Yard fungus is common in Texas and often signals underlying lawn stress rather than a surface-level issue. Identifying the disease early and addressing moisture, soil and maintenance problems is key to restoring and protecting your lawn.
Is yard fungus taking over your property? As a Texas homeowner, it’s important to understand how to identify, treat and prevent the most common types of lawn fungus.
Yard fungus is common in Texas for a couple of reasons. First, fungus thrives in heat, humidity, drought cycles and compacted soil. These are all elements that are abundant throughout the Lone Star State.
While yard fungus may seem like a small issue at first, it can point to larger underlying turf problems. Fungus is a common symptom of turf stress. These include poor drainage, overwatering, improper mowing, nutrient imbalance, compacted soil and other issues that impact the health and appearance of your lawn.
The more you learn about yard fungus, the easier it will be to identify it and move on to proper treatment protocols. From there, you can put prevention methods in place to deter the yard fungus from returning.
“Common diseases are brown patch and dollar spot, and they affect pretty much all grasses. Dollar spot is usually nutrient-related, and brown patch is temperature-related. There has to be the disease itself, the pathogen and the host. A lot of diseases are host-specific and only go after a certain type of grass, and then the environment. All three of those need to be present in order for a disease to be established,” says J Zambo.
J is the Lawn & Tree Division Manager at ABC Home & Commercial Services and has over 20 years of experience. He is an ISA Certified Arborist and ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessor.
What Is Yard Fungus? A Quick Overview for Texas Homeowners
Yard fungus is a group of fungi that attack grass blades, roots or thatch under the right conditions. While yard fungus may always be present, it only becomes a problem when your turf is under stress or the right environmental conditions, such as humidity or drought, allow it to grow.
It’s important for Texas homeowners to understand that there’s a big difference between cosmetic fungal spots and harmful, turf-damaging diseases. Some lawn fungus, such as common mushrooms or mild surface mildew, are harmless. However, aggressive turf disease can do major damage and must be treated as soon as possible to stop it from spreading further.
Unfortunately for Texans, harmful fungi thrive in the Lone Star State. Warm-season grasses, such as St. Augustine, bermuda grass and zoysia grass, create the perfect conditions for fungi to thrive. Additionally, the high humidity and temperatures in Texas create a hotbed for fungal activity. Poor drainage and uneven watering then allow fungus to continue spreading throughout your turf.
Most Common Types of Yard Fungus in Texas
The three most common types of yard fungus in Texas are:
- Brown patch
- Take-all root rot (TARR)
- Dollar spot
Keep reading for a detailed breakdown of each type so you can learn how to identify it in your yard.
Brown Patch Fungus
Brown patch fungus, pictured above, typically affects yards with St. Augustine grass. As its name suggests, it’s a fungal disease that creates circular brown patches across your lawn, causing your turf to look rotten. It also causes leaf blight and turf that feels weak and spongey.
This disease is most likely to occur in the fall season when the weather is between 70 to 90 degrees and humidity is high. It’s also common during the spring months.
Several environmental conditions can cause browth patch to spread, including:
- Overwatering
- Excess nitrogen fertilizer
- Poor airflow
- Mowing when the grass is wet
Before it turns brown, brown patch turns your grass yellow. If you notice yellow patches in your lawn, take action before it gets worse. Call in a lawn care professional to treat the brown patch and restore your turf.
Take-All Root Rot (TARR)
Take-all root rot, also known as TARR, is very common in the Gulf Coast of Texas and the Central Texas region. It presents as yellow, thinning turf, and it’s most active in the spring.
TARR, pictured above, weakens your turf’s root system and spreads rapidly. It’s often mistaken for drought stress and improperly treated or treated too late. You can tell the difference between drought stress and a fungal disease based on its pattern. Drought stress will impact your lawn in a uniform pattern, whereas a fungal disease appears randomly throughout your yard.
If you notice your turf is thinning out and turning yellow, do not wait to call in a lawn care specialist. They can correctly diagnose the issue and put a treatment plan in place.
Dollar Spot
Common throughout Texas, dollar spot fungus, pictured above, creates small circular patches throughout your lawn that are either tan or yellow. This fungus is most common in yards with zoysia or bermuda grass.
