Pythium blight, also known as dampening off, is attacking areas of your lawn. A fast moving fungus, pythium is identified in it’s early stages by numerous, small hand sized “spots”. These “spots” are roughly circular and brown in color. The affected grasses shrivel and fall over. On damp mornings the fungus ‘threads” can often be seen growing at the edges of infected areas. Diseased areas usually die and may need to be re-seeded in the Fall.

All our cool-season lawns (i.e., Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, and Ryegrass) are susceptible. Hot days and warm, humid evenings create ideal conditions for a pythium outbreak.  Control can be helped by careful watering practices. Abundant water “fuels” this disease and facilitates its spread. Reducing irrigation frequency, weather permitting, is critical. Nutrilawn Inc. can properly identify this disease and treat it with specific fungicide. Control can usually be achieved within 48 hours with proper treatment. Re-treatment may be necessary in 7 to 14 days if weather conditions persist. Nutrilawn Inc. will be happy to answer any questions you may have.