DIY Network

Lawn Diseases (Web Exclusive) From "Grow It & Mow It" episode DMOW-103

Below is a list of common lawn diseases and other issues you may encounter.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Top 10 Lawn Diseases and Other Problems

1. Mowing your grass too low opens the lawn to diseases. It weakens the lawn because it has no green leaves.

2. Lawns with a lot of thatch are likely to suffer from drought damage or cold damage (figure A).

3. Dog urine can cause rings in your lawn. Best thing to do is hose down the area (figure B). It won’t entirely get rid of the damage but it will minimize it. The grass will gradually recover.

4. Chemical spills like road salt, fertilizer and herbicides can damage grass too. Hose off right away.

5. Most lawn diseases are caused by fungi that target weak plants.

6. Most lawn diseases look the same.

7. Dollar Spot usually targets Kentucky Bluegrass, bentgrass and bermudagrass. It shows up as a small round area where the grass has turned brown.

8. Your lawn is more likely to be infected in a drought if it isn’t fertilized.

9. You can treat most diseases by maintaining the proper amount of nutrient levels in the soil, watering correctly and reducing thatch.

10. If disease is severe, you may have to apply a fungicide (figure C).

* Web Exclusive: To learn more DOs and DON'Ts of maintaining a healthy lawn, click on the video link below!

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