Does your lawn contain patches of dying grass with a red or brown thread substance growing between the blades? If so, your lawn may be suffering from red thread fungus. Red thread is a turfgrass disease and usually occurs in lawns that are lacking sufficient nitrogen in the soil. It be an unsightly lawn disease, so at the first sign of this fungus, contact Green Acres Landscape to restore your lawn.
What Is Red Thread Fungus?
Red thread turf fungus can appear in two different forms in your lawn, and both affect the blades of each piece of grass. The first form, sclerotia, displays itself as a branch-like growth that often looks like antlers growing from each blade. The second form, mycelium, grows as pinkish fuzz. Both forms usually appear anytime between late April to mid-June, depending on the nighttime temperatures. During this period when lawns grow fast and aggressively, nitrogen is stripped from the soil, thus promoting fungal growth.
Susceptible Grasses
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How to Treat Your Lawn
Since you can’t control the weather or remove the pathogen one cell at a time, the best solution in the fight against red thread is to fertilize your lawn and replace the nitrogen that’s been lost from springtime growth. If you didn’t spread a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in the fall, then treat your lawn in early spring or as soon as you suspect you have a fungal growth. It’s important to point out that treating this type of fungus can take several years of fall treatments to prevent red thread from returning in the spring.
If the growth of red thread in your lawn is severe, chemical fungicides can also be used, but these are generally avoided in residential lawns to avoid harmful chemical reactions in children and pets.
Don’t let red thread or any other springtime fungi take over your lawn this spring. Be ready by letting the team at Green Acres Landscape fertilize and treat your lawn in early spring. To schedule your lawn inspection or your annual spring appointment, call us today at (503) 399-8066. We proudly serve residents and commercial properties throughout Marion County, OR, and we look forward to treating your lawn this spring.