Dollar Spots — Not as Nice as They Sound

So-called dollar spots (Latin: Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) are a typical summer lawn disease. They are primarily caused by heavy use of the lawn, such as due to drought stress and nutrient deficiency.

The disease occurs most frequently in:

• Daytime temperatures between 20 and 30 °C

• cool nights at the same time

. A deficiency of nitrogen and potassium, in particular, promotes infestation. Certain grasses, such as Festuca rubra and Poa annua, are considered particularly susceptible.

Important:
Spores play a crucial role in dollar spot. They can be spread across the lawn by people, animals, shoes, or equipment, allowing the disease to spread rapidly.

How can you tell if there are dollar spots?

Typical signs of dollar spots are:

• Light, straw-colored patches in the lawn

• The spots are small at first, but they can grow larger

• In conditions of high humidity, a white fungal network (mycelium) is sometimes visible

Contributing Factors

The following conditions promote the occurrence of dollar spots:

• Drought Stress

• inadequate nutrient intake

• Nitrogen deficiency

• Potassium deficiency

• compacted, poorly aerated soil

• heavy foot traffic on the lawn

How can you prevent dollar spots?

Proper lawn care is the best way to prevent dollar spots:

• Keep the soil loose and well-drained by scarifying and aerating it

• Reduce thatch, for example, with the turbogrün Lawn Aerator

• Prevent drought stress by watering as needed, ideally in the morning

• Fertilize regularly and in a balanced manner to prevent deficiency symptoms