Conditions & Diseases
Dry Patch
The Problem
Dry Patch is not a turf disease but is known as a harmful condition of grass. Dry patch has been well-known for many years, but it has never been more troublesome countrywide than it is now, and is on the increase.
Dry patch is where local areas of grass, ranging from small, isolated patches to a general effect, dry out completely and the soil becomes water-repellent. Good quality turf can survive these conditions, but the surface it provides tends to be thin and hard throughout the year. On lawns dominated by Annual Meadowgrass, a situation develops of a cycle of complete die-back in dry weather and a slight recovery with more persistent rain.
Small, individual dry patches are usually tolerable in a situation where they are not central to a lawn, but in thatch ridden lawns the dryness can cause considerable unevenness of the lawn surface through the summer months (even in a wet summer) as thatch shrinks where conditions are dry, and swells up when wet. This gives a visual effect of either local thin/blue/dead patches, or a pattern of ribbons of blue/brown/dead turf surrounding green cushions.
Once dry patch gets a hold, re-wetting the soil is very difficult to achieve, particularly in summer. Water just rolls off these patches, just as it does off a waxy surface. To re-moisten the soil it is essential to ‘make water wetter’, or reduce the surface tension of the water and to help it go deeper into the ground.
The Solution
Old remedies for dry patch include using soft soap solutions, but over recent years commercial wetting agents have been increasingly used with success. The choice of wetting agent for treatment is most important.
Instead of using chemical based treatments, The Great Lawn Company uses a product derived from Yucca plant extract. This 100% natural treatment is designed to deal with the problem but also not to harm soil microbes. As with all treatments, prevention is better than cure, and if a lawn has features such as those listed above which can be associated with a dry patch condition, there is much to be gained from routine use of a wetting agent during the April to October period, applying the material at four to six week intervals. To achieve best results, this should be tied in with routine soil aeration by our Specialists.
In situations where dry patch is a major problem, treatment has to be more intense. The turf surface has to be opened up, e.g. by hollow coring, and the wetting agent has to be applied every two to four weeks. This treatment should also be tied in with spot watering, even if some rain is falling. In the worst cases, this treatment programme has to go on through the whole year, including autumn and winter applications of the wetting agent. Whilst there may be some superficial recovery of dry patch through the autumn, unless the water-repellent character of the soil is completely broken, then the turf will deteriorate again the following summer.
Where turf is killed by dry patch, repairs are best implemented by replacing the areas of affected soil with new soil and turfing or seeding.
Thankfully, The Great Lawn Company can help to prevent the condition or cure dry patch if it occurs. We devise tailored lawn treatment programmes to solve the problem using 100% environmentally friendly products and treatments including our Yucca Wetting Agent.
Heat Stress
The Problem
During the summer months, when weather is hot and precipitation is low, heat stress or drought occurs when soil doesn’t allow enough moisture to penetrate the root system to carry nutrients to the plant. This causes the plant to close down, with a great reduction in metabolism.
The Solution
As with dry patch, heat stressed lawns require treatment with a wetting agent to ‘make water wetter’ or reduce the surface tension of the water to allow it to go deeper into the soil.
The Great Lawn Company’s natural Yucca wetting agent is the perfect solution to dry, heat stressed lawns, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals to solve the problem the way nature intended. Our nutritional products feed the grass and soil with carbohydrates and sugars that are lost due to a reduction in photosynthesis.
Red Thread
The Problem
Red Thread is a common fungal disease which occurs in lawns across the country, most often during the summer months when humidity is high. Red thread outbreaks have been reported all over the UK this summer due to humid weather conditions encouraging the disease to thrive and spread.
It appears as brown patches of rotting grass, and upon closer inspection, fine red needles can be seen projecting from grass blades. In extreme cases, cotton wool like particles (pink mycelium) can occur.
The Solution
Most lawn care companies choose to treat this disease with a mixture of chemical fertilisers and fungicides to kill the fungus which pose dangers to adults, children, animals and the wider environment.
Fortunately, The Great Lawn Company can prevent this common problem using our exclusive range of treatments containing naturally occurring compounds which trigger the grass plant’s natural deterrents, making it harder for the fungus to get into the plant.
If red thread does occur, we can treat the disease with our specialist natural disease treatments which discourage fungus growth and are completely safe.
Rust
The Problem
Rust is a common lawn problem which occurs during cool weather in the summer and autumn months. The disease causes turf to appear yellow/orange, and tends to be present on Rye Grasses and Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass. On closer inspection, the grass leaves are covered in a rusty dust which can stain skin and clothes.
The fungal disease occurs most commonly on long grass which is lacking in nutrients, light or moisture.
The Solution
The most effective solution is to reduce the cause of stress the grass is under and supply it with nutrients. Many lawn care companies advise slow-release fertilisers and fungicides, containing potentially harmful chemicals which can be consumed by children and animals.
The Great Lawn Company prevents rust on our customers’ lawns by providing a healthy flow of naturally occurring nutrients to the grass plant to enable it to protect itself from such diseases and not allow rust to form in the first place.
If you currently have a rust problem, we can solve this using our unique carbon nutrition to provide the grass plant with all the nutrients it requires to rid itself of the disease and prevent future outbreaks.
Fusarium
The Problem
Fusarium patch disease is a fungal infection that occurs in lawns at temperatures between 0 and 8 degrees, conditions usually present under snow, giving it the common name of Snow Mould. The results of the infection usually appear as yellow and brown patches between May and September when weather is humid. Under damp conditions, the dead grass becomes covered in a pink bloom which can be easily spread through air-borne spores.
The condition can actually be worsened by lawn care companies spreading nitrogen fertilisers in November and December as it reduces growth, making grass more susceptible to infection.
The Solution
As with all lawn diseases, prevention is better than cure. The Great Lawn Company can prevent the occurrence of fusarium by using our range of natural treatments to maintain the correct nutrient levels needed for healthy lawn growth. Thatch, which encourages growth of Snow Mould, is removed by aeration or scarification, improving the surface drainage.
If you currently have a fusarium problem, we treat this with our garlic based natural disease control products, which not only protect from pests and diseases, but also heal soil that has previously been harmed by chemical applications.
