Lawn diseases are common in Ohio and will severely harm your turf if left to their own devices, which is why you'll want to keep your eye out for signs, with three standing out as the most prevalent. First on the list is red thread, manifesting as discolored patches with red or pink strands. Dollar spot is another problematic fungal disease, presenting as straw-colored spots reminiscent of dollar coins. Lastly, rust, with its distinctive orange-yellow spores dotting grass blades, resembles a rusty appearance on affected lawns.

1. Red Thread

Red thread presenting itself on a lawn in Delaware, OH.

Red thread is a common lawn disease in Ohio, with symptoms presenting as patches of bleached, straw-colored grass with small, pinkish-red threads, giving affected lawns a distinctive rosy hue. While not usually fatal to your lawn, it can cause significant aesthetic damage, especially for Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.

Red thread thrives in cool, moist conditions, often appearing in late spring and early summer when temperatures are between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels are high. Lawns with poor drainage or low nitrogen levels are particularly susceptible to this disease.

Red thread enters the grass through openings and cuts before spreading throughout the foliage.

2. Dollar Spot

Lawn in Delaware, OH, infested with dollar spot lawn disease.

Dollar spot is another lawn disease that is common in Ohio. It is caused by fungus and manifests as small, circular patches of tan or straw-colored grass that resemble dollar coins, hence the name. As the disease progresses, affected areas may merge, forming larger dead patches. You may also notice mycelium, or white, fuzzy growth, on those areas with morning dew.

Dollar spot primarily affects grass leaves, causing them to wither and die. This fungal disease thrives in warm, humid conditions, typically emerging in late spring to early summer and again in fall when temperatures range from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, coupled with high humidity and extended periods of leaf wetness. Lawns with excessive thatch build-up, drought stress, and nutrient deficiencies are more susceptible to this disease.

Dollar spot lawn disease is spread by lawn mowers, wind, water, and even foot traffic.

3. Rust

Grass blades covered with rust lawn disease in Delaware, OH.

Rust is the third common lawn disease that terrorizes lawns in Ohio. This lawn disease manifests as orange to yellowish-brown powdery pustules on the blades of grass, giving them a rusty appearance. These pustules contain fungal spores, which can spread easily through mowing or wind, leading to widespread infection.

Severe infections can weaken the grass and inhibit growth, resulting in thin, patchy areas. Rust thrives in warm, humid conditions, particularly when your lawn stays wet for prolonged periods. It is most prevalent in late summer to early fall but can also occur in spring. Lawns with poor soil fertility, compacted soil, and inadequate air circulation are more susceptible to rust.

Contact us today to sign up for our lawn disease control service!

Lawn diseases are never something you want to discover on your turf, but we're here to help. At Hoffmans Lawn & Fertilization, we offer preventative and curative lawn disease control treatments to prevent diseases like dollar spot, rust, and red thread from causing problems in the first place and eliminate any existing infections. We will visit your property 3-4 times to apply our preventative treatments to provide consistent, overlapping protection from fungal diseases when your lawn needs it the most. We even offer lawn care services to help nurse your lawn back to life after stopping the spread of one! We offer our lawn disease control service to residential and commercial property owners, as well as HOAs in Delaware, Lewis Center, Powell, OH, and throughout the surrounding communities. Give us a call at (740) 318-5296 to schedule our lawn disease control service today!