Survive an attack of Red Thread Disease

Red Thread Disease in you lawn's season is now upon us. Warm and wet environmental conditions are ideal for an outbreak of this unsightly lawn disease and once this mini heat wave subsudes, you will see the disease on your lawn if it is under nourished.

It is fairly easy to prevent an outbreak of this lawn disease.  The majority of lawns were fertilised in the spring months and now the benefit of that feed is wearing off.  Add into the equation that some of the nutrients in the turf grass plants end up in the mower box as grass clippings and you can soon build up a picture as to why the grass may become weak and susceptible to an attack of Red Thread Disease. The presence of the Red Thread pathogen is unfortunately within some grass species and purchasing good quality certified grass seed is important as these are usually the top ten cultivars for a specie where everyone in the supply chain has tried hard to improve the rating for 'freedom of Red Thread'.

Red Thread Disease in you lawn's season is now upon us. Warm and wet environmental conditions are ideal for an outbreak of this unsightly lawn disease and once this mini heat wave subsudes, you will see the disease on your lawn if it is under nourished.

It is fairly easy to prevent an outbreak of this lawn disease.  The majority of lawns were fertilised in the spring months and now the benefit of that feed is wearing off.  Add into the equation that some of the nutrients in the turf grass plants end up in the mower box as grass clippings and you can soon build up a picture as to why the grass may become weak and susceptible to an attack of Red Thread Disease. The presence of the Red Thread pathogen is unfortunately within some grass species and purchasing good quality certified grass seed is important as these are usually the top ten cultivars for a specie where everyone in the supply chain has tried hard to improve the rating for 'freedom of Red Thread'.

Red Thread Disease does not kill the turf grass plant but it will kill affected leaves.  The biggest problem is the unsightly post disease scaring which is not very pleasing on the eye.  You will see areas of about 10cm in diameter that can join together to form larger areas.  If you cannot see the 'Red Threads', then the disease has been and gone before you noticed it.  Some times you will not see the little red threads poking out of the turf grass leaf, just some pink mycelium deposits in the crown/middle of the plant.  In time, the natural growth cycle of the grasses will encourage the straw like leaves to fall off to be replaced hopefully with new green leaves.

You can react quickly and apply a systemic turf fungicide such as Bayer Lawn Disease Control but the best and most cost effective remedy is to notice the signs that the previous fertiliser application is wearing off and feed the lawn again before you see signs of this disease.  The biggest failing of UK lawns is the fact that they are often mown too short and not fertilised sufficiently.  Both are easy to remedy and your lawn will thank you for it.

Good healthy desirable turf grasses tend not to get diseased so if your lawn is showing signs of disease, it is quietly telling you that it is hungry - feed me Seymour!

Read more on The RHS web site

Buy Lawn Fertiliser

Picture - Copyright Acknowledged - The Royal Horticultural Society

You can react quickly and apply a systemic turf fungicide such as Bayer Lawn Disease Control but the best and most cost effective remedy is to notice the signs that the previous fertiliser application is wearing off and feed the lawn again before you see signs of this disease.  The biggest failing of UK lawns is the fact that they are often mown too short and not fertilised sufficiently.  Both are easy to remedy and your lawn will thank you for it.

Good healthy desirable turf grasses tend not to get diseased so if your lawn is showing signs of disease, it is quietly telling you that it is hungry - feed me Seymour!

Read more on The RHS web site

Buy Lawn Fertiliser

Picture - Copyright Acknowledged - The Royal Horticultural Society