Lawns anywhere can be a source of pride for those who work to upkeep them. But here in Maine, with beauty around every turn, lawns are something more. It’s where we painstakingly grow our gardens, it’s where we spend time with friends and family and it’s just…nice to look at. If you’ve looked around recently you may have noticed that lawns around the state are changing. And it’s not necessarily the drought!

A beautiful lawn is something special. It hints at care and work and offers a real sense of accomplishment when seen from inside the house. Plus, it's just plain nice to sit around in a fresh, green lawn.
wespeck / Flickr
Maine is facing a drought at the moment which is causing problems for many lawns, but there's another foe here working to undermine all of our hard (yard) work!
davidkineugene / Flickr
Rather than the fresh, wet grass we all know and love, more and more people are waking up to find their lawns brown, crispy and sparse.
~lzee~ / Flickr

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The culprit is a pathogen known as Cladosporium which takes advantage of dying plant tissue. The result is a typically bright green lawn turning brown and patchy.
zak / Flickr
The condition itself us called black lawn and the appearances change when the black spores invade. And because Cladosporium travels in the wind and on water droplets it can move around quickly.
bikracer / Flickr
Lawn care specialists throughout the state are reporting having never seen the problem. Others report it not being around for at least three decades.
rexandsharkey / Flickr
While the condition might seem rare, it could have been lurking here for all those decades. The last few weeks of drought, recent humidity and rain have created the perfect circumstances for the fungus to increase and spread.
shesaleo / Flickr
What can you do? Not a whole lot, unfortunately. Once it's gone, it's gone, and returning to a green lawn will require re-seeding. However, there is some good news. The fungus preys on grass that's already facing problems, so keeping things fresh, well-fed and watered should help you avoid it.

Have you experienced the effects of Cladosporium? If so, let us know who you figured it out and what you’ve been able to do to remedy the problem. And if you’re currently experiencing the problem with no end in sight, we suggest visiting some gardens to get your mind off things. This is a magical secret garden in Maine you’ll want to visit at least once.

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