This summer it’s not unusual to receive several calls from clients unhappy with the look of their Long Island lawn. At first, they believed that it was a problem with their irrigation system and upon further inspection we found it to be a fungus issue.
Fungus occurs when there is high heat and high humidity. Typically, when temperatures at night are above 70 degrees combined with high humidity above 70% fungus will occur.
There are several types of fungus that are common on Long Island, and these include:
- Dollar spot
- Red thread
- Summer patch
- Rust
- Fusarium
There are several methods that will help prevent fungus and or reduce the problem and these include the following:
- Irrigate every other day and apply 1-2” per week.
- Don’t over water. If you see water puddling up, then reduce the run times.
- Activate your watering at 2am or after. Do not water in the evening or at night. We don’t want your grass to be wet all night.
- Cut your lawn with at least a 3” height. Longer grass blades equal longer roots and shade the soil from sun and heat.
- Cut your grass with a sharp mower blade.
- Don’t over fertilize. Too much nitrogen during the summer produces too much growth and too fast.
- Core aerate your lawn in early fall to reduce soil compaction and allow water to infiltrate.
- Check soil pH and treat to within 6.2- 7.0 range. Long Island soil is traditionally acidic, and turf absorbs nutrients best when pH is greater than 6.0.
- In the fall, thatch your lawn. Thatch is the dead grass plant.
- Spread a thin layer of compost, called top dressing, over the lawn. ¼” to ½” works well. Compost contains bio nutrients, raises the pH, holds water with many other benefits.
Traditional treatments with fungicides are very toxic to you and the environment. You should only use it when you know you have fungus and the type you are treating. When in doubt it is best to call a lawn care expert There are several other methods that are not as toxic such as:
- Baking soda and water
- Potassium bicarbonate, soap, and water.
- Vinegar
- Neem oil
For more information on how to treat lawn fungus please visit the following sites:
https://americanlandscapesllc.com/lawn-fungus/
https://www.jonathangreen.com/resources/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lawn-fungus/
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Lawn-Fungus-Naturally
July and August are busy months at Rain Rich! To learn more or require service please visit our website at www.rainrich.com or call the office at 631-423-2211. You can also contact me via email at rsilverman@rainrich.com. Now is also a great time to upgrade your controller to a smart controller that will allow you to manage your watering better and save on water costs. We look forward to serving you!
