Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Inspect the grass for tiny fungal threads or sunken patches.
- Check the soil moisture to see if it stays soggy for days.
- Observe the time of day you usually water your lawn.
Likely causes
Dollar spot
Most likelyHow to tell: You will see small, sunken patches of bleached or straw colored grass about the size of a silver dollar. These spots often appear during warm, humid weather.
What to do: Improve air circulation by thinning out nearby shrubs or trees. Apply a fungicide labeled for dollar spot if the patches spread rapidly. Water only in the early morning so the grass dries out during the day.
Red thread
PossibleHow to tell: Look for pinkish or reddish fungal threads growing on the leaf tips. This usually happens during cool, damp spring or autumn weather.
What to do: Increase nitrogen levels with a balanced fertilizer to help the grass grow out of the infection. Avoid watering in the evening to keep the blades dry at night. Rake away infected clippings to prevent the fungus from spreading.
Find out what's wrong with your common bent
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
Worry if the spots start merging into large dead patches that cover your entire lawn. Small, isolated spots are normal during high humidity and can be managed with better airflow.
Stopping it coming back
Water deeply in the early morning and ensure your lawn has good drainage to keep the blades dry.
Common bent: spots? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your common bent and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
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Questions people ask
- Will these spots kill my whole lawn?
- Usually not, if you catch them early. Most fungal issues in Common bent are cosmetic and treatable with better cultural habits.
- Should I mow over the spots?
- Avoid mowing when the grass is wet, as this spreads fungal spores to healthy areas. Clean your mower deck after cutting infected sections.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Common bent
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.