Lawn Alert: Leaf Blight Near You!

BREAKING NEWS:

There is a fungus among us. Right now, our eagle-eyed Be Green technicians have spotted something called Ascochyta Leaf Blight on lawns in our area. Unfortunately, we think this may be widespread.

The Bad News: The blight is a fungal disease spread by spores that create an unattractive blemish in your lawn (pictured above).

The Good News: Ascochyta Leaf Blight is temporary.

FIVE FACTS you need to know about Ascochyta Leaf Blight:

• It’s a fungal pathogen that starts as a spore, living in dead leaves and clippings in thatch. The spores are dispersed via activities like rain and mowing.
• It tends to emerge when weather switches rapidly from wet to dry.
• The spores enter grass tips after mowing and kill the grass blades from the top down.
• Sometimes the grass will have a white band between healthy and dead grass.

DON’T PANIC. The blight is unpredictable and rapid, so professional treatment is not necessarily recommended. There is no preventative. Your lawn will recover in 2-3 weeks and there is rarely serious damage since it only attacks the grass leaf.

Here’s what you can do:

• Keep grass strong by staying up-to-date with your Be Green Pro lawn care treatments. Fertilization is the key to a speedy recovery.
• Increase water penetration with annual aeration and dethatching.
• Mow at the right time. Don’t mow in wet weather.
• Make sure your mower blades are sharp, clean, and set to at least three inches.
• Consider mowing every seven days. This allows the grass to heal and prevents it from being re-infected.

At Be Green Pro, we are proud to be your lawn care partners. If you have questions about your Ascochyta Leaf Blight, your lawn, or any concerns with what you’re seeing on your property, please get in touch. We’re available by phone or email.

Founder and CEO

Bibliography

Waterworth, K. (2018, April 4). Blighted Turf Symptoms: How To Treat Ascochyta Leaf Blight On Lawns. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/ascochyta-leaf-blight-on-lawns.htm

Tisserat, N. (2016, March 11). Ascochyta Leaf Blight of Turf – 2.901. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/ascochyta-leaf-blight-of-turf-2-901/

Iriarte Fanny Iriarte, F., & Minner, D. (2010, June 23). Ascochyta Leaf Blight of Lawns. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2010/6-23/ascochyta.html

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