Lawn Disease

A lawn disease or turf disease is often defined as anything that has a negative effect on the grass plant. Lawn Disease, the majority of which are caused by fungi can attack all types of lawns and turf areas. Different diseases attack luxury lawns and other will attack utility lawns depending on the environmental factors and types of grass in the lawn.

For a lawn disease to become active 3 factors must be present.

• Environmental factors - Grasses can become stressed by different climatic & maintenance conditions leaving them susceptible to lawn disease. It may be too cold, too dry or too wet, however these conditions are out of our control. Other factors such as mowing heights, drainage, turf nutrition and irrigation needs can be controlled by us and can play a big part in a successful prevention plan.
  
  
• The soil pathogens -Pathogens are the fungi or bacteria that cause lawn and turf disease. Many of these pathogens are already present in the organic matter, becoming active if favourable conditions occur to cause an outbreak of disease. Pathogens can also spread from outside agencies such as other lawns, playing-fields, parks amongst others.
  
  
• The grass species -Different species of grass are susceptible to different diseases. e.g. Annual meadow grass suffers from fusarium, and anthracnose, bents suffer from take-all patch, fescues from red thread etc.
  

This lawn disease section covers the most common diseases found on lawns and turf throughout the UK. These include:

• Fusarium Patch 
• Red Thread
• Take-all Patch 
• Anthracnose
• Dollar Spot
• Fairy Rings
• Slime Mould