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Common Lawn Diseases — How to Identify, Control and Treat Them

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Fall is an ideal time to check your lawn for signs of disease. Many lawn diseases for warm season grasses are the most active in cooler weather, although some can appear any time during the growing season.

Diagnosing a turfgrass disease, however, can be tricky because symptoms similar to disease can be caused by environmental conditions and turf management practices, such as:

  • Insect infestations.
  • Temperature extremes.
  • Competition from tree roots.
  • Excessive shading.
  • Toxic soil substances.
  • Wrong herbicides applied for the grass type.
  • Incorrectly applied herbicides.
  • Lack of essential nutrients, water or oxygen.
  • Soil compaction.
  • Inappropriate irrigation scheduling.
  • Improper mowing height or frequency.

Diseases for Warm-Season Grasses

Below are some of the common diseases for warm-season grasses in Texas, along with signs to help you identify them.

Large Patch

General information:  Large patch is a common disease caused by a fungus (Rhizoctonia solani) that affects most Texas warm-season grasses. It appears in the fall, and is active until temperatures drop and remain below 60°F. It becomes active again in the early spring until the weather warms above 75°F, and the soil begins to dry out. This disease is also called brown patch when it occurs in cool-season grasses (caused by a different strain of the same fungus) and has a different life cycle than the strain responsible for large patch.

You can spread large patch by mowing and then walking on infected areas. The disease can be a problem each year unless measures are taken to control or eliminate it. 

Grasses affected:  Most warm-season grasses, with St. Augustine and zoysia especially affected.

Symptoms:  Symptoms vary greatly depending on the grass types, environmental conditions, and lawn maintenance practices.  

Large patch begins with small circular or irregular patches of blighted grass, which can grow to over 20 feet in diameter. The outer edges may be red or brown — St. Augustine grass will turn yellow at the edges — while the rest of the patch is light brown. New leaves may appear in the center of the patch, giving the diseased areas a donut-shaped appearance.

Infected leaves often have a slimy, dark brown lesion at the base of the leaf. The leaf sheaths become rotted, and the leaf easily pulls out.

Take-All Patch, Bermuda Decline, Take-All Root Rot

General information:  Take-all patch, also known as Bermuda decline and take-all root rot, is caused by the fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis or avenae. It’s active in the fall and winter whenever there’s a lot of moisture, but its symptoms don’t show up until late spring or early summer when the affected grass is stressed by high temperatures and dry weather. However, the disease can appear anytime during the growing season when the grass is stressed.

Grasses affected: Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia.

Symptoms:  The first visible symptoms are circular or irregular patches of yellowing and wilting grass blades, and darkening of the roots. As the grass dies, it thins, with the patches becoming bare. The patches can grow up to 20 feet in diameter. With severely infected grass, the stolons (slender stem that grows horizontally along the ground) can be easily pulled up from the ground.

Take-all patch is often mistaken for large patch — however the leaves can’t be easily separated from the sheaths, as is the case with large patch.

Leaf Spot

General information:  Leaf spot is a common name for a number of lawn diseases caused by the same family of fungii (Helminthosporium). Different species of the fungus attack different grass types. Leaf spot has two different phases, one for the cool weather, and one for the warmer weather of midsummer.

Grasses affected:  All warm season grasses can get the disease, but Bermuda and zoysia are most affected.

Symptoms:  In the spring and fall, small, brown-to-purple spots with tan centers appear on leaf blades. Leaves that are severely affected will turn reddish-brown, then wither and die. During the hot, humid weather the “melting out” phase of the disease begins with sheath and crown rot, killing the grass in irregular patches.

If the environmental conditions change, the disease usually stops, and the grass can recover.

Rust

General information:  Rust is a common fungal disease (Puccinia cynodontis) that occurs on grasses when their growth is slowed. For warm-season grasses this would be late summer through late fall, as well as during periods of stress (e.g. drought, low nitrogen).

It usually starts in shaded areas first, during warm, humid weather. Any grass that remains wet for long periods of time is prone to the disease.

Grasses affected:  Bermuda, St. Augustine, and zoysia (most affected).

Symptoms:  The disease begins as tiny yellow spots on the grass blades. Over time, the spots grow longer, and enlarge to form orange or yellow raised pustules. Eventually the pustules rupture and spread a powdery mass of rust-orange spores across your lawn. When all the spores have been released, the pustules turn black.

In heavily rust-infected areas, the grass thins out and turns a yellow-orange to reddish-brown color. If the turf is disturbed, clouds of rust spores rise into the air and spread (e.g. mowing). The spores that are left on your lawn will re-infect it once the optimal environmental conditions for the disease return. 

Conditions for Lawn Disease

A number of conditions must be present for a lawn disease to develop:

  • There must be a pathogen present (such as fungi, bacteria, or viruses) in high numbers.
  • The grass type must be susceptible to that pathogen.
  • Environmental conditions have to be favorable to that disease.

If you’re starting a new lawn with sod or seed, one way to give it every chance to be healthy is to choose a grass type suitable for your geographical location and site conditions (e.g. amount of sun and shade, soil type), and preferably a disease-resistant variety.

