Question
Hello, my neighbor (who is a lawn cutter guy) says that there is black mold growning in the lawns around our house, including mine, he said putting lime down will cure this. Is this correct? We have dogs, and I do not want anything that could possible harm them. Any help you can give me on this mattter would be extremelly appreciative.

Answer
Hope I'm not too late with this.

Textbook Fungus -- my guess, Ustilago striiformis, a disease of Bluegrass and Creeping Bentgrass called 'Leaf Smut' aka 'Striped Smut'.

You can read about it on the website of Viette Nurseries, a Pennsylvania retailer:

clients.ebluekey.com/cms/vf.php?filterParam=Stripe+Smut+&filter=GO!&orderBy=Topic&u=viette&f=39&formID=39

and University of Rhode Island Horticultural Program, which posts a report on 'Some Common Fungal Diseases of Turf':

www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/turffungaldis.html

Infected Grass is initially streaked with Yellow, a condition you may have overlooked because it's more subtle than the later symptoms.  As the disease progresses, the blades of the Grass turn Gray.  Finally, Black spores explode over the leaf surface and into the air.

This is a COOL weather disease.  Spring and Fall are famous for it.  But your Grass probably had it weeks, or months, ago.  University of R.I. website mentioned above explains: 'During hot Summer weather, Smut symptoms often disappear, but the plants are still infected. They are very susceptible to various stresses, such as heat and drought, and many will die.  Smut symptoms may return in the Fall, and the Fungus will continue to live INSIDE the plant until the plant dies.'

Give me a little more info.  Where are you growing this blackening Grass?  What kind of Grass is it -- Bluegrass, Rye, Fescue?  Are you growing this in the SHADE?  Do you water regularly?  Autosprinkler?  When's the last time you fertilized?  Any other diseases you know of?

One more thing.  Mold and Fungus spores are EVERYWHERE.  We tend to forget that.  Consider this: As you read this, you're breathing hundreds in right now.  Not sure?  Let's take a piece of fresh bread and put it in a plastic bag for a few days... We know Mold will be growing all over it.  Let's go into the bathroom... Anyone leave a towel on the floor?  In a few days, if you don't pick it up, it will have the familiar Mildew odor, thanks to the Mildew spores in the air right now.

And I make this point for one important reason.  Your hyper-managing friend sounds like a Fungicide connoisseur.  S/He will be distributing these like the Red Cross distributes blood in a war zone.  DO NOT USE FUNGICIDES TO 'CURE' THIS PROBLEM.

Why not?

Let's go back to that bathroom towel.  See any Mold or Fungus on the towels hanging up in the bathroom?  I'll bet they're dry!

THAT is why you do not have Mildew on them... NOT because you DID NOT SPRAY FOR FUNGUS in the bathroom.

Right?

See where we're going here?

Fungicides will not help your Grass with the Smut problem.  What will help is (a) allowing the natural enemies of the Stripe Smut to proliferate until they search and destroy your Fungus problem, AND (b) letting the Grass dry between waterings.

North Dakota State University's Lawn Disease department discourses on this disease in their 1988 report, issued 10 years ago and still timely:

www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/landscap/pp950w.htm

They note, 'Control is seldom required since the disease is rarely severe.  Where damage is occurring, an application of nitrogen and deep watering early in the day will stimulate growth and aid recovery.  Avoid frequent light watering in late afternoon or evening, as this may promote disease development...'

Relax.  Less is more.  rsvp at your leisure,

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER