Brown patch or Dollar spot? Please help

studawg66 – posted 14 June 2005 22:14

I have either brown patch or dollar spot in my bermudagrass lawn here in North Alabama, but I am not sure which. From what I have read here and elsewhere, brown patch is worse when nitrogen is high and dollar spot is worse when nitrogen is low, so I want to make sure I am treating the right problem before I fertilize (or stop fertilizing).

Is there any way to positively identify the problem? Both descriptions and pictures are very similar to what I have. I can post a couple of pictures if that would help.

This gets worse every year, so I need to put a stop to it soon.

Thank you!

cohiba – posted 15 June 2005 12:51

Brown Patch is larger than dollar spot. Dollar spot is about the size of a silver dollar. Brown patch can be as small as 8-9″ across or larger. Also dollar spot has an hour glass shaped leaf lesion.

Hope this helps…………….

ted – posted 15 June 2005 19:03

if you’re already seeing it, it’s too late.

studawg66 – posted 19 June 2005 21:03

Thanks for the replies.Maybe I should post pictures. I don’t see “hourglass-shaped lesions” but I do see small brown dots on the leaves and stems of the green bermuda wherever there is a brown spot of turf. I am going to go with the assumption that it is dollar spot and treat accordingly (whatever the Scott’s product is, plus add a little 10-10-10 to get the N2 up). Hopefully that will help keep it from getting worse this year.

Now the question is…how do I keep this stuff from coming back next year, as it has reappeared every year (for 5 years) and gets just a little worse every summer. Is there some preventive measure I can take this year or next year? I have seen lots of comments on this forum about using corn meal, but don’t know anyone around here who has used that on their lawn. Is this a preventive measure, or does it help rid your lawn of disease?

Any help is appreciated!

cohiba – posted 20 June 2005 15:02

studawg66,

The best way to treat for any disease is by proper management techniques and a preventative fungicide program. Cornmeal can be part of that program, but don’t rely solely on it to control all your problems.

My suggestion would be to send a sample of the diseased turf to a plant pathology lab to see exactly what pathogen is causing the disease. That way you can choose a program that fits your budget and your expectations. Follow good turf management techniques along with a preventative fungicide program and you will have the disease licked in no time.

When overseeding, choose a variety that shows improved resistance to that particular disease.

Cornmeal Lovers: It’s your turn…………