Lawn Diseases
Dealing with lawn diseases can be frustrating, as there is generally no quick corrective to the infection. In most cases, the disease will be prevalent until the conditions that are causing it to thrive have subsided. The good news is that in almost all cases there is no long term damage to the turf after the infection subsides. Here are a few pointers to help prevent the spread of lawn diseases.
- Reduce watering of the lawn temporarily and avoid watering in the evening if possible.
- Avoid contact with the area when its damp, as the fungal spores are more transferable when wet.
- Bag your lawn clippings until the infection subsides. Mulching will put infected clippings back into the lawn.
Red Thread
Red thread is becoming more and more prevalent throughout Winnipeg lawns. It is a fungal disease that is most common during warm and wet conditions. It appears as small brown patches that will have a pinkish tinge. Upon closer inspection an interweaving of pink/red fungal spores will be evident. Red thread can be aided in its clear up by fertilizing and generally causes no long term damage to area affected.
Leaf Spot
Leaf spot damage first appears as a fading in color of the turf. Leaf spot generallly afflicts Winnipeg lawns in spring and also during porlonged moist periods. Leaf spot generally does not cause any long term damage to the area affected and will clear up on its own once the moist conditions subside.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease cause by a spread of white fungus spores on the exterior of the blades of turf. It appears as almost a dusting or painting of white on the blades in the affected area. Powdery mildew can occur throughout the season, but mostly during humid conditions and usually affects shaded areas mostly. Powdery mildew does not cause any long term damage to affected turf and will clear up on its own once the conditions for its growth are gone.
Rust
Rust is a fungal disease that occurs during warm and moist conditions. The fungal spores coat the exterior of the blades giving it an orange color. The spores are easily transferable when moist, so contact with the affecte areas should be kept to a minimum. The majority of cases in Winnipeg are not severe and isolated to small localized areas. It is very rare to see any long term damage occur after a rust infection subsides.
