Brown/dead grass at root base

SCarolinaCoast – posted 25 July 2006 15:38

I have a mature/lush St. Augustine yard that is green on the top but shows brown/dead grass at root base. This happens every year starting in June and July. I am just starting to see very few fungus brown spots on green leaves. I will and have used Ballitine(Sp) fugicide to control brown spot on green leaves but have no idea what causes brown/dead grass a root base. This is not grass clippings and do not see any bugs or grubs. Grass does not die out and does not have brown patch. I do live a block from beach and my neighbor two houses down shows same problem and he does not irrigate.

Maintenance-

-Weekly cut w/ sharp blade @ 3”-Fertilized 30-45 days w/Scotts Bone S Plus to control weeds mostly dollar weed.-Irrigated 2-3 times a week depending on weather. Water does have sulfer in it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

SuperTurF – posted 25 July 2006 20:21

The biggest problem with st. augustine besides SAD is that it produces a very high thatch layer which is caused by the vigorous growth of rhizomes and stolons. After years of build up the rhizomes and stolons began to build up on each other blocking sunlight to the undergrowth. As time progresses these underlying roots become dead and form what is thatch. You might believe that when you mow you elminate this problem but because of the horizontal growth it has you are unable to mow the area of most growth. St. Augustine lawns are not really long lasting lawns unless you maintain it properly. I have never been a fan of St. Augustine but many poeple like it. I am a Golf Course Superintendent I like it thin!

Tungsten – posted 25 July 2006 21:09

With organic lawn program, it wouldn’t be much of a problem at all…

hankhill – posted 25 July 2006 23:01

SuperTurF, St. Augustine doesn’t have rhizomes.

[This message has been edited by hankhill (edited 25 July 2006).]

SCarolinaCoast – posted 26 July 2006 09:36

I have never thatched. Can I wait till fall and would bagging help with future problems? We just finished with heavy rains and I noticed the grass does have a yellow tone. Should I apply fungicide and raise cutting ht. from 3” to 3.5” ?I do question the sulfer in the well water and using Scotts Bone S Plus (Bone S Plus is recommended for St. Aug.)!!!

Thanks

Tungsten – posted 27 July 2006 07:36

quote:Originally posted by SCarolinaCoast:I have never thatched. Can I wait till fall and would bagging help with future problems? We just finished with heavy rains and I noticed the grass does have a yellow tone. Should I apply fungicide and raise cutting ht. from 3” to 3.5” ?I do question the sulfer in the well water and using Scotts Bone S Plus (Bone S Plus is recommended for St. Aug.)!!!

Thanks

NO!!!!!!! what you’re doing is really screwing up soil badly. Like I said organic lawn care is the way to go. Fungicide will kill beneficial fungi as well which you do not want. They affect everything that are growing in the soil.

DO not thatch. Use compost to help break down thatch faster. Feed the lawn with corn meal at the rate of 20lbs per 1000 sqft every 3 months. Corn meal prevents/cures harmful fungus damages by feeding beneficial fungi which will grow rapidly and kill harmful ones. You can add soybean to cornmeal if needed for nitrogen boost like in the beginning of the spring for faster coverage.

Heavy rain will make st aug a bit yellow temporarly. It’s common and it’s nothing to worry about. Not much we can do.

ALWAYS MULCH.

Tungsten – posted 27 July 2006 07:41

Plus you water too often! Water deeply, about one inch every week during the hottest part of the summer. That is a general rule. it just depend on how much of your grass is wilting but the point is to water deeeeeeeeply every once in a while. The longer, the better. With organic lawn care, it helps stretch out period between watering which is good because with that you’re more likely to rely on the rain to do the mostly watering for you.

SCarolinaCoast – posted 27 July 2006 11:21

Thank you Tungsten,

A few questions before I try this weekend…

Is corn meal the same from a feed store vs. grocery store? Is alfalfa meal and soybean meal the same as feed meal?Do you use a drop spreader for this vs. broadcast and then water in?

I was going to try both corn and soybean (50/50) this weekend.

I am sure these sound like ridiculous questions but I want to get it correct. I was laughed at when telling a feed store what the use was for.

Thank you

SCarolinaCoast – posted 27 July 2006 11:23

Thank you Tungsten,

A few questions before I try this weekend…

Is corn meal the same from a feed store vs. grocery store? Is alfalfa meal and soybean meal the same as feed meal?Do you use a drop spreader for this vs. broadcast and then water in?

I was going to try both corn and soybean (50/50) this weekend.

I am sure these sound like ridiculous questions but I want to get it correct. I was laughed at when telling a feed store what the use was for.

Thank you

Tungsten – posted 29 July 2006 17:41

quote:Originally posted by SCarolinaCoast:Thank you Tungsten,

A few questions before I try this weekend…

Is corn meal the same from a feed store vs. grocery store? Is alfalfa meal and soybean meal the same as feed meal?Do you use a drop spreader for this vs. broadcast and then water in?

I was going to try both corn and soybean (50/50) this weekend.

I am sure these sound like ridiculous questions but I want to get it correct. I was laughed at when telling a feed store what the use was for.

Thank you

Yes corn meal from grocery store and feed store are the same but it’s much cheaper at animal feed store. Sometimes they have cracked corn instead of meal which is fine also.

Corn meal is usually spread by hand unforunately. I’ve heard that cracked corn can be used on rotary spreader at the widest opening. Worth a try.

Soybean spreads like those chemical fertilzer on the spreader.

I’m sorry you had to deal with those people at animal feed store. Just walk in, ask for the products without telling them what they are for and walk out. That’s what I do.