Common Spring Lawn Diseases Affecting New Hampshire Lawns

Taking care of your New Hampshire lawn this spring is essential to ensuring a healthy start to the year. As the temperatures continue to rise, our lawns come under attack from a variety of threats. Pests and weeds can take their toll during the spring, but lawn diseases and fungal infections are the worst. Here are a few of the common spring lawn diseases affecting New Hampshire lawns this year.

Snow Mold

Pink Snow Mold (Fusarium Blight)

Pink snow mold is a nasty form of snow mold that attacks the crown and roots of your grass. It comes out in the spring, when the moisture is high and the temperatures are still low. Of the two types of snow mold affecting New Hampshire lawns, pink snow mold is by far the worst. Pink snow mold forms in matted grass, excess thatch, and under piles of dead, wet leaves. Be on the lookout for 1-8 inch patches of brown, red, or copper-colored grass in your lawn this spring.

Gray Snow Mold (Typhula Blight)

Another, less destructive, form of snow mold here in New Hampshire is gray snow mold. This persistent fungus grows in the damp, matted grass and thatch of your lawn in the winter and spring. It’s made worse by lawn debris, like wet leaves and broken branches on the lawn. Though it doesn’t attack the grass’ roots or crown, it is still an ugly fungus causing stress to your grass. Watch for 6-12 inch patches of white, bleached, or gray grass this spring.

Dollar Spot

One of the most common spring lawn diseases in New Hampshire is dollar spot. This disease appears in the lawn as little circles of straw-colored or bleached grass. The circles are only about the size of a silver dollar but, when the circles continue to grow and combine, they can grow quite large. Dollar spot becomes more of a threat as nighttime temperatures reach 50 degrees or more and daytime temperatures reach the 60s, making this more of a late spring threat. It also loves a wet lawn. Prevent dollar spot by ensuring you only water the lawn in the early morning so the excess moisture can evaporate throughout the day.

Brown Patch

One of the most prevalent lawn diseases across the country is brown patch. This aptly-named disease appears in the lawn as large, irregularly shaped patches of brown grass. The size of these brown patches varies between 6 inches and several feet in diameter. As they grow in the lawn, the patches combine into large swathes of affected turf. A gray or black “smoke ring” encircles the entire patch and is most visible in the morning. By keeping your lawn healthy and properly watered, you can prevent brown patch from forming in your lawn. Be on the lookout in the late spring and into the summer.

Red Thread

Red thread is another common spring lawn disease affecting our New Hampshire lawns. This tough fungus forms in the lawn during the cooler and wetter weather of spring but continues growing into the summer. As the name suggests, red thread appears as patches of brown, unhealthy grass with red threadlike growths. Red thread causes grass death from the tip of the blade down but doesn’t attack the crown or roots of the grass. The good news is it won’t kill your grass, but it can severely weaken it, stunting growth and leaving it vulnerable to environmental damage, weeds, pests, and more diseases.

Protect Your Lawn From Spring Lawn Diseases With the Help of Alliance Landscaping

Spring lawn diseases are no good for a lawn that is just emerging from winter dormancy. Keep your lawn safe by investing in lawn care services near you. Here at Alliance Landscaping, our custom lawn care program keeps your grass properly fed and maintained, reducing the risk of any diseases forming. Pair this with our beneficial fungicide applications for a fully-protected lawn.

Let’s start protecting your lawn now. Call us at (603) 622-1111 or request an easy and free estimate here. Keep up with the latest tips on lawn care, disease control, weed control, pest control, and more by following our monthly blog. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to hear our up-to-date news and deals.