What does brown patch look like on a lawn?

Roughly circular tan-to-brown patches, from six inches to several feet across, on fescue. The giveaway is an irregular tan lesion with a dark brown border on the individual blades, plus a grayish "smoke ring" of fungus at the patch edge on humid mornings.

What causes brown patch in lawns?

A soil fungus, Rhizoctonia solani, that's already present in most fescue lawns. It flares up in hot weather when nights stay warm and the grass blades stay wet for 10–12 hours — from evening watering, heavy dew, shade, poor airflow, and too much nitrogen.

How do I get rid of brown patch fungus?

Fix the conditions first: mow tall (3–3.5 inches), water only at dawn, stop summer fertilizing, and improve airflow and drainage. That handles most cases. If you need chemical control on a high-value lawn, use an azoxystrobin product preventively — not after the lawn is already covered.

Does brown patch go away on its own?

Usually, yes. It's a leaf disease that doesn't kill the roots, so an established fescue lawn grows out of it once the nights cool down, generally by early September. Young or spring-seeded fescue is the exception and can be killed.

Will grass grow back after brown patch?

Established fescue recovers on its own as the weather breaks. Any thin or bare spots left behind should be filled by overseeding in the fall — not in the summer heat, which just invites more disease.

What is the best fungicide for brown patch?

Azoxystrobin is the active ingredient that holds up in the research (it's in products like Scotts Disease EX). Many other homeowner fungicides tested no better than doing nothing. Whatever you use works best preventively, on a schedule, before the outbreak — not as a rescue spray.

When does brown patch appear in North Carolina?

On Triangle-area fescue, the worst of it runs from about mid-July through August, sometimes into September — whenever we get that stretch of hot days and warm, humid nights.

Why does my fescue get brown patch every summer?

Because the fungus lives in the lawn year-round and our summers give it exactly what it needs — heat, humidity, and long leaf wetness. If it's an every-year problem, look at how you're watering and fertilizing, and consider a resistant fescue variety the next time you overseed.

Author: Ken Erickson

Ken is the unofficial chief of operations for LawnPanther.com. He handles the website content, marketing and engineering, as well as running the turf and weed control side of the business. He plays a supporting role, helping his son Aidan run Lawn Panther. Ken resides in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, and is licensed by the state of North Carolina to apply herbicides and pesticides on turf and ornamental plants such as shrubs and trees. His background is in environmental biology, chemistry and safety engineering. He formulates the herbicide and fertilizer programs applied across the south Raleigh suburbs for Lawn Panther. Ken is a life member of The American Legion, Post 116 and the Disabled American Veterans. Since Ken has been retired he spends his time in his large yard planting and cultivating landscapes. He is very familiar with most of the ornamentals grown in the south as well as diseases and treatments. Ken writes Lawn Panther's technical content on turf science, weed identification, pesticide handling, application safety and environmental stewardship. He personally comes out to consult with clients regarding many issues on plant health.

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