follow A Watering Schedule

Water is a necessary part of any lawn, but too much water on dry soil can spell disaster for any homeowner’s lawn. Lawn fungus can take root when water sits on grass blades but does not penetrate the soil, causing fungus to eat away from the inside out.

Try to water your lawn in the early morning before the sun has a chance to trap moisture during the hottest parts of the day. Be sure to also consider weather conditions before watering your lawn, as high humidity can accelerate the spread of brown patch disease.

4. Use A Professional Fungicide

Even a seemingly healthy lawn can breed large areas of brown patch fungus, so that you might need a professional for fungicide application throughout your lawn.

It’s best to take action at the first site of brown patch fungus because early detection and fungicide application can make a big difference in the long run. Just be sure to talk with a lawn care professional before you apply anything because different types of fungicide are needed for different types of grass, locations, and weather conditions throughout the year.

5. Maintain A Healthy Lawn Year-Round

A healthy lawn starts with excellent lawn care throughout the year. Your home’s lawn depends on your ability to keep up with essential lawn care maintenance. Consistent care will lead to lower chances of Rhizoctonia solani from taking over large areas of your lawn.

Simply keeping up with regular mowing, fertilizing, and weed control will go a long way and help you maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn all year long!

What To Do When You See Brown Patch Disease In Your Lawn

Don’t stress out if you notice fungal disease taking over patches of your lawn. Instead, call the professionals at LawnWorx right away to help you address your lawn’s needs.

We will talk through your options, explain our process, and help you choose the right course of action for your lawn and family’s needs.

Our team of lawn care experts has been working with homeowners just like you for over 20 years. We know how to evaluate and address all types of brown patch fungus throughout Central Florida. Give us a call today to get your lawn looking healthy and beautiful!

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