Dollar Spot: Identification and Treatment in Georgia
Dollar spot peppers your lawn with silver-dollar-sized dead spots. Learn why nitrogen deficiency is usually the root cause and how we stop it.
Disease profile
What Is Dollar Spot?
Dollar spot gets its name from the small, silver-dollar-sized bleached spots it creates across the lawn. It thrives when warm days meet cool nights with heavy dew — exactly the weather pattern Middle Georgia sees from late spring through early fall. Low nitrogen and drought stress make turf especially vulnerable.
Symptoms
How to Identify Dollar Spot
Small, circular straw-colored spots roughly the size of a silver dollar
Spots may merge into larger irregular dead areas if left unchecked
Individual grass blades show tan or white lesions with reddish-brown borders
White, cobweb-like mycelium visible on turf in early morning dew
Affected turf has a bleached or straw-colored appearance
Conditions
What Causes Dollar Spot
Favorable Conditions
Warm days (60–90°F) with cool nights that produce heavy dew
Low soil nitrogen levels
Drought-stressed turf that hasn’t been watered deeply
Extended periods of leaf wetness from dew or evening irrigation
Heavy thatch layer
Poor air circulation in shaded or enclosed areas
Susceptible Grass Types
Treatment
How to Prevent and Treat Dollar Spot
Cultural Prevention
Maintain adequate nitrogen fertility — low nitrogen is the biggest risk factor
Water deeply and infrequently in the early morning
Avoid evening watering that keeps leaf blades wet overnight
Reduce thatch buildup through core aeration and proper mowing
Improve air circulation by trimming surrounding vegetation
Professional Treatment
We address dollar spot with a combination of proper fertility and targeted fungicide when needed. In many cases, correcting a nitrogen deficiency alone stops the disease. When fungicide is necessary, we apply it at the first sign of symptoms. Preventive applications are warranted on lawns with a history of recurring dollar spot.
Left untreated
What Happens Without Treatment
Individual spots merge into large, irregular dead patches that severely thin the turf. Bermuda can recover relatively quickly once conditions improve, but prolonged infection weakens the root system and opens the door for weeds. Chronic dollar spot drains the lawn’s energy reserves over the course of a season.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Dollar Spot
Why does my lawn have small dead spots everywhere?
Small, circular straw-colored spots are the signature of dollar spot. It usually means your lawn needs more nitrogen and is dealing with prolonged dew or moisture on the blades overnight.
Can I fix dollar spot with fertilizer alone?
Sometimes, yes. Dollar spot thrives in nitrogen-deficient turf. A proper fertilization program corrects the deficiency and helps the grass outgrow the disease. Severe infections may still need fungicide to get under control.
What is the white cobweb stuff on my lawn in the morning?
That’s mycelium — the active growth of the dollar spot fungus. It’s most visible in early morning when dew is still on the grass. It disappears as the sun dries the turf but the disease is still active.
Is dollar spot harmful to bermuda grass?
Yes. Dollar spot weakens bermuda by killing leaf tissue and depleting energy reserves. Bermuda recovers faster than most grasses, but repeated infections without treatment thin the turf and invite weeds.
Take action
Stop Dollar Spot Before It Spreads
Every day without treatment is another day the damage gets worse. Get professional disease control backed by our expert lawn care team.
