Should You Treat For Winter Fungus In Florida?
Jan 02nd 2024
Despite the fact that the Florida winter season doesn't typically include too much cold weather, it's still a great time to review your lawn-care practices and your approach to your landscape. If you take a look at your lawn and see large swaths of brown spots or patches, it's likely that your lawn has brown patch fungus. Brown patch fungus is a common problem faced by home and business owners across our Sunshine State.
What is brown patch fungus? How should you approach treating your lawn during the winter season? Our Gainesville, FL, landscaping company has you covered! Here, Evergreen Lawn Care discusses brown patch fungus and provides you with our best tips for recommended treatments. Looking for a Gainesville lawn service to keep your lawn healthy year-round? Contact us today to request a free estimate for residential and commercial landscaping for your green spaces!
What Is Brown Patch Fungus?
Large patch, also known as brown patch fungus or Rhizoctonia blight, is a fungal disease that impacts grass lawns across the Southeastern United States. Patch fungus affects all warm-season turf grasses, but particular varieties of ornamental grasses in Florida, like St. Augustine grass and zoysiagrass, are more susceptible to the disease. This condition results from Rhizoctonia solani, a fungal pathogen, which typically develops in the fall and winter seasons, or when temperatures drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The cooler temperatures and high moisture contents common in the fall and winter make these seasons ideal times for large patch to affect your lawn. Once it takes hold, damaged patches of grass continue to expand into the spring until temperatures rise past the threshold sustainable to the fungus. As the warmer weather continues, it may appear as though the brown patch fungus has dissipated, yet it is just dormant. If lawn care practices are not adequately adjusted to control the disease, it can return to your Florida ornamental grass and turfgrass come fall.
Brown Patch Fungus Symptoms
If your lawn suffers from brown patch fungus, you'll likely be able to observe the symptoms of the disease. In most cases, lawn damage starts with the development of round, discolored patches on the grass that expand over time. The patches may have a darker, orange-colored border, as this is where the fungus is actively growing and expanding. The center of the patch can appear brown and sunken.
If the grass is actively growing, it can appear as though there are some signs of healthy growth. You can differentiate grass affected by large patch from healthy grass by pulling out a blade of grass from the outer edge of a patch. If the blade of grass was easily pulled from its stem, if the base of the blade is dark in color and smells like it's rotten, it's likely to be affected by a fungal disease.
How To Treat Brown Patch Fungus In Winter
The primary contributing factor to brown patch fungus, as with most fungal diseases, is moisture. If your lawn is irrigated to excess, if there is a substantial increase in rainfall, and if there is high humidity, all of these factors contribute to the disease. Residential and commercial property owners are only in control of their lawn care service.
As such, it's critical they avoid incorrect watering, mowing, and fertilization, as these can make their lawn more susceptible to the disease. To treat brown patch fungus in winter, we recommend reassessing your landscaping practices and calling our experts at Evergreen Lawn Care for lawn maintenance in Gainesville, FL.
Preventing Brown Patch Fungus
There are several modifications you can make to your lawn care practices to help prevent the development of brown patch fungus on your lawn, including the following. For more information or to schedule services, contact Evergreen Lawn Care!
- Irrigate your grass in the morning
- Ensure Your lawn has adequate drainage
- Mow your lawn regularly
- Use appropriate lawn fertilization methods
- Ensure your lawn care is seasonally appropriate
- Hire professionals for your lawn service
Get Professional Help With Evergreen Lawn Care Services
Certain preventative methods for your lawn can help reduce the chance it will develop disease, but even with all the steps taken, your turf may still fall prey to large patch. In this case, avoiding excessive fertilizer, watering early in the day, and avoiding long periods of moisture saturation can treat the condition. For lawns with repeated infections, the application of a fungicide may be appropriate. The best thing you can do to improve the condition of your turf and treat brown patch fungus blight is to get professional help from our landscaping Gainesville pros. We offer lawn service packages to ensure your lawn stays lush and healthy all year long.
