Infection by dollar spot (Sclerotinia homeocarp) appears as tan or straw-colored spots ranging in size from a quarter to that of a silver dollar sunken in the turf , which is how it gets its name. Occasionally, small cottony strings of the fungus can be seen growing from the diseased leaf blades. The fungus can spread if you walk on it and then walk to another part of your lawn, making dollar spot a serious problem if left untreated. Dollar spot can be more serious than it may first appear because the lawn disease kills the entire grass plant, often requiring reseeding.
Causes of Dollar Spot
- Poor Watering – If you are not watering correctly, you may be weakening your thatch and creating a lovely breeding ground for dollar spot. If you water too much and the water does not go deep enough, it ends up creating an environment where the lawn is wet but the soil and the roots of the grass are dry. Dollar spot thrives in this type of setting.
- Grass Health – Grass health is also an important part of improving dollar spot. Keeping your lawn in tiptop shape by watering it adequately, fertilizing it, and making sure it is kept at the proper height will keep your grass healthy, and healthy grass is much less prone to lawn diseases like dollar spot.
- Grass Type – While a bit more difficult to cure, some types of grass are more prone to dollar spot than others. So if your area has been extremely prone to dollar spot it may be worth considering a different type of grass that is more resistant to the disease.
How to Control Dollar Spot
- Nitrogen Applications – Late spring nitrogen-fertilizer applications can help to minimize dollar spot severity, since growth will be stimulated during the period (early summer) when dollar spot infection begins. On lawns, fertilizer that releases nitrogen slowly over an extended period is more advantageous than a quick-release product at this time of year. On golf courses, quick-release nitrogen fertilizers can be applied frequently at very light rates instead of using a slow-release fertilizer.
- Minimize Moisture – Irrigate deeply, infrequently, and early in the morning to minimize moisture accumulation on leaves. Also, remove dew by early morning mowing or by dragging the turf with a water hose.
- Fungicides – On irrigated turf with persistent dollar spot problems, fungicides are very effective against most forms of the causal fungus. Fungicides are almost always applied on a curative basis for controlling dollar spot. Both contact and penetrant fungicides are effective in controlling this disease. Because resistance to certain penetrant fungicides has occurred with Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, using contact fungicides in a control program is suggested.
If you have corrected all of the above scenarios and you still have dollar spot, you’ll need to get professional treatment. Lawn diseases do not go away on their own, and once they’ve infected your lawn you’ll need to have a professional come and try to eliminate it. In some cases, new lawn may be needed.
We’ll work with you to ensure that your lawn is green, healthy, and free of dollar spot. A& A Lawn Care & Landscaping helps residential and commercial clients with their lawns and landscaping all year ’round!
Contact Us (859-384-0266) for a Free Consultation!
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About A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping
A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping can beautify your lawn and landscaping using our vast experience in turf grass management. Our complete lawn service is designed for both residential and commercial lawns and we keep your lawn healthy without harming your family, staff, or pets.