All lawns get a few brown patches during the growing season and chances are you’ve tried to identify the cause. The truth is that brown spots can show up for any number of reasons, but more often than not, it is due to a fungus problem. Here are some quick tips to help you should your lawn develop a disease issue this year.

Frequent rains and humidity coupled with higher temperatures allow for a perfect storm of fungal problems. This is especially true during the months of April, May and June. During these months, your turf is under constant fungal pressure.

Common lawn fungus problems across most of the country are rust disease, red thread, summer patch, and dollar spot. The good new is, however, none of these will do major damage to your turf if you are willing to do a little work and change some of your habits, as well as allow your lawn care company to assist you.

Though we may wish for it, good weather is not always in your lawn’s favor. But you can make weekly adjustments to your own lawn care regimen to counter-act bad weather conditions. Mow your lawn tall and irrigate consistently and deeply. Never water at night and catch clippings when disease is present.

There are also a number of granular fungicides available at your local home and garden center. These will work very well if applied before any sign or fungus or disease occurs. I always recommend homeowners apply fungicides in May and again in late June if warranted. Of course, you should always follow the directions on the product you are applying. If you can’t get to it, hire a lawn pro to do it for you.

Another important consideration is soil composition; specifically in regards to available nitrogen. Nitrogen in the soil will allow grass to grow quickly, thus recovering faster from disease pressure. Your lawn pro can help adjust fertilizer rates for you or apply the correct amounts when diseases are present in the turf.

Lastly and most importantly is the thatch layer in the turf. Thatch is that layer of organic matter that floats just above the soil line in the lawn.

Proper amounts of thatch are good. Thatch keeps the turf’s roots shaded during very sunny days and maintains moisture levels, but too much will harbor disease. If your thatch layer is more than one-half-inch thick, it is time to aerate your lawn.

Aeration is a mechanical process whereby cores of soil are removed from the lawn. During this process, holes are punched in the thatch layer, effectively reducing it without complete elimination. Your lawn care pro can aerate your lawn at any time during the year, as long as the machine can pull a good plug. This is typically in the spring and fall. If you are unable aerate your lawn and your thatch layer is very thick and spongy, it’s time to buy a rake and get to work! I never recommend power raking for a thatch problem unless it is severe.

However you go about taking care of your lawn, don’t get too worried about the brown spots that pop up here and there. Grass is very resilient and tends to recover from most any damage very quickly. Just be sure to do your part with proper mowing and regular irrigation and your lawn will stick up thick and emerald green all season long.