Are you baffled to see your lawn turning ugly with mysterious spots in the shape of a ring on the grass? Don’t be panicked! It is due to necrotic ring spot disease. It is a lawn disease that has been posing a great environmental threat to grassy lawns, yards, and pastures in the USA for the past some time. This fungal disease has been giving a really tough time to private lawn owners and environmentalists across Utah. Experts believe that NRS infects a particular type of grassy land and is known to be a very rigid kind of fungus that is very difficult to be removed. People in Utah are particularly weary of this baffling disease because it is constantly on the rise. The treatment of this disease mainly depends on determining its symptoms. Once you get hold of the symptoms, the cure will be easier and faster.
Ways to identify the symptoms
The main symptom that determines necrotic ring spot disease is very easy to behold and understand. The infected lawn will have spattered rings on the grassy surface. These rings are irregular in shape and brown in texture. However, the strange part is that the central region of each ring is as green as normal. It is a general perception that this disease flourishes in cool and damp conditions, but it is also quite visible in hot and dry weather. When the infection starts, rings are formed on the grassy surface. Thereafter, the rings take a reddish-brown or bronze tinge. If you don’t get up in time and take appropriate action, the infection can take a worse shape and spread across the lawn soon. In the worst condition, the rings get a straw-like or yellow color. It results in more and more patches of dying grass with dirt-filled spots.
Preventive measures
Necrotic ring spots usually infect the lawn or grassy areas by means of dirty aerators. Therefore, it is highly recommended to keep your aerator disinfected your lawn is aerated. It will help you prevent the disease from infecting your lawn. Some other ways to prevent the infection are:
- Use moist and loose soil while planting grass: While planting grass in your lawn, make sure that the soil that you are using is not compact and dry; rather, it should be moist and loose.
- Use a combination of Kentucky bluegrass or ryegrass: Always use a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass or ryegrass seeds while planting your lawn.
Some other important tips include fertilizing the lawn on a regular basis and frequent watering.
Potential treatment
The treatment procedure for necrotic ring spots involves a good number of measures to be adopted. The necrotic fungus is very hard to eliminate because it survives in the soil just below the grass. However, by strengthening the grass, you can mask its spreading effects. The strengthening procedure includes overseeding the infected grassy surface, supplementing the grass with extra nutrients, adjusting your watering strategy, and aerating. Apart from them, some other tips to help you in this regard are removing dead grass from the center of the rings, roughing up the bed of the soil, around one inch deep, and covering the infected region with peat moss.
