You have grass planted and maintained so you can have a lush, springy lawn. However, perhaps you've noticed blights coming up on your lawn. They could present as dead spots or other unsightly blotches. The problems could be pests, such as chafer grubs or chinch bugs, but you could also have a fungus.
Snow Mold
Snow mold occurs when snow meets grass. Either gray or pink mold becomes active under the snow cover. You'll see yellow-brown patches indicating dying grass, and you may see the mold itself, either a gray or pink mass that resembles cobwebs. The patches may spread as long as the lawn remains wet. If you see snow mold patches, gently rake the area to encourage drying. In future, prevent snow mold by keeping the lawn mowed at the recommended height, managing your thatch layer, and raking up fallen leaves.
Grass Rust
Even though it's not metal, your grass can develop what looks like rust. This fungus occurs when turf grasses' growth is slowed and moisture builds up. The fungus creates yellow patches, and up close you can see the orange pustules or "rust" on the blade. As with snow mold, the best treatment and prevention lie in lawn maintenance. Gardening Knowhow advises that you keep your grass mowed to a proper height, rake regularly, and water early in the day so grass has time to dry out.
Slime Mold
Slime mold is a saprophytic fungus, meaning one that lives on dead organic matter. It typically presents as a black substance, though spores can also be red, orange, blue, pink, or cream. Slime mold thrives in warm, wet conditions. Though it doesn't present a problem for the health of your lawn, it is unsightly. Water early in the day so your lawn has time to dry out, and dethatch regularly. Dethatching removes the organic dead matter that feeds slime mold.
Fairy Ring
Fairy ring is such a romantic title. However, the ring of mushrooms that grow on your lawn can be a problem for its health. The mushrooms don't attack the grass directly, but they break down organic matter in the soil. This changes the color of the grass within the ring — sometimes to a darker green, but sometimes to brown. If your lawn develops a fairy ring, you'll need to dig deep to remove the mushrooms and their food source then replace the patch with sod. Dethatching is a preventative measure here, too.
If a lawn isn't well-maintained, it can develop a fungal problem. Keep up with your lawn maintenance to avoid fungal growth.
