Warm Wet Weather and Fungus in Your Lawn

Closeup of Brown Patch

It has been a wet, warm start to the spring and summer season in the Charlotte region. With recent nightly storms, we wanted to inform you about the earlier than normal turf fungus outbreak. Our technicians have been seeing fungus this week which is several weeks earlier than normal. We want you to be aware. You should inspect your turf to see if it is being affected. Although some lawns won't have turf fungus, many already do. Here is some more information about lawn disease and what to do about it.

For fungus to flourish, you need three components: a disease organism (like a fungus), a host (your turf), and environment (temperature, moisture, and humidity). When these three components are present, brown patch

Brown Patch Fungus in turf

and dollar spot (the two diseases we encounter most) run rampant. Dollar spot is considered a foliar disease while brown patch is both a foliar and root disease. Left untreated, these two turf diseases can do a lot of damage to your lawn.

Disease is most commonly found in thick lawns, where moisture sits on the plant for more than twelve hours without drying out. However, it can still attack your lawn even if you don't have thick turf. If you have shady areas of your lawn that the sun cannot reach to dry out, or if air flow is limited in areas of your lawn, disease will attack quickly. Disease can spread through your lawn in many different ways, including mowers, traffic, and even rain. It can commonly be confused with drought stress in the latter part of the summer.

So how do you go about preventing fungus? Here are some best practices:

• The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, so that you are finished by 7:00am
• Let your turf dry out between waterings for at least 1 full day. 2 days is better. Your turf only needs watering 2-3 times per week.
• Keep your mower blade sharp
• Treat your lawn with a fungicide

But just like your car, the best maintenance is preventative maintenance.

 

We at AA Tex Lawn want the best for your lawn. We strongly recommend a seasonal fungicide protection and that you receive three applications at 28-30 days apart. The product we apply has a residule date of 28-30 days. If not reapplied after one application fungus can creep back into your lawn, which is why we strongly recommend three applications throughout the summer months. We encourage you to get these applications sooner rather than later. Remember "PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE".

 

While you can buy products to treat for disease yourself, keep in mind that most of the products that you can buy from a retail store only have a residule for 14 days. That means you would need to apply it every two weeks during disease season.

 

Here's hoping for beautiful, disease free lawns!

 

The AA Tex Lawn Team

What a Difference Mulch Makes!

Check out the before and after pictures from a playground mulch install we did in Huntersville this month. Not only does this playground look better, it is safer for the kids who use it!


Community playground before (mulch washed away over the winter months)



Community playground after mulch is "refreshed"



What a difference mulch makes!  For more information on playground safety, see the blog at:  http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2011/07/playground-mulch-how-safe-are-your.html

Thanks!

The AA Tex Lawn Team



Grasscycling…

No. Grasscycling is not something that would get you arrested. Nor is it the latest fitness craze. It's the term we use in the landscape industry for not bagging your clippings when you mow your lawn. It's a good idea for many reasons. The following info is taken right off the NC State TurfFiles website at:

http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/Turfgrasses/Default.aspx#MC000016

It's good information to keep in mind when you are maintaining your lawn…

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GRASSCYCLING...
an ecologically and financially sound program for your lawn.

Facts About Grass Clippings

• North Carolina state law prohibits disposal of yard wastes, including grass clippings, in landfills.
• Using grass clippings as a nutrient source for your lawn can save time and money and protect the environment.
• Grass clippings don't cause thatch.

The Grasscycling Concept

Leave grass clippings on the lawn! Grass clippings are 75 to 85 percent water and a good source of nutrients. When left on the lawn after mowing they quickly decompose and release nutrients. Through grasscycling, you can supply up to 25 percent of the lawn's yearly fertilizer needs, which means saving money and time. (And it means you do not have to rake and bag for hours.)

By following the management guidelines in this turf calendar and adding grasscycling to your routine, you will no longer need to bag clippings and your lawn will grow at an acceptable rate, retain a green color, ands develop a deeper root system.

For more information on grasscycling, contact your county Cooperative Extension Center.
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There are times when you'll want to bag your clippings. For instance, if the grass is tall and damp when you mow or if it is overly long…. In those conditions, we recommend mowing once without bagging and then after the heavy clippings dry, mowing a second time with the bag to even out the cut and pick up any excessive clumps. But usually grasscycling is the way to go.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team