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Matt Adams
Matt's Founder of The Relentless Gardener. He's a plant nutrition expert and has studied plant nutrition for over 10 years. He has extensive knowledge of lawn care products as well as various plant feeding programmes.. Read More
Updated On
- May 29, 2025
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What disease does my lawn have? A List in order of popularity in the UK
- By Matt Adams
- May 29, 2025
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I’ve created this table in order of ranking regards the prevalence of these diseases in the UK.
These lawn diseases are particularly common in lawns with ryegrass and fescue. Some diseases like Red Thread and Fusarium Patch are very common, while others like Spring Dead Spot and Pythium Lawn Disease are less frequently encountered here in the UK.
| Rank | Disease | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Thread | Commonly found in the UK, especially in cool, moist conditions. Red Thread thrives in nitrogen-deficient soils and often affects ryegrass and fescue. |
| 2 | Fusarium Patch (Microdochium Patch) | A prevalent disease in the UK, especially during cooler, wet conditions. Affects a wide range of grasses, including ryegrass and fescue, causing significant damage. |
| 3 | Rust | Common on ryegrass and fescue in the UK, particularly during late summer and autumn. Rust weakens the grass and reduces its vigour. |
| 4 | Leaf Spot | Frequently observed in the UK, especially in spring and early summer. Affects ryegrass and fescue, leading to weakened turf. |
| 5 | Dollar Spot | Occurs regularly in the UK, particularly in humid conditions. It affects low-nitrogen lawns, including ryegrass and fescue. |
| 6 | Fairy Ring | Quite common in the UK, affecting a wide range of grasses, including ryegrass and fescue. Forms distinct rings or arcs in lawns. |
| 7 | Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia) | Although more prevalent in the US, Brown Patch does occur in the UK, especially in warm, humid conditions, affecting various grasses, including ryegrass. |
| 8 | Powdery Mildew | A fairly common disease in shaded areas of UK lawns. Affects ryegrass and fescue, creating a white powdery appearance on the grass blades. |
| 9 | Pythium Blight | Less common but can be severe in waterlogged or poorly drained UK lawns. Affects ryegrass and fescue, leading to rapid turf loss. |
| 10 | Summer Patch | Occasionally seen in the UK, particularly during hot, dry summers. It affects ryegrass and fescue, causing circular patches of dead grass. |
| 11 | Take-all Patch | More commonly affects bentgrass but can occasionally affect ryegrass in the UK. Causes patches of yellowing grass, especially in high pH soils. |
| 12 | Necrotic Ring Spot | Less frequent in the UK but can occur in stressed lawns with ryegrass and fescue, creating rings of dead grass. |
| 13 | Anthracnose | Occurs in the UK, particularly during periods of stress, affecting ryegrass and fescue. Causes yellowing and thinning of the grass. |
| 14 | Typhula Blight | Not very common in the UK, but can occur after prolonged snow cover. Affects cool-season grasses, including ryegrass and fescue. |
| 15 | Slime Mold | Rare in the UK and generally not a serious problem. It appears as a harmless powdery substance on grass blades. |
| 16 | Laetisaria Fuciformis (Red Thread) | Red Thread, caused by Laetisaria fuciformis, is already listed at the top and is very common in the UK. |
| 17 | Turf Melting Out | Less common in the UK. Can occur as a progression from Leaf Spot, affecting ryegrass and fescue during cool, wet weather. |
| 18 | Spring Dead Spot | Rare in the UK, mainly affecting Bermuda grass which is not commonly used. |
| 19 | Pythium Lawn Disease | Less common in the UK but can be highly destructive in poorly drained, waterlogged lawns. Affects ryegrass and fescue. |
| 20 | Rust Diseases | Already covered under Rust, which is common in the UK. |
| 21 | Puccinia Species (Rust) | Rust is a common disease in the UK, already mentioned above. |
Article By
Matt Adams
Matt's Founder of The Relentless Gardener. He's a plant nutrition expert and has studied plant nutrition for over 10 years. He has extensive knowledge of lawn care products as well as various plant feeding programmes.. Read More
