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Ophilobus Patch Disease. Brown and Yellow Patches on the Lawn. Advice and information

Ophilobus is a fatal disease, so obviously - as with all things fatal - prevention works far better than cure! The good news is, that is is probably one of the least common of lawn diseases.

It normally affects grasses in the Bent group, and is usually associated with poor drainage, inadequate feeding and also a high calcium level in the soil.

It is a fungus disease which usually takes place in cool periods, but does not become evident until warmer weather periods. By this time, the damage has been done. Affected grasses will not re-grow.

It starts as a small slightly sunken patch in the lawn which is accompanied by tell-tale browning, followed by yellowing of the grasses. The patch can be as much as 2metres across in the first year of infection. Finer grasses die out in the centre of the patch, but coarser grasses may persist - together with some weeds. The edges of the normally circular patch are often orange in colour.

Prevention and Treatment.

Preventative treatment is basically normal lawn maintenance, with a good feeding regime and aeration. If there are small patches in the early stage of infection, then the areas can be spiked, fed and new turf installed. The dead grasses within the circular brown patch will not recover.

If you feel that you may have over-limed your soil, then do a soil test, and then rectify the alkaline content (PH level, with the use of a soil acidifier). Rhododendron feed/treatment may do the trick.