What is a common cause of damp conditions that encourage brown patch disease?

Watering late in the day or at night creates conditions that are favorable for the development of brown patch disease, primarily because the grass remains wet for extended periods. When the turf is watered and the temperatures drop during the night, the moisture on the grass blades and in the soil does not evaporate quickly. This prolonged moisture creates an environment conducive to the growth of pathogens that cause brown patch, a common lawn disease that thrives in damp conditions.

While heavy rainfall can also contribute to moisture, it’s the timing of watering—specifically watering late in the evening or at night—that allows for sustained wetness, increasing the risk for disease development. Watering early in the morning is typically recommended, as it allows grass blades to dry out during the day, reducing humidity levels and minimizing disease risk. Low temperatures at night can be a contributing factor to the occurrence of brown patch, but it is the wet conditions created by late watering that play a more significant role in the disease’s prevalence.