How to recognise it
Yellow-brown patches, around 5-8cm in diameter, appear in mild, wet weather in early autumn. You may also find that the individual grass leaves have a thin dark band separating the yellowing part from the green.
Why it’s a problem
It is unsightly and can be quite widespread when a lawn is infected.
Where you are likely to find it
In lawns, particularly those containing red fescue grass.
How to prevent it
General good lawn maintenance, including aeration, should prevent an infection. When feeding the garden in autumn ensure that an appropriate autumn/winter fertiliser is used – spring fertilisers generally contain too much nitrogen for autumn/winter feeding, which encourages new growth which becomes susceptible to disease in the colder months.
How to get rid of it
Improve drainage through aerating the lawn (eg by spiking with a fork) and ensure that fertilisers with a high nitrogen content are not applied between September and March.
Is it good for anything?!
No.
Other useful information
It is called dollar spot due to the shape and size of the discoloured patches – ie they are similar to a dollar coin.
