Pythium blight, also known as cottony blight and pythium root rot, is a common fungal lawn disease in South Florida caused by the Pythium spp. pathogen. Pythium blight outbreaks are directly related to the weather and it favors hot, humid environments that make Palm Beach County a perfect breeding ground for the fungi. Symptoms of this lawn disease usually first develop around grassy areas that are prone to hold water and not drain properly. Pythium blight outbreaks need to be addressed quickly as the fungi can rapidly spread and kill off large sections of your sod grass.
* The Pythium spp. pathogen that causes pythium blight is already present in the roots of your South Florida sod grass naturally. The fungi only become a problem when your lawn is under stress from excess irrigation or rainfall, poor drainage and extreme temperatures
Pythium Blight Lawn Disease Best Practices For Prevention
- Improve Drainage in Your Soil
- Have a Soil Amendment Done if Needed
- Reduce Irrigation During Rainy Seasons
- Don’t Irrigate at Night
- Clean Lawn Mowers and Landscaping Tools to Prevent Cross Contamination
Does Pythium Blight Go Away Without Treatment?
Left untreated, pythium blight will spread throughout your commercial or residential West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington or Jupiter lawn and create large, unsightly patches of dead or dying sod grass. It can eventually kill of your entire lawn, so waiting to see if it goes away on its own will only cause a bigger problem for you and your lawn.
Do Fungicides Work on Pythium Blight?
Yes, pythium blight fungus can be managed with the use of the proper fungicides, but an accurate diagnosis is extremely important. Using a fungicide meant for other lawn fungal diseases probably won’t work on pythium. Use a fungicide that is specifically made for Pythium blight and if the problem reappears rotate fungicides to prevent resistance. And it is advised you treat areas that are adjacent to active outbreaks of pythium blight before the onset of systems occurs in new areas to protect the healthy turf grass you have.
Why not leave your pythium blight and other lawn fungal disease problems to a professional? Our highly trained pest control and fertilization technicians have been keeping the lawns of West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Jupiter and other Palm Beach County, Florida cities lush, green and fungus free for over twenty five years.
