Is your lawn healthy? If your grass is discolored or dead, you may have a fungus affecting your lawn. Depending on where you live and the state of your lawn, you could find yourself dealing with one of many common lawn diseases.

How can you figure out if your lawn is sick and how can you treat it and prevent it in the future?

The seasonal arrival of good weather is the perfect time to kick back or go find something to do that you really enjoy. It could be a walk in the park or you might just be excited that it’s starting to be great tennis weather.

Spring is also a good time to evaluate your home and yard. As a home owner, it’s your responsibility to stay on top of all aspects of your property– including the lawn and the exterior and interior of your home.

Spring is an ideal time to tackle landscaping or fix your lawn. You have the ability to make changes right now that will benefit you as the owner. Research spring landscaping tips or ways to patch up that roof or add installation– or make sure your lawn is healthy!

Check out these common diseases to see if they might be affecting your lawn.


Snow Mold

You don’t want to catch this disease, which mostly affects cool season grass. This fungus forms in cold weather from snow piling up on unfrozen soil. Heavy snow plus moisture equals hard-hit grass. You can see it in spring when the snow melts, noticing brown patches of grass that are matted and tangled. There’s gray and pink snow mold, colored after their names. Pink is worse than gray and will kill grass at the roots.

Snow mold cannot be fought once it appears. Comb out mats and tangles in the grass and hope it dies out, or replace the area and repair it with new seeds. A fungicide used in late fall may prevent snow mold as well (use only if your area is susceptible).

Red Thread

This red threat attacks cool season grass but likes humid weather, often showing up from early May to June. These red or pink lawn patches may cause tufts on grass tops. It will not kill the lawn but does affect the grass blades (not roots). It may appear due to low nitrogen in the lawn. Treating with nitrogen-rich fertilizer will help.

Leaf Spot

Cool season grasses fear this fungal diseases. You can see it when 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit when there’s lots of air moisture. It appears first as small spots of a brown color on the grass, then expands to become dark purple and red and tan on the inside. Grass dies when it hits the melting out stage and spreads to the roots and crown. Prevent by keeping your lawn healthy and watered the right amount.

Brown Patch Disease

Easy to spot, this is a damaging fungus. It attacks roots and crown, killing lawns and loving the heat of summer. When temps hit 65 to 85 degrees with high humidity, you’d better watch out. It can be prevented with a healthy lawn, but poor drainage, too much water, too little water, and not enough circulation can cause this disease. Combat with fungicide and taking care of your lawn.