Brown Patch Fungus in Fort Worth Lawns: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

If you’ve noticed circular brown spots spreading across your lawn this fall, you may be dealing with brown patch fungus — one of the most common lawn diseases in North Texas.

At Gro Lawn, we help homeowners in Fort Worth, Aledo, Burleson, Southlake, and the surrounding areas protect their lawns from this frustrating but preventable problem. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Brown Patch Fungus?

Brown patch is a fungal disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani. It thrives in warm, humid weather and most often affects St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns.

You’ll typically notice:

• Circular or irregular brown patches of thinning grass
• Soft, rotted blades that pull up easily
• A musty odor in heavily affected areas

While the disease is usually cosmetic and doesn’t typically kill your lawn, it’s often a warning sign that your turf is under stress or vulnerable to more serious issues like take-all root rot.

Brown patch doesn’t cause take-all root rot, but both thrive in the same conditions. Preventing one helps protect against the other.

Why Brown Patch Is Common in North Texas

Brown patch is especially active in the fall when cool nights and humid mornings create ideal fungal conditions. The combination of St. Augustine’s dense growth pattern and North Texas’s variable weather makes local lawns particularly susceptible.

Common causes include:

• Excessive mowing height (St. Augustine above 3 inches) traps humidity
• Night watering keeps grass wet for hours
• Shade and poor airflow prevent turf from drying
• Low drainage areas hold moisture longer
• Summer drought stress weakens grass before fall

How Gro Lawn Prevents and Treats Brown Patch

Many lawn companies treat all turf the same, but in North Texas, that approach doesn’t work. St. Augustine and Zoysia need specialized disease protection, especially during fall.

At Gro Lawn, we’ve built preventative fungicide treatments directly into our lawn care program. Here’s how we protect your lawn:

Preventative Fungicide Program

• Treatments begin in late August and continue through mid-November
• Prevents fungal spores from germinating during prime disease season
• Reduces visible damage and turf thinning

Localized Lawn Care Approach

• Tailored applications based on grass type, shade, and soil
• Adjusted mowing and watering recommendations for your property

Seasonal Monitoring

• Ongoing inspection during each visit to catch early fungal activity
• Adjusted treatments when humidity spikes or temperatures drop

Get ahead of fungus season. Call 1-800-LAWNCARE or visit uglyweeds.com to request a free lawn evaluation and schedule your fall fungicide treatment before brown patch takes hold.

What You Can Do to Help Prevent Brown Patch:

Along with professional treatment, simple lawn care habits go a long way toward keeping fungus under control.

Mowing

• Keep St. Augustine at or below 3 inches in fall to improve airflow
• Always use sharp mower blades to reduce stress on grass

Watering

• Water early in the morning before 9 a.m. so grass dries quickly
• Avoid watering at night or during periods of high humidity

Drainage and Airflow

• Address low spots or compacted soil that hold water
• Thin dense shrubs or overhanging trees to improve sunlight and circulation

Need help identifying problem areas in your lawn? Schedule a free lawn inspection with Gro Lawn, and we’ll pinpoint disease-prone areas before they spread.

Why Choose Gro Lawn?

With decades of experience in North Texas turf care, Gro Lawn understands the unique challenges local homeowners face—from summer drought to fall fungus.

We offer:

• Targeted fungicide applications for brown patch and other diseases
• Custom-blended fertilizers designed for North Texas soil
• Expert advice on mowing, watering, and seasonal lawn management

Brown patch fungus may be common in Fort Worth and North Texas lawns, but with the right prevention plan, it’s completely manageable. By combining proper mowing and watering habits with Gro Lawn’s preventative fungicide program, you can keep your St. Augustine or Zoysia lawn healthy, green, and fungus-free year after year.

Don’t let brown patch take over your lawn. Call 1-800-LAWNCARE  today to protect your lawn this fall!