Lawn Disease & Fungus Control: How to Get Rid of Lawn Diseases

This page is a general lawn disease and fungus control guide. Using the suggested products and methods, you can control any lawn fungus or disease. The lawn disease category pages provide additional information on the different types of fungi and diseases and specific treatment instructions and options. Follow these guides and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control of all lawn fungus issues.

Has your lush green lawn suddenly started experiencing patches or started to brown? This can be a cause for concern as there may be a lawn disease or fungus present. Lawn fungus and disease can take various forms. Some signs of disease include discoloration, brown and yellow patches of dead grass, the appearance of mushrooms, spots on leaves, or slimy/powdery residue, among other examples. 

Lawn diseases and fungi can progress quickly in a yard, starting as yellow, tan, or brown spots before degrading into something worse, potentially even killing your turfgrass if no intervention is taken. 

If your lawn is suffering from fungus-based diseases, we can help. By using our cost-effective lawn fungus killers and following the step-by-step instructions in our DIY lawn and fungus treatment guide below, you’re guaranteed to make your lawn disease-free while saving money.

Identification

Disease-causing fungi are almost always present in the soil, waiting for the opportune time when conditions are favorable to attack. You may see different symptoms depending on the disease or fungus. Identifying the specific disease your lawn has before conducting lawn fungus treatment is important. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods, costing you time and money.

• Diseases and fungi can appear in residential lawns, gardens, landscapes, and other areas where plants are growing. Mistaking lawn disease for damage left behind by turf pests is common. Pests like grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms will damage turf in a way that resembles lawn disease.
• Fungus is often found in areas under environmental or climate stress. Fungi and disease can also indicate that you are not giving your turf the proper care and maintenance.
• There’s no one reason disease and fungus can develop; there may be a combination of different causes, such as overwatering, using the wrong type of fertilizer, and not mowing properly.
• For instance, if you have a brown patch, you’ll notice irregular patches of dead grass. If you have rust, this is indicated by seeing your blades of grasses coated with a distinctive orange rust-like appearance. If you have a fairy ring, you'll see mushrooms.

Browse our lawn disease and fungus subcategories to learn about the most common diseases, find out which one you have, and learn how to best control it using our lawn fungus treatment products and techniques.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed what lawn fungus or disease is present, you can proceed with an inspection. During this phase, you will pinpoint the areas where the disease has taken hold and analyze the lawn conditions that may be helping the fungus to thrive. This information will help you to determine where to focus your fungicide application.

Where to Inspect

Conduct a detailed inspection of your lawn and record your observations. Ask yourself a series of questions as you go along, such as:

• Is your grass under stress? (Extreme weather, too much foot traffic, etc.)
• Does your soil lack sufficient nutrients?
• Are there insect pests present that are contributing to the damage that brought about the disease?

What to Look For

Observe your lawn turf, garden plants, or ornamentals for symptoms of disease, which can vary—from discoloration to mold to the appearance of mushrooms. Anything that seems off or unhealthy about a plant should be noted.

It is important to check the weather conditions when the disease is thriving. Warm-season grasses are most vulnerable to disease when temperatures are cooler than normal.

Cool-season grasses risk contracting a disease when the weather is warmer than normal.

Other weather patterns to look for are excessively wet or dry weather and cloudy or overcast skies. If any of these conditions prevail, then the chances of disease being present go up.

Using your inspection findings, you can move forward with a lawn fungus treatment approach.

Treatment

Before using any lawn fungus treatment chemicals, ensure you have the necessary PPE (gloves, goggles, mask).

Our top lawn fungus killer recommendation is Patch Pro or Systemic Fungicide RTS. These products contain the active ingredient propiconazole and can control a broad spectrum of common lawn diseases cost-effectively.

Step 1: Mix Patch Pro Fungicide or Fungicide of Your Choosing

Determine how much Patch Pro Fungicide to use by measuring the square footage of the treatment area. Find the square footage by measuring the length and width of the treatment area in feet, then multiply them together (length X width = square footage). 

Use either a hose-end sprayer or a pump sprayer. 

Depending on the disease you wish to treat, Patch Pro should be mixed at a rate between .5 to 4 ounces per 1000 square feet in a gallon of water.

If your yard is 2,500 square feet, you would need to mix 1.5 to 10 ounces in 2.5 gallons of water.

Mix the appropriate amount of Patch Pro with the correct amount of water in a handheld pump or hose-end sprayer. Do not put in too much water, as it will lessen the effectiveness of the fungicide product.

Pour the mixture into the sprayer tank and thoroughly agitate the solution.

Step 2: Apply Fungicide To Lawn

Spray the mixture onto the grass or ornamental plants until it drips from the blades and leaves. For best results, use a nozzle that sprays out in a fan spray setting at about 60 PSI.

Apply the selected fungicide during the cool morning hours. If the temperature is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, apply the fungicide until it is cooler.

It is important to first know the type of fungus or disease your lawn has before proceeding with selecting a fungicide for treatment. Once the disease and/or fungus has been properly identified, you can determine what fungicides work best to treat your lawn.

Step 3: Follow-up Treatment

Depending on the severity of your disease, you may have to reapply the fungicide until you see the presence of the fungus. Reapply at 7—to 14-day intervals 2 or more times to achieve complete control of the target fungus or disease.

The reason for this is to account for weather and chemical breakdown. Follow specific product applications found on the label.

Prevention

To keep lawn disease out of your yard, you must regularly monitor your turf and plants, eliminate conducive conditions that will discourage fungi from developing, and keep your lawn healthy.

• When environmental conditions are conducive to fungal disease development, preventive applications of lawn fungus treatment should be made. Periods of excessive rain, high humidity, seasonal transitions, and an overabundance of nitrogen in the soil are some conditions that are favorable to most turf fungal disease pressure.
• If any of these conditions exist, this would be a good time to perform preventative applications of systemic fungicide. Feed your lawn with fertilizer to ensure that its soil is not nutrient-deficient. A nutrient-rich lawn is better equipped to fight disease, pests, and weeds. 
• Water your lawn deeply and infrequently to encourage strong root systems. Mow at the right height for your selected grass. Mowing too short weakens the grass plant, making it more susceptible to disease.

Key Takeaways

What are Lawn Fungus and Disease?

• Lawn fungus and disease are lawn ailments caused by pathogens that take hold of grass and can range from cosmetic damage to your lawn to grass death.
• There is a wide variety of different lawn diseases and fungi that can affect a lawn. Observe your lawn closely and look for symptoms to determine what disease is present.

How To Get Rid of Lawn Fungus and Disease

• We recommend Patch Pro for treating the most common lawn diseases. Be sure to identify which fungus you have so you can select the right lawn fungus control product for your particular problem.

Preventing Disease and Fungus Re-establishment

• Prevent the re-emergence of lawn diseases and fungus by keeping up with regular lawn maintenance tasks to keep your lawn healthy (mowing, fertilizer, proper watering, etc).