Red Thread

Red Thread can cause severe damage to any lawns cultivated in the cooler, humid regions. Its chief characteristic is a pink colored fungus tissue that adheres to the surface of the shoots and leaves of the grasses. In wet weather, these fungus outgrowths are very conspicuous, stretching from leaf to leaf, binding the parts of the plant together.

In early stages, infected tissues are water soaked, but later they become dry and lose their color. The patches of blighted grass range in diameter from two inches to three feet, often appearing ragged due to the fairly high population of unaffected leaves.

Field diagnosis of red thread is easiest when the disease is in its final stages of development. The ends of the leaves will have fine bright coral thread-like fungus structures, damaging the health of your lawn.