"We Do Things"

Complete Landscape & Lawn Maintenance

 

Phone:  (804) 639-1554
Email:  wrightwaylawn@aol.com

Brown Patch Disease

Brown patch is a disease caused by weather, humidity and wet conditions.  If you see signs of this in your turf please give us a call and we'll give you an estimate first.  If you don't see any signs, it's still a good idea to put a preventative down. 

Symptoms:

The symptoms of brown patch vary according to mowing height.  In landscape situations where mowing height is greater than 1", brown patch appears as roughly circular patches that are brown, tan or yellow in color and range from 6" to several feet in diameter.  The affected leaves typically remain upright, and lesions are evident on the leaves that are tan in color and irregular in shape with a dark brown border.  When the leaves are wet or humidity is high, small amounts of gray cottony growth called mycelium may be seen growing amongst affected leaves.  In close cut turfgrasses (1" or less), brown patch develops in roughly circular patches, ranging from a few inches to several feet in diameter, that are brown or orange in color.  Distinct foliar lesions are not visible and mycelium is typ
ically not present, but a black or dark gray ring called a smoke ring, may surround the brown patches.  The smoke ring is evidence of active disease development and is only present when the turfgrass leaves are wet or humidity is near 100%. 

Factors Affecting Disease Development

Brown patch is most severe during extended periods of hot, humid weather.  The disease can begin to develop when night temperatures exceed 60 degrees F, but is most severe when low and high temperatures are above 70 and 90 degrees F, respectively.  The turfgrass leaves must be continuously wet for at least 10 to 12 hours for the brown patch fungus to infect.  Poor soil drainage, lack of air movement, shade, cloudy weather, dew, over watering, and watering in late afternoon favor prolonged leaf wetness and increased disease severity. 

Chemical Control

Fungicides are effective for brown patch control, and can be applied on a preventative or curative basis.  Curative applications may not be effective during periods of hot weather because the cool season grasses are growing slowly and are unable to recover from the damage under these conditions.  Consider a preventative fungicide treatment for tall fescue and creepting bentgrass when conditions favor disease development.  For best results, preventative applications should be initiated in the late Spring or early Summer when night temperatures consistently exceed 60 degrees. 

Wright Way Lawn Service, Inc.

Phone:  (804) 639-1554
Email:  wrightwaylawn@aol.com