How to Spot and Treat Common Lawn Diseases in Arundel, Emsworth & Nearby Areas

If your lawn is looking off-colour, patchy, or just not thriving despite your best efforts, it could be suffering from a lawn disease. The damp West Sussex climate—particularly in places like Arundel and Emsworth—creates the perfect conditions for certain fungal infections and turf problems to take hold.

Here’s how to identify, treat, and prevent the most common lawn diseases affecting gardens in your area.

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🌾 1. Red Thread

What it looks like:

• Patches of pinkish or reddish strands across the lawn
• Often seen in late spring and autumn, especially in lawns low in nitrogen

What to do:

• Apply a nitrogen-rich fertiliser
• Mow regularly (but not too short)
• Improve airflow by removing thatch and moss

📍 Common in Arundel gardens with shaded, damp areas or older turf.

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🌿 2. Fusarium Patch (Snow Mould)

What it looks like:

• Yellowish-brown circular patches
• May be covered with a white, cobweb-like fungal growth in cold or wet weather

What to do:

• Avoid fertilising in late autumn
• Scarify and aerate to improve drainage
• Apply fungicide in severe cases

📍 Often appears in Emsworth lawns during mild, wet winters.

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☀️ 3. Dry Patch

What it looks like:

• Grass won’t green up even with watering
• Soil becomes water-repellent and cracked

What to do:

• Aerate deeply
• Use wetting agents to help water absorb
• Reseed affected areas if needed

📍 Seen frequently in sunny gardens around Chichester and higher ground near Arundel.

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🐛 4. Fairy Rings

What it looks like:

• Dark green rings or arcs, sometimes with mushrooms
• Grass inside the ring may die back

What to do:

• Aerate and spike the area
• Apply a wetting agent
• Remove thatch build-up

📍 Can occur in older lawns or those with heavy organic build-up in West Sussex clay soils.

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🧪 Prevention Tips for All Lawn Diseases

• Keep your lawn well-fed with balanced fertilisers
• Aerate regularly to improve drainage
• Scarify to remove moss and thatch
• Avoid overwatering
• Mow little and often—never scalp the lawn

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🛠 Need Help Identifying or Treating Lawn Disease?

If you’re unsure what’s affecting your lawn, don’t wait for the damage to worsen. Our local lawn care team offers expert diagnosis and tailored treatment plans throughout Arundel, Emsworth, Chichester, and the surrounding areas.

📞 Get in touch for a free lawn health check today—and let us help you restore your lawn to its full, green glory.