Dollar Spot Control: How To Get Rid of Dollar Spot

This page is a general dollar spot control guide. Using the products and methods suggested, you will get control of dollar spot. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control of dollar spot.

Dollar spot is a fungal disease that attacks the leaf tissue without eliminating the roots. Dollar spot is common on golf courses and residential turf. This fungus gets its name from its appearance. The disease creates small spots on turf that resemble a silver dollar. Dollar spot can affect annual bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, and other grass types.

Dollar spot has a small size, but can cause severe damage to your turf. These seeds can last for long periods of time in thatch and soil, which makes prevention and control important steps in the process of getting rid of dollar spot. Areas that have been affected by dollar spot can become vulnerable to weeds.

If you notice dollar spot on your turf, there are methods to control this disease and get it out of your lawn. This DIY Dollar Spot Treatment guide will provide recommended products and instructions on how to get rid of dollar spot.

Identification

Because dollar spot can easily be mistaken for other lawn nuisances like brown patch, it is important to properly identify what is causing discolored patches in your grass. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods, costing you time and money. Here are some defining characteristics of dollar spot to look for in order to properly identify the disease.

• The spread of Dollar Spot will shape itself to look like circles that are roughly the size of a silver dollar.
• Dollar Spot is tan colored and generally no larger than 1 inch in diameter, but several will group together.
• When grass is affected by Dollar Spot, the blades will have white or tan colored markings on them.
• When Dollar Spot spreads, the entire blade can have a white or tan color. On dewy mornings, it is possible to see what looks like stringy cobwebs in your grass; this is the dollar spot spreading.
• On occasion, especially early in the morning, you can see fungal threads (or mycelium) growing on the affected turf.

Use the image and description above to make sure that Dollar Spot is present and active in your area. If you are not entirely sure, contact us and we will assist you with proper identification.

Inspection

After you have properly identified Dollar Spot, proceed to an inspection. during this phase, you will identify where Dollar Spot is located and concentrated on your property as well as pinpoint the conducive conditions that may be helping the disease to thrive.

Where to Inspect

Take a close look at your lawn in the morning, especially if there is dew. The most important areas to observe are those with low-cut grass, low nitrogen levels, or dry soil. Fescue, ryegrasses and zoysiagrasses are especially vulnerable to Dollar Spot.

Dollar spot is most active when temperatures reach up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and when nights are cool. Because of this, dollar spot emerges between early spring and late fall. The disease generally affects vulnerable turf with low nitrogen levels. Dry turf is also a symptom.

What to Look For

Scan the turf for small, circular patches that are tan-colored. If necessary, pull a few blades of grass out. Look closely for discolored patches on the blades. These areas will also be tan-colored, sometimes with a dark brown border.

Treatment

Now that you have inspected the areas where Dollar spot is active on your turf, applying a fungicide is the next effective step in getting rid of this disease. We recommend using Patch Pro Fungicide to control the presence of dollar spot in your turf.

To apply Patch Pro, you will need either a hose-end sprayer, backpack sprayer, or hand-pump sprayer. Be sure to wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) before applying any product.

Step 1 - Measure Your Turf Area

First, you will need to measure the square footage of the area you are wanting to treat. You can do this by multiplying the length and width together (length x width = square footage).

For Patch Pro, the application rate is either 0.5 to 2 fluid ounces per 1,000 square feet, depending on whether you are controlling or preventing dollar spot. For curative control, we recommend 2 fluid ounces per 1,000 square feet.

Step 2 - Mix Patch Pro with Water

After determining how much Patch Pro you need for your targeted area, create your solution. Fill your spray tank halfway with the required amount of water. Next, add in your measured amount of Patch Pro, fill your sprayer the rest of the way with water and shake to mix thoroughly.

Step 3 - Apply Patch Pro Solution

Now that your solution is mixed, you can being applying it to your treatment area. For maximum results, using a fan-spray setting is recommended. Even though Dollar Spot is only in certain areas of your lawn, coat your entire area to prevent Dollar Spot from spreading.

Apply your Patch Pro solution until your grass is visibly wet. Focus on areas that are shaded or have poor water drainage. Wait between 14 and 21 days to reapply. Switch to an alternative Fungicide with a different mode of action after three consecutive applications.

Prevention

While using a fungicide greatly affects the amount of Dollar Spot in your turf, prevention is an important step for controlling this disease. This is especially important for Dollar Spot because their seeds can remain dormant in winter before invading your lawn when spring comes.

• Be sure that your lawn has a healthy amount of water, light, and nitrogen. If you are applying fertilizer to your lawn, avoid adding too much nitrogen.
• Be sure to remove thatch from your lawn as well, as thatch buildup can trap moisture and block the turf below from getting sun and other nutrients.
• Mow your lawn at 3 to 4 inches in height, minimizing shade by trimming back branches and making sure not to over-fertilize.
• When watering your plants, water the soil and not the leaves and do it consistently at the same rate and at the same time once a week, preferably in the morning. We recommend 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week.

Key Takeaways

What is Dollar Spot?

• Dollar spot is a fungal disease that appears in small, tan-colored circles that are roughly the size of a silver dollar. This disease can spread quickly and infect your lawn.

How to Get Rid of Dollar Spot

• Our best form of Dollar Spot Treatment is Patch Pro. Apply Patch Pro with a fan-spray setting to your lawn, and reapply every 14 days for continued control.

Preventing Dollar Spot Reinvasion

• Keep your lawn watered and fertilized with a nitrogen-rich formula to prevent the reappearance of Dollar spot.