When it comes to having a great-looking lawn, turf disease is the enemy. In particular, disease-causing lawn fungus can wreak havoc in little to no time at all, which is why it’s so important to get control of them quickly.
Lawn fungus and turf disease are two terms that are sometimes used synonymously, describing disease conditions that result from a few specific fungi that develop in most lawns.
Unfortunately, turf disease can sometimes take a toll before homeowners even realize what’s happening. One day their lawn looked great and the next it was turning brown and dying.
When it turns out that lawn fungus is the culprit, lawn fungus control solutions are needed.
But what’s involved with lawn fungus control? You might have a lot of questions in your quest to understand this important service—and we’re here to answer them for you.
The short answer is, yes, lawn fungus control products definitely work when applied properly to treat various types of fungal diseases. Of course, the timing is important.
Getting fungal activity under control quickly is important. That’s because it can be highly destructive in a short amount of time, even overnight. The type of products utilized also matters. Obviously, professional-grade products are going to work better than store-bought ones.
There are various formulations for disease control products. While a lot of companies utilize liquid fungicide products, we have found a top-of-the-line granular product that is ultimately more effective and accurate.
Instead of mixing up a huge tank of product and hoping we have the right amount from property to property, we can apply just the right amount of granular product exactly where it needs to go.
It’s important to acknowledge that lawn fungus control products are not going to reverse the damage that has already occurred. Instead, it’s going to stop lawn fungus in its tracks. This might take around a week to work—and you shouldn’t see the lawn continuing to get worse after that point.
But you also shouldn’t expect it to “bounce back.” A lot of homeowners mistakenly assume that their lawn will start to look better after treatment and this just isn’t the case.
Once the application of fungicide products has stopped the active growth of fungus, then lawn repairs can begin. Generally speaking, one round of aeration and overseeding is often enough to fill in some of the thinned out areas that might have been caused by disease.
However, if your lawn was severely ravaged by lawn fungus, it might take several rounds before your lawn is truly looking its best again. Turf disease control only lasts for about 21-28 days, so if conditions persist, you may need additional measures for season-long control.
Due to the need for specialty products, lawn fungus control costs more than your typical lawn care treatments—more specifically, about one and a half times what a normal lawn treatment would cost. For instance, if you typically pay $50 for a fertilization and weed control treatment, a fungicide treatment may come in around $75. This obviously changes based on the size of your lawn.
Because a lawn fungus problem can become costly after several repeated applications, your best course of action is to focus on prevention.
Unfortunately, a lot of times turf disease is beginning to fester before homeowners realize it and they make the problem worse. Watering habits and mowing habits are two practices that can ultimately have a pretty big impact on disease.
For one, it is recommended that you water early in the morning which gives the sun time to dry your lawn out. When you water in the evening hours, that water sits on the lawn and creates a habitat that can breed fungal growth.
Mowing habits also make a difference. You should keep your mower blades sharp and clean in order to prevent spreading disease. If you are utilizing a professional lawn mowing service and they are not cleaning their mower deck after each lawn (which is not an easy feat), they could be spreading disease from one lawn to another.
In addition to certain cultural practices, you can also invest in preventative care. At Master Lawn, our Gold Program includes preventive turf disease treatments already built-in, allowing you to put disease worries out of your mind.
Given the severity of some of these diseases, a proactive approach is ideal so that you never even give these menaces the chance to wreak havoc.
When it comes to beating lawn fungus, your best course of action is to partner with a professional that will employ preventative techniques but also be on the lookout for the first signs of trouble so that swift action can be taken when needed.
At Master Lawn, we value a true partnership with our clients—and that includes open communication. If you notice a problem, we want to hear from you right away. We know that fungal disease can move fast and time is often of the essence. That’s why we even give out our team’s mobile phone numbers to our customers. Often times they can text them a picture of what they’re seeing and get some answers quickly.
You can also count on us to keep you in the loop of exactly what’s going on with your lawn. After all, you deserve to have the fantastic lawn that you desire and shouldn’t have to worry about it being ruined by disease. Fortunately, by making the wise choice in lawn care companies, you can rest assured that those worries will be taken care of for you.
Ready to have a lush green lawn, free from disease, at your Memphis, TN or Olive Branch, MS home? Talk to a lawn care expert, choose from 3 program options, and become the master of your lawn.
Image Sources: fairy ring, dollar spot
