mntnbkr – posted 20 September 2004 12:57
(Crossposting this here in addition to Environmental Mysteries since I don’t know which location is correct)
I have a emerald zoysia lawn that has been absolutely wonderful for the past 3 years, even though I’ve done a crappy job of maintaining it. This year it has decided to pay me back for my neglect. Here’s a link to some picturesMy Sick Lawn
The lawn has not been fertilized since early spring and we have had an incredibly wet summer here in Cary, NC (Piedmont)
Is this dollar spot, and if so should I fertilize the lawn now? If yes, what fertilizer (makeup) would be best? If it’s not dollar spot then what the heck is it and what do I need to do?
Thanks in advance for your assistance. (I know I’ve been a bad lawn owner, but want to rectify the situation)
mntnbkr – posted 21 September 2004 07:52
Should I be able to identify if this is being done by critters by digging out a section that’s discolored?
If I scuff the turf with my shoe in the areas that are discolored the grass blades basically disintegrate leaving a mostly bare spot in the lawn.
I don’t want to apply insecticide / fungicide unless necessary, and I want to use the right stuff for the job.
mntnbkr – posted 21 September 2004 07:53
[This message has been edited by mntnbkr (edited 21 September 2004).]
turfie – posted 05 November 2004 08:30
This looks like dollar spot, which incidentally prevails under low fertility. If this is what you have, you may see a cottony-white substance on the leaves in the morning. This disease likes high humidity and temperatures between 70 and 80.
You should also look for white grubs by cutting out a small area of sod with a knife and looking at the root zone. If the turf rolls back like a carpet and you see white worms, this is the problem.
If you see no worms, it would be a good idea for your own peace of mind to send a sample of your affected grass to a plant disease clinic. The one to use in NC is:
Plant Disease and Insect ClinicDepartment of Plant PathologyRoom 1104 Williams HallBox 7616North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7616Tel: 919-515-3619
Call them and ask them the procedure for sending a turf sample for disease diagnosis. They may have a sample submission packet they can send you. They can also give recommendations based on what they find.
Hope this helps.
Stephanie