Summer time and the lawn isn’t easy

For the past few summers lawns from Norristown to Cheltenham have battled the intense summer heat and typically lose the season-long battle. Once temperatures reach the 90's consistently, our cool season turf enter a state of dormancy but typically bounce back in the early fall, while weaker grasses simply die out with the blazing temperatures. This year, the relatively mild conditions have cut back on the drought damage, but a different issue is wreaking havoc on our lawns.

Afternoon thunderstorms promote fungus and disease activity in lawns throughout the summer. By night, the excess moisture coupled with dark, humid conditions create a hot zone for the spread of dollar spot and leaf spot disease which are two of the most common lawn diseases in Montgomery and Chester County during this time of year. Brown spots throughout the lawn are either caused by dollar or leaf spot disease. The grass surrounding the brown grass will have lesions that resemble an hourglass or a cigarette burn, respectively.

Leaf spot disease

There are several solutions to this problem. Fungicides help to stop the spread of the disease but do not return the brown areas to their original, spring-time green. Depending upon the disease, proper fertilization and watering at the appropriate times will speed up the curing process. Once the weather cools, aerating your lawn will reduce the thatch layer which promotes significant disease activity. 

 -Contributed by Harry Bambi, Sales Supervisor