So far, the summer of 2013 in the Akron, Cleveland, and Columbus areas, can be summed up as wet. Your region has received a lot of rainfall in the past few months where the rivers have risen and the climate has been ripe for Red Thread disease.

What is Red Thread disease?

It’s a fungal disease that hits lawns and other turfgrasses. Cool season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescues, are the most susceptible to the disease. If you invested in those types of grasses for your lawn, or part of your turf is under trees, you may want to check out your grass. Are there any pink or red “threads” in circular patches on your lawn? If so, you may have Red Thread disease.

Red Thread develops on slow-growing grasses, lawns that are sparingly maintained and grassy areas that are shaded. The good news is that the fungus won’t affect the crowns and roots of the grass plant. Therefore, it won’t kill your lawn. Yet, Red Thread makes your property look unsightly in spots.

What can you do about Red Thread disease?

It will eventually go away after conditions dry out and it gets warm again. Other than waiting it out, there really isn’t much that you need to do to rid your grass of Red Thread.

There are some preventative care tips that you can do to maintain your lawn and protect it from Red Thread, as well as maintain your turf’s ability to heal itself after an outbreak:

• Make sure that you’re adequately feeding your lawn in the spring and fall. Your fall fertilizing application peters out by spring of the following year. So, you’ll want to consider reapplying fertilizer to your lawn in late spring.
• Make sure that your fertilizer contains adequate amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous to give your lawn optimum health. A lawn care package can deliver the proper amount of fertilizer throughout the year.
• For rainy seasons, it’s okay to lightly apply fertilizer to those areas that are affected by Red Thread disease.
• Irrigate your lawn earlier in the day so that there’s no water left standing on your lawn at night. Watering your lawn in the late afternoon to early evening encourages Red Thread growth, as well as other fungal diseases, because the water doesn’t have time to evaporate. And night-time dew adds more moisture to the leaf blade, adding more ammunition for a fungal outbreak.
• The general rule of thumb: If you properly feed and maintain your lawn, you’ll also provide the necessary tools in your turf to keep the Red Thread threat at bay.
• Sometimes, fungicides need to be applied to lawns with Red Thread disease, but it’s best to first call your local lawn care service professional. A professional will be able to accurately prescribe a fungicide treatment plan that’s appropriate for your lawn’s health needs.

Not Sure What Is Wrong with Your Lawn? Find Out with Our Free Disease Guide!

A lot can go wrong in your lawn during this wacky weather. Disease and insects can take quite a toll on your lawn during the summer season. However you can't treat your lawn until you figure out what's wrong with it. That's why Weed Pro has put together a guide with the most common Ohio lawn diseases and how to treat them. The best part about this guide is that it's free! Just click the button below to download your free copy today!

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