• Description of Problem:

• Lawn develops light colored spots from 4 to 8 inches, which may join together to form larger irregular shaped, thru out lawn. Hot humid weather effects lawn most. A white moldy growth covers blades of lawn in early am or during fog.

• Cause of Problem:

• Small dollar size patches are caused by a fungus known as Sclerotinia homeocarpa., most active between 65-85 degrees F. This fungus is attracted to the lawn because of the rapid lush new growth of a high nitrogen feed lawn. The chemical fertilizer kills off all beneficial bacteria and attracts these harmful bacteria and fungus. The root cause of all fungal diseases is dead soil. Over fertilized soil, improper care for, will die and along with it goes the support system needed by plants to grow healthy and disease free. The very water you use has chlorine (usually) added to it to control bacteria in the water. It is this very anti-bacterial water that kills all beneficials in the soil further adding to the damage caused by over chemical usage.

• The Organic Solution:

Take better care of your soil!
Top dress with compost several times per year.
Top dress with rock dust several times per year.
Aerate each time before top dressing is done.
Composted horse manure makes a good lawn top dressing.

• A good lawn compost formula:

mix together the following: 

• • 4 parts aged Horse manure 

  • 1 part Rabbit or llama manure 

  • 1 part Alfalfa meal 

  • 1 part Coffee grinds 

  • 1 part Rock Dust 
    Blend together. Make into a pile. Cover with a tarp and allow to sit for one week. Then turn pile over. Let sit for another week. Do this for two months. Pile is ready to apply to lawn. spread evenly over lawn area. water in well or allow to be rained on. Save some to make compost tea with. GOTO Compost Tea Page to get more information on making and using compost tea.
    

• A natural spray to use:

• Using Compost Tea to control fungus:

• A good strong compost tea can be sprayed on the effected lawn to control most fungus related problems. Allow the tea to sit for a few days before using. Add some Dr. Bronners soap, (a few drops per gallon) to increase effectiveness as the soap becomes a wetting agent. Adding Nitron A-35 and Superseaweed to this mixture will greatly improve its effectiveness.

• Control your watering.

• It is important to control the amount and times of watering to insure that you are not over or under watering.

• See lawn basics GOTO Natural Lawn Dept
  Read each section carefully, for more information read 

  • dead soil,                Lawn Problems.....Dead Soil  

  • waterlogged soil,     Lawn Problems.....Water Logged Soil  

  • compacted soil,      Lawn Problems Compacted Soil  

  • dog urine,               Lawn Pests Dogs Peeing on the Lawn

  • chemical burn,        Lawn Problems Chemical Burns  

  • algae moss,            Lawn Diseases Algae Growth

• If you still are having a problem and need to talk with The Invisible Gardener then send me email. Try also try our Members Ask Andy Lawn Forum.

• I will answer within 24 hrs! So the next time on you will have your answer!

  andy lopez
• Invisible Gardener
• copyright

I was here last on March 17, 2013