Lawn Diseases From Fertilizing

Fertilizer boosts the health of the lawn and promotes its vigor and vibrant color. However, excessive and incorrect fertilizing can result in lawn diseases. While some lawn diseases are incurable, most can be treated and reversed.

Diseases

• Most lawn diseases are fungal-based, and result from poor soil aeration and nitrogen levels that are too high or too low. Common lawn diseases that result from fertilizing issues include snow mold, brown patch, dollar spot, rust and grease spot.

Identification

• Symptoms of fertilizing lawn diseases include browning or deadened spots in the lawn, a straw-colored appearance, wilting, and the appearance of mildew and decay. The symptoms may be appear gradually or suddenly, depending on the type and severity of the disease.

Treatment

• You can treat most lawn diseases with scheduled fungicidal spray applications. Do not apply fertilizers during fungicidal treatments. De-thatch and aerate the lawn to improve the air circulation throughout the lawn's root system. Irrigate the lawn deeply and infrequently to prevent over-watering.