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Diseases can occur from spring until fall, but are most common during the summer. They can occur for a number of reasons, but usually moisture and temperature are the main factors. Most diseases form under cool, moist conditions, but damage does not appear until high humidity and temperatures begin. Grass will generally turn yellow or brown in the sunny areas of your lawn, and damage can become severe if curative steps are not taken. Below is a list of important things to remember that will help your lawn recover and prevent disease in the future.
1. Water in the early morning (4am-8am).
Dew naturally forms on your lawn overnight, generally drying out by mid morning. Watering during the late morning or evening will extend the period of time the lawn is wet, allowing diseases the opportunity to form and spread.
2. Water less frequently, but longer each time.
Watering everyday also promotes disease activity. Watering less frequently, but longer each time will help dry out the lawn between waterings, but still provide the 1.5-2.0" of water per week that is needed.
3. Bag your clippings.
Bagging your clippings will remove the diseased grass blades from your lawn. Mulching after a disease has formed can worsen and lengthen the disease activity.
4. Mow tall.
Mowing tall will reduce heat and drought stress on your lawn and help it recover more quickly.
5. Sharpen your mower blade.
This will provide a cleaner cut making your lawn less susceptible to disease.
6. Plant disease resistant seed.
This will help prevent disease from re-occurring in the same areas of your lawn.
7. Aerate your lawn in the spring or fall.
Aeration will reduce thatch and strengthen the root system making your lawn more disease resistant.
8. Apply a preventative or curative fungicide.
This will greatly reduce the chance for disease and its severity. It will also help the lawn recover more quickly and prevent the disease from spreading.
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