FUNGUS IN BERMUDA GRASS

MARTYN – posted 30 May 2006 09:43

I have a Tidwarf lawn in my garden in Southern Spain which has California type climate. Around the edges I have a number of areas which have turned brown where a brown fungus has seemingly killed a lot of the gras so it is no longer the beautiful green that i had. This fungus is a brown rubbery type which looks like pieces of seaweed. Can anyone advise what sort of treatmnet is needed.

seed – posted 30 May 2006 11:55

What size are the seaweed-looking pieces?

There is a green algae that forms transparent pillow-like masses in thin turf, and when it dries out it looks like seaweed.

Phil

MARTYN – posted 30 May 2006 12:36

Many thanks for your reply, I think i can best describe this as dark brown globules, slightly translucent but very small a bit like tiny little berries but of no defined shape. There is nothing green about them ?

keith in jacksonville – posted 04 July 2006 07:11

I’ve been struggling with a similar problem since last fall, brown rubbery alge stuff. I think I got it started by over fertilizing and over watering trying to get bare spots from mole crickets to fill in. I didn,t have much luck finding advise. After finding my PH a little low I added lime. Weeks later I sprayed the affected area with copper sulfate crystals in a hose end sprayer. I started out with a weak mix, waited 2 weeks and sprayed again with a stronger mix ( about 3tbsp. in sprayer filled with water and delivered at 2 oz per gallon). After a week or so I wet the area and used a shop vac to clean up all I could find. Last I top dressed with builders sand. I,m more careful now with water and nitrogen. the recovery is very slow. I think the copper sulfate may have resideal effect slowing the tifdwarf down.

[This message has been edited by keith in jacksonville (edited 04 July 2006).]

[This message has been edited by keith in jacksonville (edited 04 July 2006).]

MARTYN – posted 05 July 2006 03:11

Thanks i will try the copper sulphate idea

seed – posted 08 July 2006 19:51

Sorry to be so late coming back. It sounds like a cyanobacteria, a blue-green algae.

Phil