Centipede Grass Help- ID this disease (fairy ring)???

lulupalooza – posted 16 June 2008 17:20

Hi all! Need some help in id’ing this diesease on our lawn. I believe it to be fairy ring. If so, can I get rid of it?From what I have read in various places online. That once you get it, no and that it will slowly spread across the lawn. The rest of our front lawn is beautiful. This area is located on the side, next to our neighbors (a rental house w/ centipeide lawn as well, but their lawn is dried out)

I was reading something somewhere about using cornstarch, but I can’t find the post again.

TYIA Laura

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Almaroad – posted 17 June 2008 16:44

Can’t get photos to open

lulupalooza – posted 17 June 2008 17:46

What’s it saying when you try to open the link? It’s opening fine on my end.

Anyone else having problems??

copperjohn – posted 18 June 2008 14:12

Lulu, how long has this area be affected? Did it come on slowly or all at once? Tell me about the cultural practices (irrigation, mowing fertilization). It is difficult to diagnose the problem by the photos alone. However, they do look somewhat like fairy ring. It could also be the damage done by Rhizoctonia solani (brown patch disease). I would recommend taking a sample to your local extension so their plant pathologist can make a positive id of what the problem is. If it is fairy ring it may be very difficult to control. I have had success by core aeration and a fungicide drench. I used a material called “Prostar fungicide.” It’s pretty expensive and will need to be treated twice at 30 day intervals. If you like I can post some photos of the results of the treatments. If it turns out to be brown patch disease most of the time following good cultural practices will be enough. But if needed there are many fungicides on the market to help control it. However, before applying fungicide or any other pesticide, always make a positive id and Always read and follow label directions.

copperjohn – posted 18 June 2008 14:18

After further review of the photos i would almost be willing to bet that it is fairy ring. reason being is the lack of dead stolons. If it were brown patch they would still be there. It looks as if the damaged areas just faded away which is what some types (not all) do. The soil looks like it is compacted as well. But you still need to make a positive id before any treatment plan.

lulupalooza – posted 18 June 2008 14:52

Copperjohn,

The area has been infected really for about the 6 yrs we have been living here. It started out small, but has gotten a little larger each year. We water our lawn a lot in the spring/summer. The most fertilizer we have ever done is 10-10-10 and that is usually after May 1st.

I water that area quite a bit in hopes of it soaking down into the ground. But its very compacted. We are going to work on it this weekend,but airating it with a pitch fork and watering it deep. I was thinking of sprinking cornstarch on the area and see if that helps (I read that somewhere that helped someone with f/r)

I did have the county ext agent come out last spring and that is what he told us, that it was f/r. But in looking online at photos, etc. Ours problem doesn’t look like f/r. So I am confused. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on pestisides and it be the wrong thing and make it worse or not cure the problem. I am going to take a soil sample in so we know. We have that soil that they call sugar sand.

copperjohn – posted 18 June 2008 15:36

I think it probably is fairy ring. When you aerate it be sure to go at least 18 inches beyond the arc. That is where the disease activity is. also try to get as deep as you can. Some times wetting agents will help water penitrate deeper into the soil. You might even plant a few sprigs of St.Augustinegrass in the damaged area to see how it responds. the following are phots of the result we had on a typical fair ring zoysiagrass. Aeration and fungicide drench. 2 apps at 30 day intervals.[IMG]http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/copperjohn1962/1stapp.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/copperjohn1962/May04.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/copperjohn1962/may2404.jpg[/IMG]

tommycod – posted 19 June 2008 08:50

not really typical of type 1, 2 or 3 fairy rings. take a plug of sod at dying edge to state extension disease clinic/ county agent.

copperjohn – posted 20 June 2008 14:25

Actually Tommy, the photos are pretty typical of advanced fairy ring damage. Not all fair rings are complete circles and they don’t always have mushrooms or puffballs. They are not all just dark rings or arcs of turf. I’ve worked in the greens industry for over 26 yrs and have worked closely with a plant pathologist on many different diseases. I’ve seen a lot of fairy rings that look almost identical to the photos. I have to think that it is fairy ring for this reason; Lulu said the spot had been there for around 6 years. If it were any other disease she would have seen some kind of recovery when conditions weren’t right for whatever disease it may have been to be active. In other words if it had been brown patch for example, the turf would have started filling back in after temperatures reached 90 degrees. You’re right about getting a positive id. Before any treatment strategy a positive id needs to made.

lulupalooza – posted 02 July 2008 16:39

well the county agent come out and confirmed that it was f/r. All he recommended what to aerate deep as possible and drench with water as often as possible. Said I could go with fungacide but is expensive.

Copperjohn what exactly is this fungacide drench? what do I use and where can I get it? home depot/lowes? wally world?

tyiaLaura

Almaroad – posted 12 August 2008 15:09

All fungicides are created equal. On the centipede, use Eagle 20EW. A pint is about $65. Not cheap but well worth it on fairy rings, brown patch, etc. Apply between 14-28 days when fungus conditions are present

Almaroad – posted 12 August 2008 15:11

Whoa–left out a word. All fungicides are NOT created equal. Sorry. Wish that there was a way to edit posts.