How to Treat Lawn Fungus: 10 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHow

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It comes in many forms: irregular brown patches, unsightly gray splotches, stringy red threads, a dusting of orange-red powder, and more. Regardless of the specifics, however, when a lawn fungus strikes your lawn, you must take prompt action to prevent it from spreading and destroying your grass. Many post-disease treatments double as preventative measures and involve improving the drainage and air flow of your soil. Prevention, in fact, is the best treatment against lawn fungus. You can also apply various fungicides, both chemical and organic, to aid your lawn in its efforts to fight back against the disease.

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Avoid spreading it. Dollar spot and several other fungal diseases spread within minimal effort. Avoid walking over the fungus and clean your yard tools after they touch the infected area.

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Give things time. Many fungal diseases go away on their own with proper lawn maintenance. Gray snow mold usually goes away once temperatures reach above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), especially if the temperatures climb quickly. Likewise, red thread usually disappears by summer, when the weather heats up and dries out. Even though these diseases are unsightly, they do not always mean immediate death for your lawn.

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Mulch leaves into your lawn in autumn. A thick coating of leaves could invite gray snow mold and other winter-bred fungi. Instead of allowing the leaves to pile up, remove them completely or use your lawnmower to mulch them into the grass.

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De-thatch your lawn. Thick build-ups of thatcha layer of dead grass, leaves, roots, and stemssmother the soil, preventing it from breathing. Soil that lacks proper air circulation is more likely to get a fungal disease, so de-thatching is often used for preventative treatment. De-thatching can also stop the spread of some fungi, like necrotic ring spot, melting out, leaf smut, and summer patch, after it infects your lawn.

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Top-dress your yard to improve the soil quality. Top-dressing is a layer of nutritional, well-draining growing medium. It often consists of materials like sharp sand to improve drainage, a crumbly soil like loam or topsoil, peat, or compost to provide extra nutrition. Spread the top-dressing over your lawn and rake it into the soil. The top-dressing will improve the soil's ability to drain, thereby fighting fungi.

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Try an organic fungicide. If you prefer to stay away from chemical fungicides, many natural treatments can be used instead, especially while the fungus is still small. Neem oil, compost tea, and baking soda solutions are some of the most common.

How do I rid my lawn of moss and mildew?

wikiHow Contributor

Moss grows mainly in shady areas with poor fertilization and drainage. Apply iron sulfate to the area and fertilize with nitrogen. Improve drainage as best you can. You may have to dig up some areas and replace the soil with a well draining, sandy soil.

What does lime do to a lawn?

wikiHow Contributor

It adjusts the pH of the soil from acidic to a more neutral pH. This aids in absorption of nutrients and helps fertilizer to be absorbed, leading to a healthy, green lawn.

How do I get rid of brown patches on my lawn?

wikiHow Contributor

Water the grass every day, and do not use chemicals on it.

I have globules of green slime on my lawn. The lawn is old, on a slight slope and surrounded on one side by tall trees. Does anyone know what it is and how to get rid of it?

wikiHow Contributor

This green slime is known as Northwest Lichen residue; it can be removed with salt.

How do I get rid of moss without digging up my lawn?

wikiHow Contributor

Squirt vinegar on the moss on a sunny day. This should burn and kill the moss.

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How to Treat Lawn Fungus: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow