Abc Can Keep Your Yard Healthy
Yard fungus is unsightly and hard to diagnose and treat on your own. The professionals at ABC Home & Commercial Services can help you determine what is affecting your yard and the best methods to treat any kind of condition so you not only protect your beautiful lawn from dying but also protect your investment of time and money. Well cut out the guesswork for you so you can focus on enjoying your outdoor spaces.
How To Treat And Prevent Pythium Lawn Disease
Pythium Blight is one of the most annoying lawn diseases because its so easy to prevent but hard-to-cure. You can do nothing about hot and humid weather, which makes this fungus very common in summer months when you might want your grass healthy again! In order not have pythies everywhere lurking under our feet , make sure that fertilizers are slow release avoid using quick fix ones with too much nitrogen for optimal growth ratesthose will only encourage more thrips development as well if there already was an infestation present before hand! For watering practices try watering long and sparingly , early in the day. This way, grass blades have a chance to dry out before nightfall. Aerate the soil to prevent thatch buildup and to loosen compacted, poorly draining soil. Fix your landscape and even out the turf to minimize areas where water might pool.
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Home Remedies For Lawn Disease Treatment
Below are some home remedies for fungus control. These methods are meant to be used on smaller areas of infected turf or as preventive measures. Unfortunately, chemical fungicides may be necessary if your lawn is severely affected by fungus.
Compost Tea
Compost tea is a liquid version of compost made from water and microbial matter. The liquid is brewed in a machine to multiply beneficial bacteria and create a nutritious turfgrass treatment.
Compost tea is best used as a preventive turf treatment because it adds good fungi to the soil to aid in nutrient uptake, keeping your lawn healthy and strong. The beneficial bacteria also build soil structure to help reduce compaction that can lead to fungal infection.
Neem Oil
If youd prefer to go the all-natural route and avoid spraying chemicals on your lawn, you can buy a neem oil spray to fight fungus on your turf.
Neem oil is a naturally occurring insecticide and fungicide found in neem tree seeds. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, neem oil and its components are used in over 100 pesticide products.
Neem oil works by preventing fungal spores from penetrating plant tissue. While the oil wont cure already infected grass, it does help contain the spread of disease.
Baking Soda Solution
You can apply a baking soda solution to your turf to treat small areas of lawn fungus. To use this treatment effectively, youll need to mix sodium bicarbonate with water.
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Removing Mold From Exterior Home Surfaces
Chlorine bleach is quite effective in cleaning all types of house siding, concrete, brick, and stone, but it is harmful to plants and lawns. Be sure to cover any vulnerable plants with heavy plastic sheeting.
Mix one cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water. The solution can be used with a garden sprayer, power washer, or for hand-scrubbing. Always wear safety glasses, gloves, protective clothing, and a respirator. The bleach solution will cause color-loss on any type of fabric.
Wet the moldy areas with plain water, then the bleach and water solution, and allow it to work for several minutes. If the mold lightens, move to another area. If stains remain, scrub the area and then reapply more bleach and water solution. Allow to air dry completely.
Rinse down nearby planted areas with plain water.
How To Identify Fungus On Your Lawn
Brown patches on grass are just one sign that your lawn is dealing with a fungus problem. You may also notice stringy red threads, mushrooms, and other forms of fungus and fungal diseases.
Understanding common fungal threats can help you identify the issue in your lawn. Some of the most common types of fungus and fungal diseases include:
- Red thread
- Lawn rust
- Mushrooms
Red thread, lawn rust, fusarium, and other fungal diseases can create brown, orange, or reddish-orange patches in your turf. A brown patch may also be a sign of weak grass instead of a fungal infection.
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Preventing Mold From Growing On Outdoor Surfaces
To keep mold from returning or to make your yard less mold-friendly, try the below:
Mow and rake your lawn regularly
Keep gutters clear to drain away from the house
Trim plants away from siding and trees from roof so sunlight can find its way to these surfaces and kill mold
Keep windows and siding caulked to prevent moisture from finding its way in
Keep shingles and flashing maintained
Promptly repair and seal leaky pipes and roofs
Do yearly roof inspections to catch any issues before they bloom into mold infestations
Clear leaves and debris from drainage areas around your home and yard
Store firewood away from the house
Use materials like treated lumber, stainless steel, galvanized fasteners, and stucco siding outdoors because they are commonly resistant to mildew
Clean and dry water damaged upholstered furniture
For initial small mold infiltrations, scrub surfaces with a mild detergent solution and then apply mixture of one-fourth cup bleach to one quart of water
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Top Recommended Lawn Care Provider
TruGreen does not specifically treat moss, but it handles a variety of practices that will decrease your chances of getting moss in the first place, like proper aeration and fertilization. The lawn care company offers five annual programs and a variety of a la carte services in every state except for Alaska. To get a free quote, call 866-817-2287 or fill out this easy form.
