Accurate diagnosis is the first step in addressing turfgrass problems

 

• Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu
• Contact: Chad Gulley, 903-590-2980, chad.gulley@ag.tamu.edu
  Dr. Casey Reynolds, 979-845-0603, casey.reynolds@tamu.edu

TYLER –  Calls have been pouring into Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent Chad Gulley’s office from homeowners whose grass is not faring well.

Lawns are thinning, showing brown spots and showing other signs of pests and diseases, Gulley said. He noted diseases such as gray leaf spot and root rot, as well as  pests such as chinch bugs, armyworms and white grubs causing problems for homeowners’ lawns.

“It seems like it’s been one thing after the other,” he said. “I think we’re seeing a lot of turfgrass-related stress because of extreme wet to dry to wet conditions over the last several months.”

The key is to diagnose the problem correctly and as early as possible, said Dr. Casey Reynolds, AgriLife Extension turfgrass specialist, College Station. Reynolds said most pest or disease problems for turfgrass are easy to remedy once the cause is determined.

“There are a lot of things that could be affecting turfgrass this time of year,” Reynolds said. “People are seeing damaged areas in their lawns and wanting to know what they can do. It could be anything from drought to gray leaf spot, large patch or armyworms, or it could be something simpler such as too much shade. The first step is making an accurate diagnosis.”

Making an accurate diagnosis requires identifying what type of grass is in the yard, because St. Augustine faces different threats than Bermuda grass, Reynolds said. Bermuda grass is a favorite for fall armyworms, and St. Augustine is susceptible to large patch, a fungus that results in patches of brown grass in the fall that can remain through spring.

“If they have St. Augustine grass and there are brown patches, there is a good chance it’s large patch, but that’s a guess. It could be white grubs eating roots, but that’s typically in drier conditions, so it’s doubtful with all the rain we had in August.”

Reynolds said insect activity should be reducing, though fall armyworms continue to be a nuisance around the state. Gray leaf spot and large patch are often aesthetic and most warm-season grasses will recover once better growing conditions resume. However, in extreme cases they can be damaging.

“Once treated, the grass will reemerge with green leaves, but they may have to look at large or small brown patches for a few months if they wait until October or later when grasses start to go dormant for winter,” he said.

Reynolds said the AgriLife Extension’s turfgrass site, https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/, has several publications regarding pest and disease problems and provides treatment strategies for homeowners. But homeowners with doubts about their diagnosis should have a local landscape professional or AgriLife Extension agent take a look.

“There is a ton of good information on the site, including a publication that covers the various weeds, pests and diseases that are common problems in turfgrass,” he said.  “If you can diagnose the problem accurately and go to the publication, it can tell you effective treatment options or you can call a professional applicator.”

For more information, go to http://bit.ly/2dpeENb.

Fall is also the time when homeowners should consider winterizing their lawns, which will give them a healthy head start in the spring, Gulley said.

Gulley said lawns should be fertilized six to eight weeks before the first frost to winterize grasses.

“That gives grass time to store up nutrients and gets them a good start to transition into spring,” he said. “But you’ve got to give grass enough time to build up before it goes dormant.”

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