It’s that time again in the Akron, Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio region where we’re in the two H’s: Hot and humid. Granted, we can get out of these summer days by staying indoors with air-conditioning. But what about your lawn? It has no escape and it’s susceptible to lots of fungi diseases from June through August. If you’re an early bird, and you’re out in your yard before you head off to work, do you see cobweb clouds on your lawn? Learn more about this fungus that can harm your lawn.

The Scoop on Pythium Blight

It could be Pythium Blight (Pythium aphanidermatum) and it affects grass during very humid and hot days and nights. It starts out with an oily patch of grass that looks orange. Then, the fungi proceeds to kill the grass where the blades look brown in spots.

Here are some other symptoms of Pythium Blight:

• You have patches throughout your property that are about one foot in diameter and look sunken;
• The grass is orange or dark gray and looks oily
• Your soil doesn’t drain well;
• And you notice that these spots are spread throughout your yard’s drainage system or in places where you recently mowed your grass;
• The high humidity in the air doesn’t allow water on your lawn to evaporate overnight;
• Your lawn is made up of bentgrasses, bluegrasses, fescues, and ryegrasses, which are susceptible to Pythium Blight.

What You Can Do To Control Pythium Blight

Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to control Pythium Blight on your turf.  Here are 5 tips to help you get started reducing this fungi’s spread throughout your property:

1.     Water your lawn in the early morning so water has time to evaporate. Avoid irrigating your lawn in the late afternoon or evening where water may not evaporate overnight and will, instead, provide a perfect setting for fungi to settle in

2.     Cut down on fertilizing your lawn from June through August. Added nitrogen, which is found in fertilizers, only serves as a food source for Pythium Blight, as well as other fungi that could develop on your lawn

3.     Extend your mower’s cutting height so only 3 1/2 to 4 inches of grass is left each time you mow. Besides raising your mowering deck, cut back on your mowing to once a week to allow your grass to grow—which makes it more resistant to fungal diseases

4.     To stop the spread of Pythium Blight, don’t mow or water those affected areas. If you do mow those affected areas, make sure that you don’t mow your entire lawn. Instead, collect contaminated clippings and clean your mower after cutting diseased grass before mowing the rest of your lawn

5.     Call your local lawn care company to apply fungicides to diseased areas of your lawn.

More Info on Common Ohio Lawn Diseases

Ohio is the heart of it all, especially when it comes to lawn diseases. With so many of them out there, what's a homeowner to do? Not to fret, Weed Pro has put together a guide with the most common Ohio Lawn Diseases! The best part is that this guide, packed with a whole lot of info, is yours for FREE by clicking on the button below!

About Wendy:
Wendy Komancheck is an accomplished Freelance Writer for Trade Magazines, Websites, and Local Businesses, specializing in horticultural articles. Check out Wendy's bio and website by Clicking Here. Wendy's Google+ Page