To reduce the impact of Brown Patch during the cool season months, I use slow-release organic sources for nitrogen in very sparse amounts and high amounts of potassium all year long to keep nitrogen levels low and potassium levels high.
In severe cases, I will use a commercially available fungicide as a curative measure. However, fungicides are temporary only lasting for 2 — 3 weeks. Retreating the lawn will be necessary when conditions are perfect for brown patch to become active.
Rick Orr is the creator of Iloveturf. Since , Rick worked in the green industry, mostly with golf courses, resorts, and large communities. Rick has been certified as an arborist, landscape and irrigation contractor, and adjunct professor for Environmental Horticulture SPC in Pinellas County. Home Pest Control came naturally.
Entomology bug science was part of agronomy studies. Improve turf grass root system with good drainage and aeration. Avoid spreading the disease to other areas. Remove grass clippings if the weather is warm and moist to prevent spread to other areas during mowing. Prevent thatch build up. Fungicides See the section Chemical Controls for Turfgrass Diseases are most effective when used on a preventive basis.
During fall, Rhizoctonia fungi usually hide out in the grass thatch. The cold temperatures and high humidity during this time of the year favor them. The best way to control brown patch disease in St. Augustine grass lawns is by following a proper lawn care program that includes regular mowing, dethatching, core aeration, and a proper watering schedule.
In case there are signs of the disease, early treatment using a fungicide is key in managing the damage. You may need to apply fungicides as a prevention measure in turfgrasses and regions that are prone to fungal infections. The most effective way to get rid of fungus in St. Augustine grass is applying a lawn fungicide such as Scotts DiseaseEx or Cosan Apply the treatment at the onset of the disease to treat and prevent brown patches in your lawn.
Repeat treatments may be necessary if the disease is advanced. Since the fungus in St. Augustine grass may be caused by different types of fungi, some fungicides may be more effective on some strains of the brown patch disease than others. Examples of effective fungicides include Azoxystrobin, Pyraclostrobin, and Fluoxastrobin. A good idea would be to alternate them.
Fungi like to grow in wet conditions. Lawns that are poorly draining such as those established on clay soils may be susceptible to fungal infections. To prevent lawn fungus, core-aerate and dethatch your lawn regularly to encourage water to seep deep into the root zone. You can also prevent standing water in your lawn by removing debris like rocks and sticks that may prevent or slow down water from draining into the soil.
The best way to get rid of fairy ring fungus is to replace the affected lawn sections with new St. Augustine sod. This is a more eco-friendly option compared to the use of chemical fungicides.
Dig out the affected soil sections and refill them with a new St. Augustine grass sod. However, if you find this option to be too labor-intensive and time-consuming, you can opt for an appropriate fungicide such as flutolanil or Consan For maximum efficiency, pick a fungicide product that combines at least two of these active ingredients.
Some types of fungi such as take-all root rot fungi thrive in highly alkaline soil conditions. You can treat and prevent this fungal disease in St. Augustine grass by gradually lowering your soil pH to be slightly acidic. Apply ammonium sulfate to your lawn at a rate of 5. You can mix it with peat moss for better control of this fungus. This treatment is gradual and more of a preventative measure. You can get rid of take-all root rot faster by using appropriate fungicides, which include myclobutanil and propiconazole.
For St. Augustine lawns, these fungicides are best applied during spring and fall. Water your lawn after the application of these fungicides to ensure the active ingredient penetrates into the root zone and the soil to kill the fungi. Augustine requires about 0. Overwatering encourages fungal activity as it keeps the lawn wet for prolonged periods.
Shade allows for dew to last longer in your lawn, which encourages fungal growth. Instances of gray leaf spot and dollar spot in St. Augustine grass are common in shaded lawns. Cut any canopy above St. Augustine grass to allow it to receive at least 7 hours of direct sunlight to prevent lawn fungus. Watering your lawn too early in the morning exposes the grass to prolonged periods of wetness, which encourages the growth of fungus. It is best to water your St.
Augustine grass lawn from mid-morning when the sun has already risen. Watering at sunrise allows your lawn to dry up quickly and prevents fungal spores from germinating and causing brown patch disease. Most lawn fungal infections eventually manifest as visible patches of brown discoloration in lawns, hence the name. Brown patch or Rhizoctonia solani species is the most common type of fungus in warm-season turfgrasses such as St.
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