Getting the lawn ready for summer is a tiresome job but the work doesn’t end when the sun comes out.
Tending to garden grass throughout the summer and into the cold seasons is just as important to ensure a healthy lawn, and yet sometimes issues still occur.
Off-coloured, brown patches are a telltale sign of a lawn in need of some extra attention and can happen for a multitude of reasons.
During the transition between summer and autumn, however, there are only a few things it could be, according to gardening experts.
Phil Catron, president and founder of NaturaLawn of America revealed that in summer, drought and humidity are often to blame for damaged grass.
He told Martha Stewart that fungal diseases are a common symptom of “warm, humid weather”, during which lawns are vulnerable to root-targeting diseases.
Such issues often present themselves as discoloured brown patches which are linked to three common diseases.
A brown patch is an irregularly shaped patch of brown or tan coloured grass blades that appear after grass has been water-soaked.
Summer patch on the other hand presents itself as dead or thinning grass that turns yellow before fading to an unsightly brown hue.
Pythium blight, also known as “grease spot” or “cottony blight”, is a destructive disease that affects turfgrass in warm, humid conditions. It can cause sunken, brownish areas on lawns, with a slimy film on the grass stalks.
As for the best treatment, Phil noted that there’s no single fix. However, he urged gardeners to consider improving air circulation and soil drainage as a good starting point.
He warned against over-fertilizing and suggested the use of fungicides, which a local gardening expert can confirm the type of fungus and recommend the best fungicide to use.
Phil said: “Keep an eye on lawn conditions and be proactive about addressing any signs of disease to minimise damage and improve recovery chances.”
In cases where brown patches are fungle, it’s important to treat the problem as soon as possible. If the infection is left untreated, the grass may die.
Advice from the Royal Horticultural Society suggests repairing damaged or bare areas of lawn a little at a time. Diseased areas can be treated with fungicide and re-sown or patched.
Simply use a piece of turf dug up from another part of the lawn, or new turf if available.
The RHS explained: “The latter gives instant results, but sowing seed may be easier and cheaper if you have no spare turf to use as a patch.”
