How to Identify and Treat Leaf Blight in your Minnesota Lawn

Nobody ever uses the word “blight” in a good way.

“Hey, want to come over Saturday for some blight?”

“My boss gave me a raise, plus an extra week of blight!”

“I love you so much — more than blight!”

So if your lawn has leaf blight, it’s probably not good.How bad is it? Should you set your lawn on fire? Sell the house?

Let’s take a look.

What Is Ascochyta Leaf Blight?

Lawn leaf blight in Minnesota is likely Ascochyta Leaf Blight, and it sounds worse than it is.

Basically, it’s a summer lawn fungus that looks alarming, but there’s no need to panic.

What Does Leaf Blight Look Like in Your Lawn?

Ascochyta Leaf Blight causes large irregular patches of your once-green turf to quickly turn straw-brown in color and appear dead. Yikes, right? 

Its claim to fame: it can appear suddenly, even overnight.

What Causes Leaf Blight?

Like other lawn fungi, this leaf blight is typically caused by the high temperatures and humidity of summer. It tends to strike lawns that are stressed or overwatered.

How to Treat Leaf Blight?

Can you treat leaf blight in Minnesota? You can. But treating lawn fungus like Ascochyta Leaf Blight isn’t cheap. 

It can cost several hundred dollars for an application of fungicide and typically takes more than one application. 

The good news is, lawn fungus like leaf blight often clears up itself if you’re patient. And the grass typically comes back on its own after the fungus disappears.

Your lawn may look dead from a distance, but leaf blight doesn’t affect your turf’s crowns or roots. So your grass should recover in 2 to 3 weeks, depending on weather conditions.

The other good news is there are a few things you can do to prevent lawn diseases like leaf blight  in the first place.

How to Help Prevent Leaf Blight in Minnesota

Your best bet to control leaf blight and other summer lawn diseases is to prevent it, with proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing. 

A healthy lawn is better equipped for trauma like drought, insects, and summer lawn diseases. 

Here are some tips:

• Fertilize your lawn well in the fall and spring so your lawn is healthy and has a better chance of surviving lawn fungus.
• Aeration, aeration, aeration. You want to reduce compaction and improve your lawn’s drainage.
• Don’t water too often — you don’t want your lawn to be too wet.
• Deep, less frequent watering is best.
• Keep your grass height between 3 and 4 inches and avoid mowing 
  during wet weather.
• Water early in the day, before sunrise, so your lawn has time to fully dry before evening.

How to Treat Leaf Blight That Keeps Showing Up?

If you have the same lawn fungus issue every year, we can help prevent it with a lawn disease control product. 

But typically, we treat these summer lawn diseases when they pop up, if you don’t want to wait for them to clear up.

Be patient. It can take a month or longer to see results. It always takes multiple treatments.

Remember, lawn diseases like leaf blight are caused by environmental conditions, so fixing those conditions is key to banishing the fungus.

Trust Your Lawn’s Health to RainMaster

Nobody wants to ruin summer outdoor fun by having to use the word “blight.” Other summer words are so much more fun, like popsicles and flip flops. 

Give your lawn a fighting chance against summer lawn diseases with lawn care services in Minneapolis, MN and Eau Claire, WI that focus on your lawn’s total health. 

Choose a proactive lawn care program that includes a custom nutrition plan and aeration for your lawn.

The roots will be nourished, the soil will be packed with nutrients and drain better, and your lawn will be thick and healthy, so lawn diseases like leaf blight will have a harder time taking hold.

Also, consider a regular irrigation maintenance program, to make sure your sprinkler system delivers the right amount of water at the right time so you're not encouraging lawn diseases.

Ready for a lawn care program to fake out the fungus? Request a quote today! We’ll review your lawn care options together so you can make a great choice. Then, you can finally enjoy your lawn and stop worrying about it.