Keep Your Bluegrass Lawn Free of Patch Diseases

Regular maintenance is the key to healthy bluegrass lawns. This could save the lawn from being affected by incurable patch diseases, which commonly affect bluegrass lawns. When the lawn is afflicted by a patch disease, some patches of the turf gradually die, which is why the name is called patch disease. Eventually, the diseased patches form a ring around a piece of healthy turf. The formation appears much like a frog's eye.

Research has established that patch diseases are caused by different strains of fungi. As fungus attacks bluegrass lawns in patches, the affected patches assume different appearances. These are named as yellow patch, summer patch and necrotic ring spot.

Patch diseases are essentially weather-driven. Long drawn out conditions of high humidity and hot temperatures (60 degrees - 75 degrees) can be a very cordial invitation to patch diseases. Less fertile soil and nitrogen deficiency could also be the causes of this disease.

Yellow patch and Necrotic ring spot affect bluegrass lawns vigorously in cooler temperatures during the Fall and the Spring. These patches will live on until the onset of summer. Summer patch becomes predominant in hot summer. Once the patch disease is allowed to set in, controlling it becomes exceedingly difficult. And patch diseases could become a recurring feature, often destroying the very look of your bluegrass lawn.

Kentucky bluegrass, rye grass, bent grass and fescues are more prone to the red thread and pink patch diseases. Colder and moist months are very inviting to these diseases.

These diseases cause distinct and irregular discoloration of the bluegrass lawns and other grasses. Reeds of the diseased turfs acquire a pink shade and a fibrous growth. As the disease advances, reddish threads of fungus appear on the tip of the reed. Pink color patches measuring about two inches to 15 inches become clearly visible across the diseased lawn.

From this stage, these patches extend to the adjacent parts damaging huge areas of the bluegrass lawn. Gradually, these diseased patches acquire brownish shades and slowly dry up and die out.

Usually, a well implemented maintenance schedule will suffice to keep your bluegrass lawn healthy. The lawn needs to be regularly and properly mowed, watered and supplemented by proper fertilizing.

Generally, lawns cultured in sod are more prone to patch diseases, often during the initial five years of laying out the bluegrass lawn. However, the likelihood of older lawns being affected by patch disease cannot be ruled out.

One needs to watch for symptoms of bluegrass lawn contracting the patch disease. The noticeable symptoms are small spots of 3 to 4 inches diameter, turning the the grass to light green. These spots will grow larger, forming straw colored circular or crescent shaped patches. These spots would encircle healthy turf, slowly killing most of the bluegrass lawn.

When patch diseases are noticed in your bluegrass lawn, immediately a fungicide must be applied, even though it could only serve as a temporary solution. If the patch disease resists the cure efforts, then alternative action can be used for a tougher variety of turf.

It is wise to form an immunity to patch diseases, right from the time of planing your bluegrass lawn. At the time of laying the turf, the soil must be prepared well. One should be prudent in selecting the quality of sod or seed. To achieve strong turf grass rooting, one should ensure proper aeration. This will make the roots of the bluegrass lawn strong enough to fight the patch diseases or achieve faster recovery.

Patch diseases in your bluegrass lawn are not only eye sores for you, but is a major health issue for your living and breathing lawn. It is best to cure these diseases when you first notice them. Taking care of this issue early will ensure that you enjoy your bluegrass lawn for many years to come.

Sources

http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/Kentucky+bluegrass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_Meadow-grass