Discover Ways to Keep Your Austin Grass Healthy

Bleached, tan-colored patches suddenly appearing across your yard? The primary suspect is dollar spot fungus. It’s a widespread lawn disease that destroys your grass’s appearance.

Actually, more resources get devoted to combating this single turf problem than any other fungal issue. It’s remarkably common and maddening to manage. But before you start worrying, let the professionals at Real Green explain what’s really happening to your lawn and what practical steps you can take to fix it.

What Is Dollar Spot Fungus? 

Dollar spot results from a fungal organism called Clarireedia jacksonii. This particular disease targets your grass’s leaf blades rather than the roots or crowns, which is actually encouraging news. It indicates your lawn has the potential to recover with appropriate care.

The term “dollar spot” originates from how the damage looks on cut turf. You’ll notice round, silver dollar-sized spots (1 to 2 inches in diameter) that develop a bleached tan appearance. These individual spots can combine into larger, straw-colored patches that genuinely thin your grass and create openings for weeds to invade.

Dollar spot will assault cool-season varieties like Kentucky bluegrass, fescues, and perennial ryegrass. But it’s equally willing to damage warm-season grasses like Bermuda and zoysia too. Essentially, if you maintain a lawn, you’re potentially at risk.

When & Where It Shows Up 

Dollar spot really thrives in its specific weather window, particularly temperatures ranging between 60°F and 90°F. That, plus humid days and cool, dewy nights. Consequently, you typically encounter it from late spring into early fall in Austin, TX. Outbreaks frequently peak in late summer when all those environmental factors align perfectly.

 

This lawn fungus thrives on extended moisture sitting on grass blades and depleted nitrogen levels in the soil. When you’re watering your lawn and that water only dampens the leaf surfaces (instead of penetrating deep into the root zone), you’re establishing precisely the conditions this fungus desires.

 

Dollar spot spreads primarily through mycelium, or fungal filaments, on previously contaminated plants. The most effective carriers? Grass clippings. Even walking around following mowing can distribute it. 

 

It survives winter as structures termed pseudosclerotia, buried within dead plant material. When temperatures begin rising in spring, those structures reactivate and restart the whole cycle. In most areas, the pattern runs from early May straight through October’s end.

What Triggers Dollar Spot? 

Afternoon or evening irrigation. Watering during these hours keeps grass blades wet for prolonged durations.

 

Insufficient nitrogen levels. Under-fertilized lawns are most vulnerable because the grass isn’t growing vigorously enough to outpace the infection.

 

Mowing pressure. Cutting your grass excessively short, using dull blades, or scalping the lawn stresses grass and makes fungal invasion easier.

 

Thatch accumulation and soil compaction. Reduced air and water movement creates that dry-soil-yet-moist-canopy environment.

 

Limited air circulation. Dense shrubbery, low-hanging tree branches, and shade trap moisture, promoting lawn diseases.

 

How to Recognize Dollar Spot 

The clearest indicator is those distinctive patches: small, straw-colored, or bleached circles approximately the size of a silver dollar. Upon closer examination, you’ll spot tan lesions stretching across the blade in an hourglass configuration. They’re bordered with a reddish-brown edge.

 

Another clue you’re dealing with dollar spot fungus? White, cobweb-like material on dewy morning grass. That’s the mycelium becoming apparent when the grass is damp. As sunshine arrives and the blades dry out, it vanishes, so you could easily overlook it.

10 Steps to Combat This Lawn Fungus 

1. Modify Your Watering Schedule

This might not appear significant, but it genuinely matters. Water thoroughly but infrequently, targeting roughly 1 inch weekly, during early morning hours (between 5 and 10 a.m.).

Watering at this time allows the soil to absorb moisture while permitting grass blades to dry rapidly as sunrise occurs. Keep in mind, you want moisture reaching the root zone, not remaining on leaves.

And definitely eliminate those shallow evening sprinklings. Sure, sometimes that’s your only available time to activate the sprinkler. But you’re essentially inviting dollar spot onto your property.

2. Modify Your Mowing Height

Taller grass blades provide shade for soil, maintain superior moisture in the root area, and generate an environment less conducive for the fungus. Additionally, taller grass is simply healthier and more robust overall.

