How to Treat Dollar Spot Fungus in Texas Lawns
As its name implies, the Dollar Spot fungus is a fungal disease that affects lawn grass. It manifests in small, circular spots measuring anywhere from 1 inch to 6 inches in diameter.
At first, Dollar Spot fungus appears harmless it must be said. However, over time, the effects of this fungal disease on your grass become very obvious to the eyes. Not initiating treatment procedures fast enough could lead to a complete loss of your lawn yard.
Usually, the Dollar Spot fungus is more prevalent in areas where the temperature is as high as 60-70 degrees, with minimal soil moisture and low nitrogen content.
Overexposure of the lawn to the elements can also predispose it to the dangers of Dollar Spot fungus. This is one reason why cutting your lawn grass very low is not advisable. It exposes your grass to unfriendly elements.
Lawns that are not receiving enough nutrients and water are usually more susceptible to this fungal disease. This isn’t surprising when you consider the fact that adequate water and nutrients help your grass remain in good health, building strong immunity against diseases.
To find out if your lawn grass is being attacked by the Dollar Spot fungus, look out for dried-up, round patches measuring 1-6 inches in diameter. The grasses in such spots should have red or tan hour-glass shaped bands across their leaves. If you notice these signs, you can safely assume that your grass is under attack from the Dollar Spot fungal disease.
You may also have to call for an inspection from a professional Garland mowing service to be certain before you initiate countermeasures to combat the disease.
Now let’s discuss in more detail how to treat the Dollar Spot fungal disease when it infects your lawn.
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The first step towards treating your lawn grass for this disease involves running several soil tests. These tests will indicate the state of your soil.
Nutrient-deficient soils will usually grow weak grasses which are most susceptible to fungal diseases like the Dollar Spot fungal disease.
If your soil is weak, then it needs to be revitalized and refortified while treatment for the disease is going on.
To get your lawn soil tested, a search on the internet for ‘affordable lawn maintenance Garland‘ will give you a list of options to choose from.
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Lawns lacking in nutrients are prone to disease outbreaks like the Dollar Spot fungal disease.
Application of organic fertilizers and similar products can correct this imbalance opening the way to stabilizing your lawn yard to become tougher and build resilience and natural immunity against the Dollar Spot fungal disease.
When applying fertilizers, chemical fertilizers should be avoided as much as possible because they often destabilize the natural form of a lawn’s ecosystem due to their toxic components.
Over-fertilization and under-fertilization of the soil with rich fertilizers must also be avoided as either of these extremes can also cause more problems for your lawn grass.
For best results, you can engage lawn services that offer organic lawn care in Garland.
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Aeration is important to improve the gaseous function in your soil, allowing nutrients and moisture to move with ease.
Dollar Spot fungus thrives best in still, hot, dry or moist conditions. Loosening up your topsoil will serve as an effective counter-measure against any unhindered growth of the fungus.
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Adequate watering is essential to the growth, development, and health of your lawn grass.
Watering should be done early in the morning so that the lawn grass can utilize it for its activities during the day.
During each weekly watering session, your grass should be soaked to about 1 inch of water for optimal effect.
Lawns suffering from the Dollar Spot fungus have been observed to have been experiencing low water application previously.
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Pick an indigenous grass type if lawn rehabilitation is required.
Most homeowners who have lawns normally prefer exotic lawn types to their native lawn grass. This isn’t completely wrong but the fact remains that indigenous grasses are usually tougher and resistant to diseases affecting that geographical location in comparison with exotic, foreign grasses.
If the Dollar Spot fungus has affected your lawn to an extent where complete lawn rehabilitation is needed, consider going for grasses native to the area.
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Proper mowing practices could make the difference in your fight against the Dollar Spot fungus.
Mowing should be done correctly at the proper height. Cutting your grass too low reduces its natural defense against pests and makes it easily exposed to disease attacks.
While treating the Dollar Spot fungus, your mower blades should be cleaned after each session to avoid the risk of re-infection.
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Get your lawn maintenance service to use a known, effective fungicide to deal with the Dollar Spot fungus.
If effective organic fungicides can be found and used, the better as you can be at peace with the knowledge that your lawn won’t experience any chemical after-effects.
Employing fungicides on your lawn should be considered only if all other plans fail to deal with the fungal disease effectively.
You can always use GOMOW Garland mowing services to handle your lawn for best results. Click below to get a quick FREE QUOTE for GOMOW Lawn Care Services in Texas.