How do I control leaf spot and melting out in my lawn?
I’ve got very early signs of leaf spot and melting out what should I do?
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The first thing you want to reach for is a contact fungicide like Fungus Pro. Contact fungicides work by sitting on the plant surface and stopping spores from germinating, preventing the disease from spreading further. Because they rely on direct contact with the pathogen rather than being absorbed by the plant, hold off on irrigation and avoid applying when heavy rain is due.
I'd also recommend adding NZLA Azoxy into the tank mix. Azoxystrobin is primarily a preventative fungicide. It moves systemically through the plant, covering new growth and anything the contact product might miss on the surface. Together, they hit the disease from two angles.
Fungicide will help, but it's worth looking at what's giving the disease a foothold in the first place. Leaf spot thrives in wet, humid conditions, so if you're watering at night, switch to early morning so the leaf surface dries out during the day. Poor airflow, thatch buildup, and mowing too low all stress the plant and make it more susceptible. A lawn that's struggling is always going to be more vulnerable than one that's growing well. Make sure your mower blades are sharp too!
Fungicides work best early. If you're just seeing spots on the leaf blade, you've got a real chance of stopping it. The problem is leaf spot doesn't stay on the leaf. Left uncontrolled, it moves down into the base of the plant and attacks the crown. At that point the plant is gone, and no fungicide will bring it back.
One caution with Azoxy, don't lean on it too heavily. Used too frequently, it can lead to resistance building in the fungal population. Fungus Pro doesn't carry the same risk, so you can use it as often as needed. I’m currently working on a few fungicide that will be released soon that can be used in rotation with Azoxy.
@Jonny Hicks great post. I think this happens to so many people and they don’t even really know it’s happening or how to catch it in this early stage and prevent it getting worse.