Brown patch

dutt10 – posted 20 June 2002 20:40

My St. Augustine has patches that have died and will not come back. It started last year in one spot and now there are several spots. The grass away from these areas seems to be doing fine. Other grasses and weeds have now started growing, and the patches slowly get bigger. I cut my grass to approx. 3″ every other week, I furtilized in early April but still nothing but weeds will grow. Is there a cure for this? Any help would be appriciated.

WillR – posted 20 June 2002 21:35

Based on what you are saying, I think you need to suspect a Chinch bug. Take a good probing look at the edges of the brown spots for chinch bugs. In the least, measure the spots and then check back and measure them again. If they are growing, then put a pesticide for chinch bugs around the paremeter of the brown spot (to include a radius of about 3-5 feet out from the brown spot). There is no need to spray the brown spot if it is chinch bugs as they have already done their damage there and moved to the perimeters.

Good luck!