Identifying and Treating Soil and Grass Fungus
There are hundreds of thousands of different kinds of fungi that naturally live in the soil and on plants. Most of these are beneficial organisms-digesting organic matter in the soil, however, up to 10,000 fungi cause disease problems in plants. There are a few types of fungi that cause the most problems in soil and grass. You can learn how to identify whether you have a soil fungus or a grass fungus problem, and how to treat it effectively.Common Grass Fungus
The two most common types of grass fungus are Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium. These cause damping off, stem canker, root lesions, and brown patch. Brown patch is a common lawn fungus problem. You are most likely to have this problem in your yard during hot and humid weather, or weather with heavy dew. You can identify this fungus when circles of up to one yard in diameter appear in the lawn The area with the fungal disease will look a bit sunken. The two inches, or so, at the edge of the circle, where the fungus is most active, will appear as a "ring" in the early morning. It can be difficult to control this fungal problem. Often, it has to work itself out of the lawn. Aerating the lawn to keep drainage at a maximum helps. Alleviating soil compaction also helps. There are a few commercially available fungicides. Because of their toxicity, they should only be applied by certified pesticide applicators.Grass Fungus: Fairy Rings
This fungus is characterized by rings of mushroom-looking fungi in the grass. It is possible that you will not realize that your lawn is affected by these fungi until the mushroom structures appear. This soil fungus is caused by fungi in the genus Marasmius. Most of the fungus is underground, in the form of mycelia. These mycelia devour the nutrients in the soil, leaving little for the plants growing above them. The plants start to decline, and the fungus pushes outward. Because the soil is so filled with mycelia, it is difficult to control the fungus. Meanwhile, the fungus pushes ever outward, digesting nutrients ahead of its spread. That is what causes an un-naturally green circle at the outer edge of the mushrooms. When the fungus breaks down nitrogen in the soil, it is temporarily available to plants. There are a couple of ways to control this fungus and mask the symptoms. First, try aerating the soil in the affected area, and adding compost or sterile topsoil into the area. After aerating and top-dressing, keep the soil well-watered. In severe cases, you may have to actually dig out the top four to six inches of soil and replace it. Another way to deal with this soil fungus is to simply mask the symptoms by mowing frequently and feeding the lawn, to "green up" the rest of the grass. Fungicides are not recommended for control of Fairy Ring, as they will kill beneficial organisms in the soil. Soil fungus and grass fungus problems are more an issue of aesthetics than anything else. The best way to avoid these problems is to give your lawn the best possible care. Healthy turf has a much better chance of fighting off soil fungus problems and eventually recovering.
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