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Why Does My Lawn Have Brown Or Discolored Patches Of Grass
You put hours into your lawn, doing everything you were told to do to make the grass green and lush. Youve aerated, fed, watered, and mowed, and everything looked great until suddenly, it didnt. Almost overnight, there are patches of dead grass. Or maybe some spots are an unusual color, or just look off somehow. Whatever the issue, its unsightly, and it looks to be spreading.
Oftentimes, when a lawn develops problems like dead or discolored areas, the culprit is disease or lawn fungus. But before you give up and decide to just replace your lawn with artificial turf, you should know that your grass can be saved. By correctly identifying the problem, and applying the proper treatment, you can eradicate the disease and go back to enjoying a yard full of healthy grass.
How To Get Rid Of Moss In Your Lawn
There are several simple ways to get rid of the moss in your lawnbut prevention is the best medicine.
Moss can slowly creep over your lawn, making what was once green and lush unsightly and less than ideal. While moss isnt actually detrimental to your grass, most people dont want it overtaking their yard. Getting rid of it is easy but takes several steps, and discovering just why it finds your lawn so hospitable is key.
This Old House has rounded up the top tips for getting rid of moss in your lawn. Youll learn what you need to know, from how to apply dish soap to dethatchingand how to prevent moss from coming back. Once you kill off the unwanted moss, The This Old House Reviews Team recommends a lawn care provider like TruGreen to keep your lawn in tip-top shape. This industry leader offers five annual plans and a selection of a la carte services so you can customize your lawn care.
To get a free quote from TruGreen, call 866-817-2287 or fill out this easy form.
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Removing Mold From Interior Walls Flooring And Carpet
If the mold is fuzzy and black, it may be much worse than just unsightly. The area should be opened to check for structural damage. Wear safety glasses and respiratory protection. All building materials should be bagged in heavy-duty plastic bags and disposed of properly. Allow the area to dry out thoroughly and make any needed repairs.
To clean off mold from porous surfaces like wood and drywall, a detergent should be added to the bleach and water solution to help it adhere. Mix one part dishwashing detergent, 10 parts bleach, and 20 parts water. Apply with a sponge or mop, trying not to over-saturate the surfaces. Do not rinse away, and allow the solution to air dry.
Carpet with mold or a musty smell should be removed completely. Wearing a respirator, cut the carpet and pad into small sections. Mist the materials and under-flooring with water to help prevent the spread of airborne mold spores. Wrap the carpet in heavy plastic for disposal. Use a wet/dry vacuum to thoroughly clean the area and allow to air dry for several days before replacing flooring.
What Is Snow Mold
Most signs of spring are the welcome kind, including buds, blooms, warmer temps, and green grass. But gray-colored circles on your lawn? Not so much. Snow mold is caused by cold-weather fungi that primarily affect cool-season grasses. Signs of a problem arent noticeable until the spring when the snow melts.
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How Effective Are Fungicide Treatments
There is no permanent cure for lawn diseases, but some can be controlled or prevented by modern fungicides. In most lawn environments, good horticultural practices can prevent severe fungal attack or long-term problems. Making sure there is sufficient light and airflow across the lawn, reducing thatch levels and reducing compaction will all increase the overall health of the lawn and reduce the risk of diseases developing.
Sports turf and intensively managed grass areas may require a regular fungicide programme to prevent disease outbreak. There are not many products available commercially for the average consumer so you may need to get a gardener or lawn care company involved.
However, considering that many of these diseases will grow out, and given the difficulty of being able to control the environmental conditions that encourage disease flare ups, we wouldnt advise immediately reaching for chemical treatments and instead look at any lawn issues that can be addressed instead.
Is Lawn Fungus Treatment Effective
For the treatment to be effective, it is important that the person applying the treatment use the correct lawn fungus treatment. Contact fungicides do not penetrate the blades. Therefore, they must remain on the surface of the leaf blade for about 3-8 days to be effective. The primary purpose of contact fungicides is to form a barrier, which prevents fungus from entering the leaves, so it typically should be applied before the disease begins.
Systemic fungicides will enter the grass blade and go to the roots so, they work from the inside out. This type of fungicide is longer lasting than contact fungicides. This kind of treatment does require watering for the fungicide to reach the roots. One of the main disadvantages with systemics is the chance the disease will develop a resistance to the fungicide.
It is important to keep in mind that some fungicides can be dangerous to the environment. They can be especially dangerous if the user does not use it correctly. So, if you are not experienced with fungicides, it is a good idea to contact a local lawn care service. They will be able to evaluate the problem areas and apply the appropriate lawn fungus treatment.
