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Red thread disease

Identification

  1. Do you see patches (75mm – 1 metre) of tan coloured turf?
  2. Do you see bright red threads in the tan turf?
  3. Do you see these symptoms when it is wet or humid?

If you answer yes to the above questions, you have observed the red thread disease of turf. It is a disease that you can control quite easily.

General description of red thread

The disease red thread is caused by a fungus that lives in your turf. All turf has this fungus in it, it is one of thousands of fungi that live in turf. Normally you do not see the fungus or the disease it causes, but during conditions of high humidity or wetness, it may appear. At first you will notice small patches of your grass leaves turning tan coloured or dying. If you look closely at the leaves, you will notice that they will turn tan, starting at the tips. Fortunately only the leaves are killed, and the turf can grow new ones. A day or so after you see the tan patches, and if the weather stays humid or wet, you will see bright red threads in the patches. You are looking at the fungus.

Info centre - lawn diseases red thread disease

Most people recognise fungi because they produce mushrooms or toadstools, but the red thread fungus produces threads of red material. These fragile red threads can be moved by water, shoes, and lawnmowers, and thus spread the fungus. Red thread attacks ryegrass faster than other types of turf, but because it primarily attacks the leaves, it is generally controllable using some simple guidelines. Red thread is more serious on turf that is not being cared for. It can kill patches of your turf if it is allowed to develop for weeks at a time. It attacks all of the grass species grown for turf in the U.K.

How to manage red thread disease in turf

There are some simple means for reducing the development of red thread, but make sure you actually have the red thread disease before you try and manage it.

  1. If you are installing new turf, ask your turf supplier if the turf they produce has good red thread resistance.
  2. Fertilise your lawn properly.
  3. Water your turf properly, but do not over water.
  4. Mow your grass properly.
Info centre - lawn diseases red thread disease

Can you use fungicides to control red thread?

Yes, there are fungicides approved for use to control red thread disease. It is recommended that before you use a fungicide, you make certain that you have the red thread disease in your turf, and that you consult a turf expert on the use of fungicides. STRI UK is the world’s leading sports turf consultancy, you can visit their website www.strigroup.com/stri-uk. Generally, if you take proper care of your turf you will rarely need to use a fungicide. We also recommend that you obtain advice about chemical and non-chemical products direct from the manufacturer.

Remember

Red thread develops in lawns that are poor in quality or generally receiving too little fertiliser. Manage your turf properly, and red thread will not be a common problem for you.

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Important update: Temporary 6.5% surcharge effective 7 April 

At Rolawn, we are committed to maintaining the high standards of quality and service our customers expect, so we want to be open with our customers about a change that will affect pricing from Tuesday 7th April. 

This decision has been taken in response to disruption to energy supplies, which has led to significant increases in wholesale prices, affecting not only fuel and fertiliser but also costs throughout our wider supply chain. As a business that relies heavily on fuel for both transport and operations, these sustained cost pressures have become increasingly difficult to absorb.  

While we have worked hard to mitigate the impact, the scale and pace of recent price increases have now exceeded what we can sustain internally, and we therefore need to recover a proportion of these externally driven increases. 

From Tuesday 7th April, a temporary 6.5% surcharge will apply to all products.  

We know that any increase in price is frustrating, particularly at a time when many businesses and households are already feeling under pressure. That is why we want to be clear that this is not a decision we have made lightly, and not one we wanted to make. It has been introduced solely to help offset unavoidable cost inflation and allow us to continue delivering the quality, reliability and service standards associated with Rolawn. 

We will continue to monitor market conditions closely and will review this surcharge as soon as circumstances allow, providing reasonable notice of any changes. We recognise that any price increase is unwelcome, but this step is necessary to ensure the continuity and reliability of our operations during a period of ongoing uncertainty. 

We remain committed to providing the quality, reliability and service standards you expect from Rolawn, and we truly appreciate your understanding and continued support. 

If you have any questions, please contact our customer support team who will be happy to help.