Hi Tui, I have a tall fescue lawn that has either Southern Blight or Brown Patch, and is getting worse by the day. The lawn gets frequent watering and fertilising. What products should I use to get rid of this problem?

Hi Gary

Brown patch or ring spot is prevalent in summer during warm humid weather and warm overnight temperatures. Is the watering at night or in the morning? Morning is the best time to water the lawn. Overnight watering creates a damp environment for fungal diseases to grow.

Is it a free draining soil? If it is a heavy clay soil apply Gypsum to help break up the clay particles. Regular applications of a nitrogen rich fertiliser can cause soft growth that becomes more susceptible to fungal disease. Mow your lawn on a high setting and make sure the blade is sharp to get a clean cut. Feed lawns in autumn and again in early spring, avoid excessive applications of nitrogen rich fertilisers going into summer so that the lawn goes into autumn hardened off.

Thanks, Tui Team.