The Top 3 Lawn Diseases We See In The Gilbert, Az Area
When your lawn is in distress due to lawn diseases, it will let you know. In Gilbert, AZ, the top three lawn diseases you need to watch out for are collar rot, root rot, and wire stem. Early detection of these diseases is your first step to taking action because, without proper treatment, your lawn might not recover. These diseases will not only weaken your turf but also ruin your curb appeal. That is why signing up for a lawn care program should be at the top of your list, because it gives your turf the best chance at preventing and fighting diseases. Keep reading to learn more about these lawn diseases and what you can do to treat them.
1. Collar Rot
Collar rot is a lawn disease caused by a disease-causing fungus found in the soil called Phytophthora. If the ground on your property is constantly wet, then your lawn is at high risk of falling victim to collar rot disease. This is because the pathogen causing collar rot favors wet conditions. While Arizona doesn’t see too much rain in a year, you still need to ensure proper drainage on your property to prevent this disease.
Once your turf is affected by collar rot disease, drought stress symptoms will appear. This means your lawn will appear thin and patchy with yellow to brown grass blades. Don’t worry! Hope is not lost for your lawn. There are lawn disease treatments available that will effectively target collar rot. We recommend seeking professional help to treat your grass and nurse it back to health with essential lawn care services. These include fertilization treatments that will revive your lawn from the stress caused by collar rot.
2. Root Rot
Brown patches on your lawn can mean a lot of things. Most property owners might conclude that their grass needs water, especially when warmer weather starts to roll in. However, the brown patches you see in your grass can be because of too much water as well. The root rot lawn disease commonly affects Bermudagrass lawns with poor drainage and constant moisture. Detecting this disease in your lawn is easy. Common symptoms that your grass is affected include:
- Irregularly shaped patches
- Yellow patches
- Thinning grass
- Grass blades that appear water-soaked
Early detection is vital so you can take action immediately before your lawn gets more damaged. Root rot disease is also preventable! Some practices you can observe to protect your lawn include improving drainage and increasing mowing height. Enrolling in a lawn care program will strengthen your lawn to tolerate diseases and provide it with the ideal conditions to thrive.
3. Wire Stem
The fungus behind wire stem disease in lawns is Rhizoctonia solani. It encloses the base of the grass with white filaments called mycelium that cut off the nutrient supply to the rest of the plant, resulting in stunted growth of your lawn. When the mycelium girdles the stem of the grass, it results in dark lesions and dry roots on your turf.
The best way you can deal with wire stem is to not deal with it at all. Prevention is key when it comes to most lawn diseases, especially wire stem, because it can be fatal to your lawn. Excessively moist and warm soil temperatures boost the fungus that causes this disease, but proper lawn care practices can help solve this.
Aside from supplying vital resources to your turf through fertilization, you can also improve drainage to avoid exposing your lawn to too much moisture by core aerating your lawn annually. This opens up the soil to allow water to flow freely.
If more than half of your lawn is affected by wire stem, sod installation is your next best step to get vibrant grass again.
Call Us Today To Schedule Our Lawn Care Services!
Your lawn deserves professional and reliable care from our experts when it is targeted by lawn diseases. At Little John’s Lawns, we offer lawn care services that will help prevent most diseases from even coming near your turf. We also have treatments to control lawn diseases like collar rot, root rot, wire stem, and more. Our team services homes and businesses in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, AZ and nearby communities. Call us today at to schedule!