why does my grass keep dying

brownlawnmiami – posted 27 September 2009 15:01

In two years I have re-soded my yard twice. It just recently died again. I have been living in my home for 15 years and this is the first. Dont know if where I live in Miami has had issues with fungus or chinch bugs or what. I have Palmetto grass and wanted to re-sod again. Any ideas, help is greatly appreciated. I’m willing to change to another grass would be better. Every gardner I bring in just wants to re-sod and until the issue is resolved I’m afraid. Help!

saltcedar – posted 01 October 2009 06:16

Since no-one is willing to diagnose what’s killing thegrass replacement with more Palmetto makes no sense. I’d try a small planting of Floritam or Bitterblue to see if the same issues recur. If they doit’s time to get a horticulturist to diagnose the problemand either treat that problem or recommend a replacementgrass.

[This message has been edited by saltcedar (edited 01 October 2009).]

Turfguy_UF – posted 01 October 2009 22:33

I feel your pain brownlawnmaimi. I to just recently sodded my home lawn with Palmetto. Before I sodded it though I researched as much as I could before I did. I found out some very interesting things about Palmetto.

Palmetto to me is a wonderful turf if it is maintained very well. Palmetto has a horrible time with fungus. I mean horrible. It can wipe your whole yard out in a matter of days. During really raining/humid conditions you might see yourself spraying once a week to keep the grass healthy.

The first signs are yellowing of the turf, and then brown/necrosis of the turf. Be very vigilant in checking your turf every week. You should see some relief during the winter, and spring, but again it will pick back up in the summer.

If you choose to re-sod with Palmetto, I would nuke the soil with a fumigant. This will remove any pathogens, or bugs currently in the yard. Send off a soil sample and correct any problems before sodding. When watering in new sod, water in the mornings that way the sod can dry out before night time when it will be most humid. And monitor your sod. Also contacting your sod supplier and ask them what they use to treat the fungus, and use that. There is no sod producer growing Palmetto in Florida that does not have to deal with this fungus.

If that sounds to much for you I would try a different cultivar. Floratam, or Bitterblue are nice. Also Seville is a nice one. I would still fumigate, and soil sample before you sod.

Hope that helps.