If you believe your lawn is infected with dollar spot, call in a lawn care specialist. Even if you’re unsure which type of fungal disease is overtaking your lawn, a specialist can help you limit the spread and bring your turf back to life.
How to Identify Yard Fungus
There are three ways that homeowners can identify yard fungus, especially in Texas. First, you should look for visual and behavioral signs. Once those are confirmed, you can conduct quick do-it-yourself tests to determine if you’re dealing with yard fungus.
Visual Signs
The most common visual signs associated with yard fungus are brown or yellow circular patches, spots or lesions on the grass blades and thinning or bare patches of grass.
Keep in mind that a tell-tale sign of yard fungus is when these visual signs occur randomly throughout your turf rather than in a uniform pattern. This is an easy way to distinguish fungus from another issue, such as fertilizer burn.
Behavioral Signs
Next, consider how and when the visual signs first occurred. If the symptoms spread quickly after a heavy rain, appeared during a warm and humid season or left your lawn feeling spongy or overly moist, you’re likely dealing with yard fungus.
Quick DIY Tests
Once you confirm the visual and behavioral signs, conduct a quick DIY test to determine if your lawn is infected with a fungal disease. First, try a tug test. Fungus-damaged grass will pull up easily due to its weakened roots.
Next, conduct a moisture test by checking for poor drainage or overly wet areas. Wherever there’s too much moisture, fungus is likely to follow.
If these tests confirm yard fungus, reach out to a lawn care specialist.
What Causes Yard Fungus in Texas?
There are three main causes of yard fungus in Texas:
- climate
- lawn care
- grass type
These causes often work together to quicken the onset and spread of fungal diseases.
Climate Factors
The following climate factors create ideal growing conditions for yard fungus:
- High humidity, especially along Texas’ Gulf Coast
- Hot days and warm nights
- Frequent thunderstorms followed by heat
Lawn Care Factors
Without proper lawn care, fungus can grow freely. Make sure you avoid these lawn care mistakes:
- Overwatering
- Poor soil drainage or compaction
- Too much nitrogen fertilizer
- Mowing too short (also known as scalping warm-season grasses)
- Using dull mower blades that spread disease
Grass Type Susceptibilities
The following types of warm-season grasses are more susceptible to fungal issues:
- St. Augustine: highly prone to brown patch and take-all root rot
- Bermuda: more resistant but susceptible to dollar spot
- Zoysia: prone to patch diseases
Frequently Asked Questions About Yard Fungus in Texas
Can yard fungus kill an entire lawn?
Does fungus mean I’m watering too much?
How long does treatment take to work?
How to Treat Yard Fungus in Texas
There are four steps to treat your fungus-damaged Texas yard. These include treating the immediate problem and setting up a maintenance plan to prevent a recurrence.
Step One: Identify the Correct Disease
Common fungal diseases have common symptoms, so it’s easy to misdiagnose your yard. Unfortunately, this often leads to wasted money and time, and allows symptoms to worsen.
If you aren’t positive about the type of fungal disease you’re dealing with, call in a professional to diagnose the problem.
Step Two: Improve Lawn Conditions
Improper maintenance causes fungal diseases to spread, so it’s important to improve lawn conditions. For example, if your yard is waterlogged, reduce how often you water it. Next, improve your yard’s drainage and aeration, and topdress your lawn with compost to improve soil health. This is especially helpful in treating take-all root rot.
Step Three: Know When to Call in a Professional
Professional intervention is always encouraged when it comes to yard fungus. Not only can they correctly identify the fungus and the cause of its spread, but they can also apply treatments when needed. Working with a professional is the most effective way to bring back a green and thick yard.
Step Four: Long-Term Soil Health Management
To prevent a recurrence of yard fungus, it’s a good idea to test your soil and apply balanced fertilizing based on your results. You can also use organic matter, such as compost, to restore the microbial balance of your soil.
For the best results, follow all fertilization best practices, such as the best time of day to fertilize lawn.
Solve Yard Fungus With Help From the Experts
When it comes to yard fungus, early detection and proper lawn care are key to preventing it from spreading and causing further damage. Remember that it’s important to treat the underlying soil conditions that led to the fungal disease, not just the visible symptoms.
Worried about fungus in your yard? Schedule a professional lawn assessment today.
