| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Lawn Disease And What To Do About It
Every lawn, whether new or established, is susceptible to a variety of lawn diseases. Most lawn disease starts with a fungus. Fungi are an oddity because they don't set seeds; instead, they propagate by distributing spores in their surrounding area. Some of the spores are picked up by wind or animals and distributed in new locations. One of the biggest problems in controlling lawn diseases is diagnosis. By the time signs of infection are evident, the fungus that causes it is often difficult to control. Although there are dozens of types of lawn disease, most can be prevented through regular lawn care. Most fungus spores lie dormant until conditions are right for them to grow and infect your lawn. Generally, fungus spores need warm temperatures, a moist environment, a source of nutrition and a susceptible host. Although you can't control the weather, you can deprive them of the nutrients they need as well as a susceptible host. Water your lawn deeply and infrequently to deprive fungus of the damp environment it needs. In addition to helping the prevention of lawn disease, deep and infrequent watering encourages your turf to sink deeper roots. Water only when the surface soil is dry to your touch and then water to a depth of two to three inches. You can gauge how much water your lawn is getting by "planting" a small container (such as a tuna or cat food can) in a corner of your yard. In addition, schedule irrigation in the morning to give excess water a chance to evaporate. Heavy thatch layers (over ½ inch) hold both heat and moisture and provide fungus with a ready supply of nutrients. Thatch also impedes drainage and blocks the airflow your lawn needs to thrive. Annual core aeration in the spring is the best way to control thatch buildup. You can also control thatch during the growing season by maintaining your lawn at a 2 ½ to 3 inch height and cutting no more than ⅓ of the height when you mow. Mowing time is also a good time to check your lawn for signs of disease. "Fairy rings", "frog-eyes", brown patches and other irregularities may signify the beginning of a problem. However, before you purchase a "remedy" it's best to have an infected patch inspected. Dig and take samples to your extension agency or to a recognized lawn care professional. Many strains of fungus quickly develop a resistance to the best fungicides. Controlling active fungus is truly a case where "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Start your lawn disease prevention plan by planting only disease resistant grass hybrids whether beginning a new lawn or reseeding patches of an old one. Hans is author of The Lawn Care section of Lanwmowers-Guide.com
MORE RESOURCES:
landscaping gardening - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Teak Chair - Create a Livable Outdoor Space with One When creating a comfortable, usable outdoor space, nothing could me more inviting and warm than furnishing that space with natural products such as wood. Often, though, there are problems associated with wood furnishings. Moss on Lawns Just about right now, we start to see moss on lawns and the plaintive cry goes up, "How do we stop it?"The first thing to understand is that moss is not going to survive in a healthy lawn. The existence of moss is a symptom that the lawn is not in good shape. How to Grow Cucumbers The versatile cucumber (cucumis sativus) is tasty pickled, in a salad, as a salad, in a sandwich, or just eaten raw. How to grow cucumbers depends largely in part on how you plan to eat them. Laying Out Your New Landscape When planning your new landscape, the first place to start is by driving around your neighborhood and seeing what other people have done with their landscapes. Bring a sketch pad or digital camera to record things you like. Taming Your Outdoors Slapping yourself silly trying to keep mosquitoes from biting you? Besides causing irritating itching bites, mosquitoes can also carry and transmit several diseases including the West Nile Virus. Although you cannot get rid of every mosquito, there are many ways to protect yourself and those around you. Orange Perennials For Your Garden Perennials are wonderful because, they bloom year after year. Sometimes, I forget that I even have them planted and then they spring up to my surprise and delight! I like to add some zip to my garden with flowers that are orange in color. Growing and Preserving Cut Flowers There is nothing more cheerful than vases full of fresh flowers placed around the house that have been grown and cut from your own garden. A cut flower is one that has been cut at the stem and placed in a vase of water. Flowers Wilting? Tips for Making Your Flowers Last Longer We all know one disadvantage of flowers is that they don't last very long. While they are here they bring happiness and warmth to any dull decorating space. Organic Hydroponics - Simplified These days, it's easy to get lost in the wealth of knowledge available on hydroponics cultivation. The dizzying collection of fertilizers, additives and supplement doesn't necessarily help the situation. Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners - no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or a bountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone with a green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider the situation first. Landscaping Design - The Primary Principles Principles refer to standards or prescriptions for working with or arranging various elements to produce the intended landscape design. Good landscape design follows a combination of seven principles: unity, balance, proportion, focalization or emphasis, sequence or transition, rhythm, and repetition. Wildflower Seeds - Ten Reasons Why You Should Plant... Native wildflowers are those that were growing naturally in the landscape before the first settlers arrived from Europe. Ever since that time more and more plants have been introduced from around the world with very mixed results. Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?The first line of defence is to ensure that your yard boundaries are secure. Patio Design and Patio Furniture - The Use of Focal Points A focal point is an important design element; it is a place where the eye naturally comes to rest. In a well-designed patio there is always a planned focal point, such as a large dining set, perhaps with a well-selected umbrella. A Teak Table - Accent Your Outdoor Decor With One It's been time consuming, and there have been a lot of hard decisions along the way, but finally you have chosen the perfect outdoor furniture that fits your personality, budget and space. And as you sit on your new favorite chaise lounge, drink balanced precariously on the edge of the flower box to your left, you suddenly realize what your space is lacking: tables. Gardening Tips for Early - Mid July Now we are fast approaching the hottest time of the year, there are still some things that can be done in the garden. Below are a few gardening tips for those that love the summer warmth. Storm Warnings For Ponds California has earthquakes; we in the south and east coast have hurricanes. One thing we all share is power outages. Teak Planters - Accent Your Outdoor Space with One Do you want to add something to your outdoor space that will take it from beautiful to breathtaking? Do you have all of the right teak furniture but feel that something is missing, some accent that will truly make your space unique and worthy of only the highest praise? If so, maybe you should accent your outdoor space with teak planters.Teak planters can be a gorgeous addition to any outdoor space whether it is a formal garden, porch, poolside or entryway because they are beautifully constructed with the highest quality of standards using only the finest Javanese teak. Wind Chimes Soothe The Soul They can be pretty to look at and soothing to hear, but did you know that that wind chimes also have healing effects? Just listening to the tones of the chimes can help calm your mind and release stress. Calming your mind, the tones of the chimes help to release all that stored up stress. Funky Garden Plants 2 What's a perennial garden plant that blooms in the winter? A hellebore! It is an outdoor plant that is shocking to see blooming sometimes in the snow. There are many varieties.
|
