Seasonal brown patch fungus is back. Its prominent during late fall, warm winters and early spring. In Florida we have mild winters. The temperature is just cool enough mixed in with the damp weather to create the right atmosphere for the fungus to germinate. The fungus commonly lives in the soil and is there all the time. It is just waiting for the right conditions.
The fungus affects all warm season turf grass. It primarily affects zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass and bermuda turf types. The fungus originally starts airborne, and can be transferred to other grass lawns via shoes or landscapers. We highly recommend that landscapers clean their blades in between houses to avoid spreading the disease. Other than improper lawn maintenance practices, insect damage could also be a culprit for the fungus.
Discoloration is a sign of disease and cold damage. Brown patch fungus is a round discolored patch that expands over time. The center can appear brown and sunken. We call it the “donut effect”. It starts out yellow, turns orange than to brown in circular oblong patterns, with a bit of green in the center.
Since brown patch fungus is seasonal the lawn will grow back, but if it isn’t controlled the fungus will also grow back in the coming months. Incorrect watering, mowing or fertilizing will make the lawn more susceptible to disease. The shorter days, lower light intensity and cooler temperatures result in slower growing lawns. A fungicide application will stop the spread of disease, but will not cause the grass to grow faster or green up. New grass will grow in eventually but is a slow process in winter.
If you already have brown patch fungus in your lawn consider the following: decrease the frequency of water to the affected area. Do not apply any type of fertilizer to the lawn during the fungus outbreak as it will spread the disease more. Avoid mowing over that area or raking. Keep a watchful eye over your lawn, and if you’re finding you’re losing the battle with your lawn Palm Coast Pest Control is here for you! We have a crew of lawn care technicians that can come up with a strategy of attack to stop the brown patch fungus from taking over your lawn.
