Having a lush green lawn is important to you, which is why lawn diseases are a major source of frustration. Unfortunately, when the conditions are just right (usually, hot and wet), lawn fungus can start to grow and affect the look of your lawn.
Dollar spot fungus is one of the most prevalent lawn diseases we see here in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. If you’ve noticed yellowish or beige-colored spots on your lawn, it could be dollar spot lawn disease.
In this article, we’ll explain more about what to expect with dollar spot lawn fungus and what you can do if you find it. These tips on dollar spot fungus in Ohio should help you make the best decisions for your lawn.
#1: Dollar Spot Fungus Gets its Name from Its Appearance
Identifying what you’re dealing with is the first step in knowing what to do next. Although we certainly don’t expect you to become an expert at identifying lawn disease (that’s why we’re here), we want to help you understand what you might be dealing with in your lawn.
What does Dollar Spot look like? It gets its name from the silver dollar-sized circles that show up with this disease. The lesions are typically green, yellow, or tan, but can become brown (at which point, it is sometimes mistaken for brown patch disease…and vice versa).
You should be able to tell these two diseases apart by the timing at which they occur. Whereas brown patch thrives during the hottest/wet days, dollar spot lawn fungus will appear during moderate-temperature days (60 degrees to low 80s).
#2: Dollar Spot Lawn Disease is Caused by Clarireedia jacksonii (Formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpa)
Different lawn diseases are caused by different types of fungus. It all gets pretty technical and scientific, but the fungus causing dollar spot lawn disease was recently changed after newer DNA research allowed a closer look at genomes.
Though it was originally said to be caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, scientists now know this disease is caused by the fungus Clarireedia jacksonii.
This fungus is named in honor of Noel Jackson, PhD, the first scientist to describe dollar spot lawn disease in 1927.
C. jacksonii spreads through bits of mycelium on infected grass. It can also be carried by water or on shoes. But C. jacksonii does not produce spores.
#3: Dollar Spot Lawn Disease Can Be Well-Managed with Cultural Practices
According to Ohio State University, there are a few ways that dollar spot can be managed culturally.
For one, you want to ensure that you have an adequate fertilization program. Proper fertility can help reduce both the occurrence and the severity of dollar spot fungus in Ohio.
Proper watering also plays a critical role as you want to avoid long periods of wetness. Morning is by far the best time to water your lawn because it gives your grass plenty of time to dry before nightfall and to absorb as much water as possible before it evaporates. This is especially important when night temperatures are over 70 degrees and day temperatures are above 85 degrees.
Watering your lawn at night can create the ideal environment for fungus to grow and spread since the water will just be left sitting on your grass.
Lawn aeration can also play a vital role as it will help prevent soil compaction. When soil is compacted, it can leave the lawn water-logged. However, aeration helps loosen the soil and allows more oxygen, water, and nutrients to reach the grassroots.
#4: Fungicides for Dollar Spot Fungus Treatment Might Not be Worth the Investment
While we know that some lawn care companies would recommend fungicides as dollar spot fungus treatment. Fungicide treatments are a major revenue driver for many companies.
But at Oasis Turf & Tree, our stance is that these chemicals are often not necessary and can be incredibly costly for homeowners.
In our opinion, they are not the best way to spend your money.
In fact, a single fungicide treatment can cost as much as two to three times more than other lawn care applications. And, fungicides don’t cure the disease, they just suppress it. You’ll also need repeated applications to get effective coverage.
You could easily end up spending the amount you’d spend on a total lawn care program just for fungicide applications.
That’s why we recommend good cultural habits and a strong lawn care program that helps promote a healthy turf. In most cases, fungus outbreaks do not last long. Once the conditions change, it will start to clear up. And if you already have a strong and healthy lawn, it will likely run its course quickly.
Fight Dollar Spot Fungus with Lawn Care Services in Cincinnati, Dayton, OH and Northern Kentucky
We know that lawn problems like fungus can feel like a setback. But when you have a lawn care professional on your side, you aren’t facing these issues alone.
At Oasis Turf & Tree, we’re taking steps to mitigate problems by tailoring our program to the current conditions. Different turf diseases thrive in different conditions. Our lawn care technicians will make a turf disease identification and then make recommendations based on what you’re dealing with.
We are also always proactively educating homeowners. We encourage them to take photos of anything that they see on their lawn in between our visits. We are also constantly sharing helpful tips on the proper cultural practices including proper watering.
By working together, we can help you achieve a thick and healthy turf that is not only going to look great but is going to have a much better chance of fighting back against invasive lawn diseases like dollar spot fungus. We’re always here to answer your questions so that you’re never left to figure any of this out for yourself.
Want to learn more about professional lawn care services for your Cincinnati, Dayton, Ohio, or Northern Kentucky home? Request your quote, choose the lawn care program that’s right for you, and then sit back and relax as the pros help you get the lawn of your dreams without the worries.