Lawn Issue of the Month - Fungal Disease Damage

With the hot, humid July, lawn diseases hit us hard this year!

Thankfully, that phase is over, but some of us are left with lawn damage. So, how can you tell if your lawn will recover or not? With the recent cooler weather, it’s easy—if you still see spots from disease (whether large or small, even in arch shapes), these areas won’t bounce back on their own and will need reseeding.

The solution? Aeration and overseeding in September. This process loosens the soil, lets water and nutrients in, and helps new seed take root and grow. If you plan to do this yourself remember, the right seed matters—Rye and Bluegrass are more disease-prone, while Turf Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) is more resilient and drought-resistant. We use 80% TTTF in our A-List seed, so if you’d like us to handle it, you’re covered!

What can you do to prevent this in the future?

• Proper watering—this is super important. I've created a few newsletters and video
• Don’t mow when the lawn is wet and diseases are active—it spreads the disease.
• Seed with disease-resistant varieties like our TTTF-rich A-List seed.
• Increase soil health with organic matter and humates—these help fight off fungal spores.
• Aerate and overseed to improve oxygen flow in the soil.
• Apply fungicides at the first sign of disease.
• Remove Bentgrass, which is highly prone to disease and can spread it to other grass types.

What to do about damage now?

• Fall aeration and overseeding will replace the dead spots, relieve soil compaction, and thicken your lawn overall.

If you have dead spots in your lawn they are not coming back at this point. We've got a great jump on the aeration season and have opened up additional capacity in Sept to get you lawn back in shape. This seeding window is short so don't delay!

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Chris Imlach
Owner & Head Coach
Chris Imlach established the business that became Green Sphere twenty years ago, providing eco-conscious lawn care to the Newburyport area of Massachusetts. As owner and head coach, he leads a team dedicated to natural fertilization and pest control, reflecting his commitment to community wellbeing through safer lawn care practices.