5 steps to remove brown spots on grass in Dubai
How to get rid of brown spots on your Dubai grass in five easy steps
The smallest of brown spots on your Dubai grass isn’t only unsightly but it can quickly spread out of control. To add to the distress, it’s sometimes difficult to pin-point the exact cause of what’s making your beautiful grass turn brown.
One of the most common causes is a disease caused by the Rhizoctonia fungus. The effect of this fungal disease is commonly known as ‘brown patch.’ This is one of the most damaging of all the Dubai grass diseases. Brown patch thrives in temperatures of 80°F upwards. Unfortunately, the high levels of humidity in Dubai are perfect for brown patch to spread at an alarming rate.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to combat brown patch if you notice it on your grass.
1. Don’t keep your grass too tall or too short
Tall grass prevents wind and sunlight penetrating the canopy layers and redirects moisture and heat from the surface of the grass. This results in trapped humidity and heat, which provides the perfect atmosphere for the fungus to breed.
On the other hand, mowing your grass too short also leaves it more prone to infection. It can be confusing to decide on the optimal length to keep your grass, as every country has different requirements. In addition, the ideal length is also determined by the type of grass you have.
2. Make sure your mower is in tip-top shape
The gardener who looks after your grass in Dubai should already have the necessary equipment to keep it healthy. You should stress the importance of keeping lawn mower blades clean and sharp. Unclean blades could spread the brown patch to other areas of your grass. Dull blades obviously do a poor job of cutting the grass and make it weaker.
It’s in your best interests to ensure that your gardener maintains his lawnmower. You can do this by finding out some basic information like the frequency of:
- the air filter being changed
- the blades being sharpened
- the mower being professionally tuned
If your gardener belongs to a gardening firm in Dubai, be sure to ask the supervisor about the maintenance of the mower and other tools.
3. Know how to water
It’s tempting to up the watering of your grass if you notice brown patch. Before you contemplate increasing the length of time you run your irrigation system, take into consideration that over-watering can kill your grass. Avoid watering in the middle of the day, as the moisture will become locked-in on the surface. Trapped moisture won’t evaporate at the required rate. This will facilitate the ideal environment for the growth of brown patch.
If you don’t have an irrigation system, make sure your gardener doesn’t over-water any areas of brown patch.
4. Starve the brown patch fungus
Like your Dubai grass, the fungus that causes brown patch also loves nitrogen. Feeding your brown patch with extra fertilizer may seem like the commonsensical thing to do. However, exercise caution here as fertilizer containing nitrogen will feed the brown patch fungus and give it more energy.
You’ll need to do your homework to find a fertilizer program that’s right for the brown patch on your Dubai grass. You’ll most likely need the help of your gardener’s supervisor and the garden centre assistant to determine which fungicide is best.
5. Replace the brown patch
The tips above show how difficult it can be to deal with brown patch on your garden grass. You need to have real confidence that your gardener or their supervisor is an expert landscaper. As well as possessing the right knowledge, your gardener also needs to use and maintain the right tools. The quest for green grass with no brown patch in Dubai doesn’t need to be a frustrating one.
If what you’re after is to see lush green grass surrounding your home in Dubai, consider installing artificial grass. It not only looks and feel like real grass, but it’s very low maintenance compared to real grass.
We understand that you might be sceptical about whether synthetic grass can be as good as the real thing. Check out our gallery to see whether you can spot the difference between real and artificial Dubai grass. If you’re curious to find out more, contact us and we’ll answer any questions you have.
