Summer in Utah brings warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, creating ideal conditions for outdoor activities and lush green lawns. However, it also brings the risk of summer turf diseases that can damage your lawn if left unchecked. Understanding the most common turf diseases in Utah and implementing effective control strategies is essential for maintaining a healthy and vibrant lawn throughout the season.
At Green Castle Lawn Care, we understand how frustrating it can be to deal with summer turf diseases. Without the proper education, it can be incredibly difficult to prevent and treat on your own. If you believe you are dealing with common summer turf diseases and you want to learn how to remedy the situation, keep reading to see what our team recommends.
1. Summer Patch
What is Summer Patch?
Summer patch is one of the most common summer turf diseases in Utah. This disease is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe Poae. It affects several cool-season grass species, including Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, and Fine Fescue, during hot and humid summer months. There are a few common symptoms of summer patch, including:
- Straw-colored patches or rings
- Sunken turf surrounded by dark green grass
- Enlarged patches with a yellow or bronze outer edge
Summer turf diseases like summer patch thrive in grass with compacted soil, poor drainage, and excessive thatch buildup. While this turf disease can be difficult to treat, there are a few things you can do to address it.
How Can You Prevent It?
While some summer turf diseases are easy to address, this is often not the case with summer patch. Some of the best ways to prevent it from forming in the first place is by doing the following:
- Improving your soil drainage through aeration and thatch removal
- Watering deeply and infrequently to prevent fungal growth
- Apply fertilizers that help you maintain turf health and disease resilience
- Avoid mowing more than ⅓ of the grass blade to reduce turf stress
2. Powdery Mildew
What is Powdery Mildew?
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that appears as white, powdery growth on the leaves and stems of various plants, including your grass. While some turf diseases only impact your turf, others, like powdery mildew, have the potential to affect other foliage in your yard as well. This fungus thrives in a warm, humid condition and may impact your grass’s ability to photosynthesize.
This turf disease can spread rapidly, especially in crowded spaces, making a prompt response essential. While it isn’t fatal, it can significantly impact plant growth and reduce the yield of fruit trees and flowering plants. Although it can be unsightly, there are a few things you can do to address this problem quickly.
How Can You Prevent It?
Once it has developed, it may be difficult to prevent powdery mildew from recurring. If you are redoing your landscaping, there are a few things you can do to prevent the formation of powdery mildew. Some of the best things you can do to prevent this disease development include:
- Avoid planting turf in heavily shaded areas
- Prune trees and shrubs to enhance light penetration
- Water deeply and infrequently to prevent fungal growth
3. Fairy Ring
What is Fairy Ring?
Fairy Ring is a common summer turf disease that infects and kills the crowns and roots of your grass. This turf disease most frequently impacts cool-season grass species like Kentucky Bluegrass. Fairy ring is characterized by a ring of mushrooms forming around a lush patch of green grass.
As the fairy ring continues to develop, the grass within the ring may begin to die. While this may seem like a fun and whimsical addition to your yard, it can significantly impact the health of your lawn. If you are trying to diagnose this turf disease, it may be best to work with a reliable lawn care provider.
How Can You Prevent It?
Much like the other two common turf diseases, there are a few things you can do to prevent the development of fairy ring. Some of the best ways to prevent the development of this disease include:
- Aerating your lawn in early spring
- Use nitrogen-rich fertilizers or schedule professional fertilization services
- Water infrequently but deeply
How Can You Treat Summer Turf Diseases?
While there are several ways to prevent summer turf diseases, you may still find yourself dealing with them. Although it is frustrating, there are a few things you can do to treat these diseases. In some instances, you may be able to apply a fungicide to the affected area. You may need to reapply the fungicide several times to adequately prevent the disease from continuing to spread.
While fungicides are a great way to address and treat some summer turf diseases, they may not be the appropriate response for your grass. In some cases, it may be in your best interest to kill your grass and start from scratch. If you have dealt with a summer turf disease and you want to avoid it again, you should consider working with a reliable lawn care expert to create the perfect lawn care plan.
Prevent Summer Turf Diseases with Green Castle Lawn Care
If you are struggling to prevent summer turf diseases on your own, turn to our team at Green Castle Lawn Care for support. For over twenty years, our team has been providing reliable lawn care to homeowners across the Ogden, Utah, area and beyond, helping them prevent a variety of summer turf diseases. With this experience, we’re confident that we’re the perfect team to help you care for your lawn as well.
From our reliable aeration and fertilization treatments to weed control, insect control, and more, we do everything in our power to help you achieve the lawn you’ve been dreaming of. If you would like to speak to a member of our team about how they can help you prevent summer turf diseases, don’t hesitate to contact us today.