Centipede Grass Dying Out

bamend – posted 30 September 2001 11:36

I built a house on basically what should have been a gravel pit. Since we live on top of a hill and had no topsoil, we sodded this spring. The centipede sod was doing well in the beginning of the summer but then started to get a verigated look to it. We got a tremendous amount of rain in late August so I fertilized with 15-0-15 to help the grass. After all the rain the stress to the grass has intensified and the grass is starting to die back. Is the problem fungus or something else. The verigated look remains on all the remaining grass. I did not have a soil sample done before I planted the sod. Is there something else I’m missing? I live in SW Alabama. Any help would be appreciated.

bhenson – posted 04 November 2001 22:10

Phosphorus is the key for rooting when you are establishing. I noticed you applied a 15-0-15 fertilizer. This is a good fertilizer program, but it is not the kind you need for establishment. I think you need to get a soil sample taken, and find out how much (P) you have in your soil. Anywhere from 12-20 ppm is sufficient. I haven’t seen your lawn so i wouldn’t know. Also i know if you do not have enough P your grass can be disease prone. P Defficiency Symptoms include a initial dark dark green color, and then some purple discoloration, then the grass starts dieing out. Since this once was a gravel pit, i would deffinatlely get a soil sample, if this is important to you, you can’t go wrong with it. Then you will know for sure what you are dealing with.