Fusarium induced by overzealous applications of synthetic 'fertilisers'!!!!
It is the time of year that is favorable for infestation of fusarium (microdochium nivalis) to take advantage of weaker grass plants and reduce the appearance of a beautiful grass sward to that of a war zone.
Short days and low light reducing photosynthesis, respiration and subsequent energy levels are all compounded by warm 'dank' (high humidity / misty) climate and other biotic conditions (thatch, high moisture, low pH) that all favour this disease.
Today I was influenced to mention this unfortunate scenario as when I peered over the fence between my property and my next door neighbour I was taken back by what I saw.
Ok my small front side lawn is not in the very best of kept lawn as it is run on by bikes, footballs, and so on with the every day trafiic coming in and out of the gateway but it does not have any fusarium at all. On closer inspection of my neighbours lawn the intensity of the outbreak can be seen.
and a close up that would be a good illustration for any educational literature.
There are two differences between the lawns.
The infected lawn is treated by one of the many 'lawn care' companies that operate throughout the UK, that have adopted a regime of applying relatively high rates of nitrogenous fertilisers willy nilly, irrispective of any of the influencing factirs affecting turfgrass health. Some of these 'fertilisers' can be complex formulation of synthetic 'methylene ureas' and of course cosmetic iron to produce that un-natural dark green colour for reasons that I cannot get my head around as there are grass species and their cultivars that possess many shades of green so why apply 'lip-stick' to change the grass plants own natural characteristics and limit the uptake or availability of other nutrient elements?
The other lawn area, to the left of the fence (there is a further 300 sq m lawn at the rear of the house in the same condition as well, it was that I wanted to show and compare the differences on one photograph) has had no more than 40 gram / sq m of Nitrogen all year and has been feed monthly with a balanced microbial nutriment, complemented with small amounts of Potassium & Magnesium in the solution.
Fortunately my lawn area is an active living lawn with deep roots to obtain moisture and nutrients, No Thatch that produces a spongy soggy mat habouring disease pathogens and No disease pressures.
My neighbour will now be calling the 'lawn company' to come and apply a Pesticide!!!
Help me here, as that lawn is under extreme stress, diseased and thatched (look closely and the lines from a recent scarifying operation that can be seen). The operator will arrive and charge (£'s Shillings and Pence of hard earned money!) to apply a deadly pesticide to control the disease but also kill off any beneficial micro organisms that might be able to get the plant recovered. Surely evading diseased lawns if better than paying for what is apparent nex door?
Of course that may be the whole business plan of this 'Lawn Care Company'? but i think not - well at least I hope not..
This poor lawn, (only a few years old as i remember it being laid from fresh cut turf) is drug induced, it is hooked and like most drug addicts it future will not be too happy.
There are options......
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