Fungi in New Saint Augustine Sod

Take-All Patch

• Take-all patch yellows and darkens the grass in rough irregular shapes. A soil fungus, G. graminis var. graminis, is the causal agent in take-all patch. The disease destroys the roots of your sod. The sod fails to take hold and will pull up weeks after it should have rooted in. Saint Augustine is most vulnerable in fall and spring, when there is abundant rainfall and cool to mild temperatures. Symptoms of dieback may not appear, however, until the heat of summer.

Take-all Maintenance

• The best way to combat take-all patch in a new lawn is to avoid over-watering and over-fertilization of the turf, especially with high-nitrogen-containing urea-based fertilizers, which seem to promote take-all patch. Raise your mower higher to increase blade length, to improve blade support for the roots and to reduce stress on the Saint Augustine turf. Avoid using broadleaf herbicides and heavy applications of lime. Apply fungicides at the first sign of disease.

Brownpatch

• Brownpatch kills the blades of Saint Augustine and creates circular patches of dead grass. It is promoted by wet weather or heavy but infrequent irrigation in early spring or late fall, when the temperatures are between 75 and 85 degrees F. The infestation can kill a patch one to 50 feet across.

Brownpatch Maintenance

• Ease up on the fertilizer, as this disease can be caused by too much nitrogen, heavy applications of lime or soggy earth. Irrigate twice weekly, watering deeply. Make sure the soil is moist, but not soggy. Water early in the morning so that the sun can dry out the grass blades before nightfall. Constantly wet grass can harbor fungi and promote its growth. Aerate the soil in the spring to promote improved absorption of water throughout the topsoil. Apply fungicides at the first sign of disease.

Gray Leafspot

• Gray leafspot is most often seen in early summer. It develops quickly when it's warm and damp. It flourishes in low-lying wet spots, causing ash-colored spots with brown to purple margins on the blades of grass. The discoloration will spread and kill the leaves, causing the blades to turn yellow and fall off, thinning and damaging the turf. The sod will soon look burned or scorched.

Gray Leafspot Maintenance

• Cut back the applications of urea-based, high-nitrogen fertilizer, especially in shaded areas during summer. Water early so the leaves will dry out before nightfall. Only water if weather conditions are dry and the lawn needs supplemental water. Especially avoid watering in the evenings and leaving the grass wet overnight. When you mow, catch the clippings and remove them to avoid spreading the disease. Bag or burn the clippings and take them far away.