By Cynthia Barsun, Guest Author
The arrival of fall means no more Daylight Saving Time — hope you also remembered to turn off the automatic clock on your irrigation system — and cooler, wetter weather.
The occasional rain we get in fall is more than sufficient for our soon-to-be-dormant lawns. In fact, supplemental irrigation — especially after 8 p.m. and before 6 a.m. — only encourages the growth of fungi.
Some of the typical lawn fungi:
- Brown patch
- Take-all-patch
- Gray leaf spot – warm weather
- Dollar spot
- Spring dead spot (bermudagrass)
Cutting back on watering and reducing fertilizer, especially those with high nitrogen content, are the best ways to prevent fungi. Nearly all lawn fungi flourish in cool temperatures and abundant moisture. We can’t control the weather, but we can regulate excessive moisture and nutrients that favor fungi development.
Your lawn will thank you.
Cynthia Barsun is a former conservation consultant for San Antonio Water System.
