Stop Dollar Spot in Its Tracks: Protect Your Bermuda Lawn in York County, SC
If you have a Bermuda lawn in York County, SC, you’ve likely enjoyed the lush, vibrant green carpet it provides through spring and summer. But just as your lawn hits its peak growing season, a common enemy starts to emerge: Dollar Spot fungus. This turf disease can sneak up quickly, leaving tan or straw-colored patches across your yard and threatening the health and beauty of your grass. At Hippo Turf Care, we’re seeing an uptick in dollar spot activity this time of year, and early action is the key to prevention.
In this blog post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Dollar Spot: what it is, why it shows up, how to prevent it, and most importantly, how Hippo Turf Care can help protect your Bermuda lawn and keep it thriving all summer long.
What Is Dollar Spot Fungus?
Dollar Spot (scientific name Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) is a common turf fungus that affects Bermuda grass and other warm-season grasses. The disease gets its name because the affected areas often resemble silver-dollar-sized circles on your lawn. Initially small, these patches can quickly grow and merge, resulting in large areas of discolored, thinning grass.
Signs of Dollar Spot:
Small, sunken tan or straw-colored patches
Patches 1 to 6 inches in diameter
Distinctive hourglass-shaped lesions on individual grass blades
Spots that expand and merge over time
General thinning of the turf canopy
Left untreated, Dollar Spot can compromise your lawn’s root system, leading to weakened turf, increased vulnerability to other diseases, and permanent damage to your Bermuda lawn.
Why Does Dollar Spot Appear?
Dollar Spot thrives under specific environmental conditions that are quite common in York County during late spring and summer:
Warm daytime temperatures (70-85°F)
Cool, humid nights
Extended periods of leaf wetness (dew, irrigation, or rain)
Low nitrogen levels in the soil
Excessive thatch buildup
Essentially, when your lawn stays wet overnight and temperatures are warm during the day, Dollar Spot spores activate and begin infecting the grass blades.
Why Early Treatment Is Critical
The earlier you act, the better your chances of stopping Dollar Spot before it spreads throughout your entire lawn. Once established, Dollar Spot can be stubborn, and repairing the damage often takes months of overseeding, aeration, and turf management.
Preventative treatment is the most effective approach. Applying fungicide early can:
Stop active fungal spores
Protect healthy grass blades
Preserve the root system
Minimize long-term damage
Maintain that thick, green Bermuda look
Waiting too long can turn a simple fix into a season-long recovery project.
How Hippo Turf Care Treats Dollar Spot
At Hippo Turf Care, we offer professional fungicide applications specifically formulated to combat Dollar Spot in Bermuda lawns. Our targeted fungicide treatments are applied at the first signs of disease activity or proactively before the prime infection window.
Treatment Details:
Applied as a liquid spray for full coverage
Targets fungal spores before they spread
Works best in conjunction with proper mowing, watering, and fertilization
Safe for children, pets, and your lawn when applied professionally
Our fungicide applications are priced at 1.5x your normal service rate. For example, if your routine service is $60, the fungicide treatment would be $90. This small investment can save you from much higher repair costs down the road.
Additional Lawn Care Practices to Help Prevent Dollar Spot
While fungicide treatments are highly effective, they work best when combined with good cultural practices. Here are some lawn care tips to help reduce the risk of Dollar Spot recurring:
1. Proper Mowing:
Keep Bermuda grass mowed to 1-1.5 inches
Always use sharp mower blades to avoid grass blade injury
2. Correct Watering:
Water deeply but infrequently (2-3 times per week)
Water in the early morning to reduce overnight leaf wetness
3. Balanced Fertilization:
Maintain proper nitrogen levels
Avoid over-fertilizing, which can stress the turf
4. Thatch Management:
Aerate your lawn annually
Dethatch if thatch layer exceeds 0.5 inch
5. Air Circulation:
Trim nearby shrubs and trees to improve airflow and reduce humidity at the lawn level
By combining preventative fungicide applications with these best practices, your Bermuda lawn will be far better equipped to resist Dollar Spot and other common summer diseases.
Why Choose Hippo Turf Care?
At Hippo Turf Care, we specialize in comprehensive lawn care programs tailored to the unique challenges of York County’s warm-season grasses. We understand how local weather patterns, soil conditions, and pests interact with your Bermuda lawn, allowing us to create customized solutions that keep your turf healthy year-round.
When you partner with Hippo Turf Care, you benefit from:
Experienced, trained lawn care professionals
Timely preventative treatments
Transparent pricing
Friendly, personalized service
Commitment to your lawn’s long-term health
Schedule Your Dollar Spot Treatment Today!
Don’t wait until Dollar Spot takes over your lawn. A timely fungicide application now can save you hundreds of dollars and months of frustration later.
📞 Call or Text Hippo Turf Care at 803-810-1145
🌐 Get a Fast and Free Quote online at hippoturfcare.com
We proudly serve homeowners across York County SC, including York, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Clover, Tega Cay, Lake Wylie, York, and surrounding areas.
Let Hippo Turf Care help you keep your Bermuda lawn looking lush, healthy, and beautiful all season long!
