As the month of June begins and the summer season will soon be underway, more varieties of weeds and lawn diseases seem to be popping up around lawns all over Ohio. Your lush, green lawn can be vulnerable to many lawn care diseases and one of the most common summer lawn diseases is red thread.

What is it?

Red thread is a fungal infection caused by the fungus, laetisaria fuciformis. This disease will cause irregularly shaped patches of tan or red throughout the lawn, specifically in the leaves and stems of the grass plant. Red thread will not harm the crown or root of the grass, but it is not aesthetically pleasing to look at and can make your lawn look very unhealthy. This disease can also make your lawn vulnerable to diseases that are more threatening.  For more information on the signs and symptoms, click here.

Where does it like to grow?

Red thread loves Ohio summers, where the days get very warm and the nights are cooler. The changes in temperature creates a moist environment that fungi love, making it a perfect opportunity for red thread to invade your lawn. Red thread also favors cool season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass.

How to help protect your lawn?

Red thread will often go away on its own if the conditions dry out and it stays warm. However, this can take a while and if you do not keep a close on eye on your lawn, other diseases can infect your grass.

There are other ways to keep your lawn red thread-free:

• Use a fungicide- By applying a fungicide to the infected area, you can stop the red thread from spreading and help it to grow out faster.
• Fertilizer is key- Fertilizer can come in handy for a lot of things and properly fertilizing your lawn can help in dealing with red thread. Make sure you use a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus to keep your lawn in optimal health.
• For more ways on protecting your lawn, check out this resource.

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