Fungus Resistant grass ??

daveworld – posted 29 September 2003 10:47

being a victim of fugus/take all root rot, as well as reading all these other sufferers here in florida, i’m wondering are there hot climate grasses that are immune or resistant to fungal problems? im going to re-sod in the spring and do not want my next lawn to be Murdered. is there a sure fire chemical to ensure that i have eliminated this fungal demon from my yard? thanks for any insight.

ec – posted 29 September 2003 23:49

Disease resistance (most to least)Tall fescueZoysiagrassBuffalograssHybrid BermudagrassCommon BermudagrassBahiagrassSt. AugustinegrassPerennial ryegrassCentipedegrassSeashore paspalumCreeping red fescueKentucky bluegrassRough-stalk bluegrassColonial bentgrassCreeping bentgrass

-http://houseandhome.msn.com/Garden/WhichLawnGrass0.aspx

seed – posted 30 September 2003 00:02

The list is incongruous in mixing grasses (warm- and cool-season) that are hard to compare because they grow in different areas. Also, the list ignores the nature of the disease organism or the environment. Tall fescue (the most resistant) has plenty of problems from disease in the mid-West, and if you tried to grow it next to St. Augustingrass in Florida, it will die from fungus problems, while the St. Augustinegrass will (generally) remain healthy.

In answer to daveworld, there is no panacea. Fungicides that affect take-all root rot disease of St. Augustinegrass also have growth regulation effects, that can greatly suppress the St. Augustine. Best is to raise your mower height, cut down on fertilizer until the problem stabiilizes.

Phil

Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 01 October 2003 12:41

I disagree. There is a panacea. Ordinary corn meal will both fertilize and will kill all the typical garden fungal diseases. The research for this is being done at Texas A&M University at Stephenville. They have shown on peanut crops that corn meal kills the same fungal diseases as turf gets and kills them completely.

The only trick is that you cannot use a chemical fungicide while you’re using corn meal. The corn meal relies on a healthy population of living fungi in the soil. Chemical fungicides kill them off thus deactivating the effect of the corn meal.

The application rate for corn meal as a fungicide is 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. The application rate for cm as a fertilizer is 10-20 pounds per k. Cheap corn meal can be had at feed stores in 50 pound bags for about $6.50.