Critical point: Never eliminate more than one-third of the grass blade length in a single cutting. And maintain sharp mower blades. Dull blades rip grass rather than cutting cleanly, and those torn edges are more vulnerable to infection.

3. Enhance Access to Air and Sunlight

Trim low tree branches and dense shrubs that shade your lawn and can create a damp atmosphere over the grass. Better air circulation helps dew and irrigation dry more rapidly, disrupting the ideal fungal conditions.

4. Choose a Fungicide Treatment

By far, the two most effective fungicides for dollar spot fungus are chlorothalonil and propiconazole. Here’s what lawn care professionals understand but most homeowners miss: You can’t simply spray the identical fungicide repeatedly. The fungus develops resistance to it. So for long-term control, rotation is essential! Typically, you’ll reapply every 14 to 28 days during high-risk periods of the year.

5. Allow Your Soil to Breathe

Lawn aeration annually reduces compaction and enhances water and nutrient penetration. Otherwise, the elements your grass requires to flourish can’t reach where your grass can utilize them.

Also, if your thatch layer surpasses half an inch, dethatch to enhance airflow and drainage. Again, you don’t want anything obstructing water and nutrients from reaching the roots.

6. Apply Nitrogen to Your Lawn

Provide your grass a boost of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer during late spring to support growth through early summer, when dollar spot outbreaks frequently begin. Maintain light, consistent nitrogen applications throughout the growing season at rates recommended for your specific grass variety.

Healthy, adequately nourished grass can actually outgrow the disease. Malnourished lawns? They fail to recover and simply deteriorate progressively.

7. Select the Right Grass

When overseeding time arrives or lawn renovation becomes necessary, choose a grass variety with enhanced resistance to dollar spot disease. Grass varieties aren’t all identical. Some have been specifically bred to resist common lawn diseases like this.

You should also determine the appropriate grass type for your region. If you’re fighting your climate, attempting to grow cool-season grass in warm regions or the opposite, then you’re just complicating everything unnecessarily. Match your turfgrass selection to your geographic location, your soil conditions, landscape features, and how you actually utilize your lawn.

8. Prevent the Spread

When you have active dollar spot, you don’t want to facilitate its spread. Rather than mulching grass clippings back into the lawn, bag or collect those from contaminated areas. Clean your mower deck and equipment after use, particularly if you’re transitioning from an infected section to a healthy one.

9. Remove the Dew

If you’re genuinely committed to prevention, mow early morning to eliminate dew-covered grass tips. On larger properties, some homeowners even drag a hose or rope across the lawn to knock dew off blades or roll something lightweight across the yard to absorb the dew. These methods may seem basic, but they’re effective. 

10. Contact Real Green

When lawn fungus is overtaking your yard, hiring a professional lawn care company will definitely prove worthwhile over time. It saves you time, money, and frustration, since we know precisely which products to use, when to apply them, and how frequently to rotate them.

FAQS for Dollar Spot Disease 

Is fungicide always necessary?

If you catch dollar spot fungus early and adjust your maintenance practices accordingly, you can often suppress the disease without resorting to chemicals. However, if it persists, a fungicide application may be required.

Will my lawn actually recover from this lawn fungus?

Absolutely! Since dollar spot attacks the leaf blades rather than the roots or crowns, your lawn can definitely bounce back. Most lawns display visible improvement within 2 to 4 weeks after you implement control measures, add appropriate nitrogen, and maintain proper mowing height.

Will dollar spot disappear on its own?

Not typically. Active treatment helps limit the spread. To prevent recurrence, try maintaining nitrogen levels, watering early in the morning, mowing high, and reducing thatch buildup.

What is the most effective fungicide for dollar spot?

Chlorothalonil and propiconazole are two of the strongest options. Just make sure to rotate them to prevent resistance development.

Reach Out to Your Austin Lawn Care Professionals!

DIY efforts can only take you so far. When you want to eradicate dollar spot (and other lawn care diseases), contact the experts at Real Green. We proudly serve Austin and the surrounding communities of Central Texas, ensuring high-quality lawn care and pest control services across the area. With skilled technicians and the highest quality materials, we’ll get your lawn looking its best.