Belle Chasse lawn care services
Common grass diseases in Belle Chasse
Fungi is the bad guy behind the most common grass diseases in Belle Chasse lawns. Let's take a look at some fungi-related turf diseases in the region.
Brown Patch
Brown patch is the most common lawn disease in Belle Chasse. This disease affects all grass types, including tough, tolerant species like Bermuda grass, ryegrass, and tall fescue. Turfs like St. Augustine and zoysia are the most susceptible. Brown patch prefers warm to hot weather conditions with cool nighttime temperatures. You can identify this disease when you see circles of dead sunken grass of varying sizes around your yard. This disease also causes green blades to darken, meaning they wilt and die with a smoke-gray circle perimeter. This disease spreads even further when you overfeed your grasses (watering and fertilization) or when humidity is high.
Gray Leaf Spot
St. Augustine grass has the highest susceptibility to this disease. Although tall fescue and perennial ryegrass can still be damaged by it. Moderately high temperatures with high levels of precipitation like the warm, humid weather from spring to fall in Belle Chasse sets the stage for a Gray Leaf Spot attack. This disease is characterized by small, irregular patches on leaf blades and stem lesions that turn light-grey when wet. Like a brown patch, it spreads with overfeeding and poor air circulation in shaded lawns.
Summer Patch Disease
The long, scorching summers and late spring of Belle Chasse make local yards vulnerable to summer patch disease. This disease's targets are usually Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue; ryegrass is less likely to suffer from it. Symptoms include circles of dying and dead tanned grass with healthy-looking blades in the middle. There may also be dark-brown fungal threads covering rhizomes, crowns, and the stolon of the turf. Overfeeding doesn't increase damage, but compacted soils, poor draining, and excessive mowing do.
Rust
This disease develops over a long time and thrives best in shaded lawns. Rust is known for thinning turfs and leaving yellow specks of irregular patches. The yellow is quite rust-like in color. Underfeeding, high humidity, and excessive shading increase the risk of this disease and aggravates its effects.
Snow Mold Disease
Belle Chasse doesn't have much snowfall; so, this disease is less of a risk. However, the risk slightly increases when you use grasses like tall and fine fescue. Turfs affected by snow mold get small, circular, pinkish spots with water-soaked blades turning red-brown then brown. Poor drainage, excessive use of fertilizers with high nitrogen during fall, and heavy shade all help this disease spread.
Pythium Disease
Hot and humid summer temperatures in over-shaded and over-fertilized lawns with little soil aeration invite Pythium disease. You can identify this disease when you see circles of withering plants with cottony white mycelium in the morning. Other symptoms include leaves sticking together, browning of the turf, and death over a large area within days.
How to protect Belle Chasse lawns from diseases
Aeration
Turf diseases spread fast when your lawn is overly or underly compacted. The right soil compactness is a must for your grasses to get air, water, and nutrients. Think of it like this: when you consume insufficient amounts of food, your body lacks the necessary energy to fend off diseases or stay healthy - this is the same for plants. Puncturing your soil for efficient aeration is an excellent choice, but even more wise is hiring Belle Chasse lawn services for professional-grade results.
Maintaining the right soil pH level
Lawn grasses require mildly acidic soil to bud best. pH levels between 6.0 to 7.0 are essential for nutrients to stay available in the ground. If these levels get too low or high, it makes your turf more susceptible to disease.
Adequate fertilization
Diseases thrive in poor feeding conditions like under or over-fertilization of your lawn. Lawn feeding can be quite tricky because as seasons change, fertilization volume also adjusts. Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content aren't suitable for the fall at all. It's recommended that you get Belle Chasse lawn care experts for the proper feeding of your turf.
Weeding
Weeds compete with your grasses for nutrients. Stubborn and powerful weeds will deprive your grasses of nourishment. This, in turn, makes them more susceptible to disease. Find weeds at an early stage and uproot them manually. Using herbicides should be your last resort. Regardless, your best bet is to get an affordable, highly-rated lawn care service near Belle Chasse for stellar workmanship.
Good mowing practices
Following the appropriate mowing practices will reduce your turf's exposure to diseases. These practices include mowing to the standard recommended height and mowing only dry lawns and with sharp blades. Most importantly, in the case of a fungal infection, collect and dispose of all lawn clippings, as diseases may spread through clipping or when infected grasses come into contact with healthy ones. Belle Chasse lawn care professionals have the right tools and skillset to mow your lawn correctly. They will save you cost, time, and risk of infections.
Professional lawn service in Belle Chasse
Keeping a healthy and beautiful lawn requires a great deal of time, patience, and knowledge. Worse yet, prevention, identification, control, and lawn disease management isn't a simple task. Specialists are familiar with diseases and the common lawn hitches homeowners may face. The best part? They are affordable and waiting for you. Contact us today!
