What is that Red Grass in my Lawn?

The Browns are moving the ball methodically down the field in the AFC Championship game.  They are so close to the Super Bowl.  You have knots in your stomach.  You are ready to explode with joy.  There is enough time now for only one play from the opponents 3 yard line.  The quarterback covered in dirt barks out the play.  He rolls out and threads the perfect throw in between two defenders to the receiver for the game winning TD!  The Browns are going to the Super Bowl!!!  What is that loud beeping noise?  You roll over in bed to see your phone’s weather alert is going off again.  More rain and storms moving in.  The Browns are not going to the Super Bowl?  It was a dream?!!  It is raining again?!!  You look out your back window and see strange red spots in your lawn.  What is that red grass in my lawn?  Did I wake up in the movie Total Recall?

Don’t worry Sharon Stone is not hopping out of your closet ready to take you out.  Also, sorry the Browns are not going to the Super Bowl.  Your lawn does have red thread fungus.  So you have that going for you….(had to throw in a Caddyshack reference).  Red thread fungus is brought on by weather conditions – usually lots of rainy weather.  It shows up with small tan, pink, or red spots in the lawn.  Sometimes it indicates the lawn is running out of nutrients.  Other times it is just because the type of grass you have is more susceptible than others and the weather conditions are just right for red thread fungus.

So what should you do now?

1.  Feed the Lawn – Get some nutrients down to help grow out the Red Grass Fungus
2. Plant Better Grass – In Dayton and Cincinnati the ideal time to plant newer varieties of grass into your old lawn is September through Early October
3. Turn Off the Sprinkler System – If it has been raining quite a bit, don’t over-water the lawn by continuing to run your sprinkler system.  You can cause more problems with too much moisture
4. Mow the Lawn High – Mow the lawn at 3-4 inches after being cut to promote a deep root system and a strong lawn to fight off Red Thread Fungus

Last piece of advice – Be patient.  Yes even the Browns fans must be patient.  The lawn may not look pretty, but the grass will not be killed by this fungus.  It will grow out with nutrients applied and a change in the weather.  So get back to your nap and soon enough the Browns will be holding up the Lombardi trophy!