How to Grow Grass After Fungus

Lawn diseases such as powdery mildew, rust, leaf spot and melting out can damage patches or large areas of grass. In fact, you may need to renovate the lawn if a serious disease such as necrotic ring spot wipes out the lawn. Gardeners must identify the fungal disease that is infecting the lawn before reseeding can begin. Throwing grass seed on diseased lawn areas will only infect the new seedlings. Moreover, diseases such as Rhizoctonia yellow patch have no treatment options so the lawn area must be dug up prior to reseeding.

Masonry trowel
Dethatcher
Shovel
Tiller
Grass seed
Compost
Lawn mower

Instructions

- 1
  Cut out a 2-inch wedge piece of turf in the lawn using a masonry trowel. Check your thatch layer after signs of the fungal disease has disappeared. A thatch layer over 1/2-inch thick encourages fungal diseases. If you replant over the thick thatch, your chances raise of the fungal disease returning. Rent a dethatcher if the layer of thatch is over 1/2 inch.
- 2
  Dig up dead grass areas with a shovel to completely removed any fungal spores. Throw away or burn the dead grass.
- 3
  Till your bare areas to break up the soil. Hand pull any weeds that may have popped up in bare areas. Weeds take advantage of bare spots and thinning grass. Prevent weeds from competing with your grass seedlings by removing them from the lawn.
- 4
  Broadcast your grass seed into the bare areas. Cover with 1/8 inch of compost and water the area until it is moist.
- 5
  Mow your new grass first before the rest of the lawn to reduce the risk of spreading any fungal spores left over from the disease. Avoid leaving lawn clippings on the grass until you are sure the disease has been controlled.

How to Grow Grass Without Seed

How to Hang a Rain Catcher Cup

Growing Grass