Spring hits, things begin turning green, the days seem a little brighter and Spring cleaning beckons us to open the windows and make everything fresh once again. This goes for the outdoors as well. The flower beds need winter debris removed and the lawn could use some fresh air literally. Mild winters, low nutrition in the soil, and moisture bring a susceptibility to some common spring turf diseases. The three most common problems with spring turf are Red Thread, Pink Snow Mold and Powdery Mildew. Red Thread and Pink Snow Mold often come together stemming from a lack of nitrogen in the soil, mild winters and extra moisture. The lack of nitrogen causes the fungi to grow on the grass blades turning it a red color while it sucks nutrients from them. The moisture and cool weather causes the growth of the fungi on the turf, turning it a slimy pink. Application of a slow release fertilizer higher in nitrogen and a good raking of the pink areas in your lawn will help change the environmental variables that allowed the disease and fungi to manifest.
The third turf issue, Powdery Mildew, is more often seen on plants in shaded areas. This fungus is white and makes the grass look as though it has been dusted with baby powder. It easily rubs off and can be thus spread through contact contamination. It thrives in high humidity, cool temperatures, and shaded spots so be careful not to have your sprinklers set too high in these areas. Although it only affects the grass blades, if left unmanaged it can eventually cause dieback. Pruning branches that are causing extensive shade can bring more air and light to dry out this shade loving fungus. You can also consider adding a more shade tolerant grass seed to your turf to help minimize the powdery mildews growth environment. Keep in mind when adding seed that it cannot tolerate pre-emergent applications.
Fungicides are also available for these problems but they are expensive and their results vary a great deal because of the role environmental factors have on the growth of these fungi. Our word of advice: Do your best to dry out the trouble areas, welcome spring, and hope for the best!
