If you have large brown spots in your lawn, chances are they’re caused by a fungal disease known as brown patch or large patch. In the areas of Bryan and College Station, TX, this disease begins to emerge in humid conditions, temperatures between 70-90 degrees, and cool nights.

Brown patch is something that should never go untreated, especially if you’ve already invested a lot of money into having a green, lush yard.

What Brown Patch Does to Grass

Brown patch is caused by a fungus called Rhizoctonia and it can spring up overnight with the right conditions. Throughout the winter, it lives in plant debris, also known as thatch, and begins to enter the grass when the temperature starts to increase.

It thrives in high humidity situations and when overnight temperatures don’t go below 70 degrees. Brown patch is destructive and acts fast. Initially, it manifests itself in circular areas of brown or dead grass with a dark ring around it. These patches can be a few inches or even several feet wide.

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Preventative fungus and disease control applications can help ensure that your yard isn’t overtaken by brown patch. With back-to-back fall treatments in September and October administered by Greener LawnScapes, your grass can be protected from this disease.

When the lawn is mowed, make sure to remove grass clippings that could spread the disease throughout your grass.

How Brown Patch Is Attracted to Lawns

When a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen is used on your warm season grass in late fall and winter, it can create an ideal environment for this disease to flourish. Brown patch and other fungal disease activity are increased by heavy nitrogen use. A professional crew like Greener LawnScapes can apply the correct types of fertilizer to help prevent fungal diseases that love nitrogen-rich areas.

Overwatering a lawn is another way that brown patch can develop. This fungus grows when excess moisture is present. Lawns should also be dethatched and aerated to remove plant debris where brown patch can live and survive during the winter.

What Grasses Are Affected by Brown Patch

Brown patch affects all types of grasses grown in the Brazos Valley, including Bryan and College Station. No types of grass are completely resistant to this disease, but the floratam version of St. Augustine grass seems to have the most resistance and holds up the best against it.

Other types of grasses that brown patch can affect include:

• St. Augustine: Raleigh
• Bermuda
• Zoysia

When it comes to preventing lawn disease, prevention is the first step and we’re here to help.

We can come to your property located in the Brazos Valley, in areas such as Bryan, and help you figure out how to get your yard back after a brown patch attack.

Our professional crew can also assess your soil condition and find out what type of fertilizer your lawn needs to thrive without creating a nitrogen-rich environment for lawn diseases to grow. Call us today at (979) 204-1996 to set up an initial consultation.