For more information on lawn fungus or to schedule an appointment for one of our technicians to evaluate and apply lawn fungus treatment to your lawn, contact our team at Think Green Lawn Service by calling 648-2556.
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What Causes White Mold
Like other molds, white mold grows due to high moisture levels combined with the presence of a food source, and the right temperature. Common food sources for white mold include wood, drywall, carpeting, laminate, insulation and any other organic, carbon-rich material.
The best temperatures in which mold grows is between 2 and 40 degrees Celsius.
As white mold spreads, it eats away at the material it is growing on. If this happens to be drywall or wooden beams, white mold can lead to both cosmetic and structural damage of your home.
How To Kill Chickweed
Chickweed is a fast-growing annual weed that should be controlled early to prevent flowering and seed casting. It can be killed or prevented through the following methods:
- Hand weeding or digging.
- Spraying with a non-selective weed killer.
- Spraying with selective broadleaf weed killer safe for lawns.
- Smothering with a tarp or black plastic.
- Spreading pre-emergent weed killer in late spring.
- Cultivating a thicker, healthier lawn.
- Mulching garden areas.
These methods will allow you to easily kill chickweed permanently and prevent it from returning in the following seasons. With just a little work, you can rid your yard and flowerbeds of chickweed entirely.
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Why Are Fungi Dangerous To Plants
Plant pathogenic fungi cause diseases in ornamental and in home grown as well as in agricultural crops. Plant diseases are known to gardeners and farmers alike.
Here is what fungi do to plants:
- They infect plants. Just like humans get infected with diseases, plants also get infected when a spore of a fungus lands on a plant tissue and invades it.
- They make the plant sick. As the fungi grows inside and on top of the plant it deprives the plant of nutrients and leaves and other plant structures start changing their shape and their color.
- They steal harvests. Because the fungus is interfering with the normal shape and functioning of the plant you may see some leaves dying or turning yellow the plant cannot produce the expected harvest, and the harvest will be hampered.
- They kill plants. In the worst cases, plant diseases will kill the whole plant, which means that the full crop will be lost, or ornamental trees and shrubs will need to be removed.
Slime Molds On The Grass
Slime molds are a common type of mold that affects both warm-season and cool-season grass. Like their name, slime molds appear slimy and greasy. The patches of mold generally grow 4 to 8 inches across and may be white, yellow, orange, purple or gray in color. The fungus feeds on decaying organic material and often appears in moist conditions, such as when there is a heavy dew or fog.
This type of mold is not long-lasting and will go away on its own within a few days, notes Alabama Cooperative Extension System. It does not damage your lawn but can be unsightly. You can mow or rake the lawn to help remove the mold or spray it off the grass with water if desired. Fungicides are available for slime mold but are not recommended for home landscapes.
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What Causes Lawn Fungus
Excessive heat and humidity are the leading causes of fungus. As mentioned above, fungus often occurs in times of stress, such as drought, long rainy seasons, and overwatering.
Fungus often develops because water stays on the leaf surface far too long. Mycelia use the water as a highway to travel from leaf-to-leaf. This allows the fungus to spread to other parts of the lawn.
This is also the reason that you should not walk through your lawn when it is battling fungus. If there is moisture on the lawn you can spread the fungus across the grass.
Another cause of fungus is undernourishment. When grass does not have the right amount of nutrients it is more susceptible to disease.
After it rains, theres typically more water available in the soil for the grass plants. When plants take up that water, they are also taking up nutrients thats in the soil. The more it rains, the faster that nitrogen is used up. If the nitrogen is not replenished, the problem will continue.
Identifying Fighting And Preventing Lawn Diseases
When disease hits your lawn grasses, control can be difficult unless you know how to identify lawn and grass diseases and understand the causes behind them. Many common lawn and grass diseases have fungal problems at their source. Fortunately, proper lawn maintenance and care prevent and resolve most fungal lawn diseases. To keep your lawn healthy and fungus-free, learn:
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How To Treat Snow Mold Disease
Rake the damaged spots gently to aerate the grass blades and help dry them out. Remove any thatch layer that is more than 1/2 inch thick. This should not be done until the lawn has dried out somewhat and has been mowed two or three times, as mechanical dethatching machines can badly damage new grass shoots in the spring. Mow the lawn at a shorter than normal length until the mold is no longer actively growing. Taller grass will hold more moisture, which fosters fungal growth. Especially in the fall, mow to a short height to minimize the moisture that might be trapped under the first snowfall of the season. Bagging up all grass clippings for the last few mowing’s in the fall will also help.
What Should I Use To Kill Moss In My Garden
On a calm, dry day when rain is not expected and temperatures are above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, spray the moss with a ready-to-use acetic acid herbicide. Sprinkle moss over the entire square, but make sure that the soil does not get wet. After spraying, do not water other plants near the moss or rinse off the vinegar.
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