Control and Management

Once your lawn is established, effective management practices can discourage, and control or eliminate fungal diseases. Proper management will also help turfgrass recover. Such practices include:

  • Get your soil tested so you know what amounts and types of fertilizers to use. Under and over-fertilization can create conditions for disease (e.g. too much nitrogen helps activate large patch, while too little helps activate rust disease).
  • Irrigate deeply and evenly to encourage deep root growth. The amount of watering required varies with soil type, but usually water no more than an inch at a time, enough to soak the soil to a depth between 6-10 inches.
  • Irrigate early in the day so moisture can reach the roots, but doesn’t remain too long on the grass.
  • Maintain the proper mowing height for the grass type.
  • Ensure good soil drainage above and below the surface.
  • Remove thatch over 1/2 inch thick.
  • Aerate warm-season lawns in late spring or very early summer.
  • Apply correct herbicides for your grass type to kill weeds and avoid the overuse during disease activity. Follow the label instructions so as not to cause damage.

Fungicides

The best time to apply fungicides is just before any symptoms appear (e.g. there’s a disease history), or very early in the disease development. Once you’ve identified the infection, choose the correct fungicide for treatment. You can purchase many types at garden centers and nurseries, but a number of effective fungicides are only available to licensed lawn care professionals.

If you’re having difficulty identifying the fungus, you can ask a lawn care professional, or you can contact your Texas A&M AgriLife Extension County Office to speak to a master gardener. He’ll be able to answer questions on plant diseases and tell you where to send diseased samples for diagnosis.

When applying fungicides yourself, follow directions exactly, especially those listing application rates and environmental conditions. Make sure you have the right fungicide for your grass species. 

You may see disease symptoms worsen immediately after an application when unseen infections start to develop. Fungicides won’t cure turfgrass already dead or dying, but it will slow the disease development, and prevent it from spreading to unaffected areas.

Correct irrigation is indispensable to a healthy lawn.  Make sure your sprinkler system is fully functional.  The licensed professionals at South Austin Irrigation can diagnose and repair any irrigation system problem you may be experiencing.  Call us at (512) 534-7449 or contact us online for timely on-site service.

St. Augustine Grass and Chinch Bugs

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admin-ajax1If you’re like many Austinites, you use St. Augustine grass for your landscaping because it’s drought resistant. But many St. Augustine varieties – including Bitterblue, Floratine, Delmar, Palmetto and Jade – are also susceptible to damaging infestations of a pest known as the southern chinch bug.

Adult chinches are black and oval in shape and are approximately 1/6 of an inch long. Females live two months, but lay many eggs during their lifetime. The nymphs that emerge from these eggs mature within just 4 to 5 weeks. Chinch bugs feed on St. Augustine by extracting plant juices from grass blades with their piercing beaks.

These pests typically congregate in one area of a lawn. St. Augustine grass infested with chinch bugs usually turns yellow, grows slowly and then becomes brownish-red just before it dies. Chinch bug damage occurs near the soil’s surface and is most common in sunny areas near driveways.

The way to discourage chinch bug infestations is to avoid overwatering. You should also stay away from nitrogen rich fertilizers. To help get rid of this pest, you should use insecticides that are specifically for the treatment of chinches, which you can find at your local nursery or garden center.

One thing to remember is that while you may be able to control the chinch bug population in your lawn, you’ll never entirely eliminate this pest. If you can decrease chinch bug presence by 80%, consider your efforts a success.

South Austin Irrigation specializes in irrigation system inspection and repairs or all types of irrigation systems. For all your irrigation system repair needs, contact us today!

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Perennial Groundcovers for Austin Landscapes

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Lantana flowers
Lantana flowers

It may be cold outside, but it’s not too late to think about ground covers, which are perennial plants, for your landscape.  In fact, winter is a great time to begin laying out ground cover.  You minimize heat damage to young plants and also allow the ground cover to benefit from winter rains.

Here are some planting ideas to help you get started:

Powderpuff mimosa

This shrub-like groundcover type bears thistle-like lavender flowers.  It does best in well-drained soils and partial shade.

Lantana

The lantana is another shrub-like plant that has multi-colored flowers – usually, orange, gold, yellow and lavender.  It tolerates partial shade but needs sun to thrive.

Dwarf Asiatic jasmine

Like the powderpuff mimosa, the dwarf Asiatic jasmine likes well-drained soils.  It thrives in full sun but will also tolerate partial shade.

Sedum (stonecrop)

The sedum is a succulent that grows in soil and rock and comes in over 600 varieties.  It prefers fertile soil and full sun, but hardier sedum plants will tolerate some shade and less fertile soil.

All four of these ground cover types are drought-tolerant and require a minimum of irrigation.  After you plant them, put down a two-inch layer of mulch to minimize weed invasion.  Use a fertilizer with a 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 nutrient ratio to encourage more rapid growth.

When you need irrigation system repair, contact South Austin Irrigation Repair!

 

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Soil Conditioning

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Healthy soil is the key to a beautiful lawn. Some chronic lawn issues — browning, thinning, and wilting — can stem from poor soil conditions. Cracked, dry, and compacted soil are other signs the soil supporting the lawn might be unhealthy.

The good news is that poor soil can be improved by soil conditioning. Soil conditioning is the process of improving different features of soil quality, such as:

  1. Tilth — the physical condition and structure of the soil in relation to how suitable it is for plant growth. This includes the presence or absence of clumps (aggregates) and their size, the aeration level, and whether the soil has channels where water can enter and drain. If a soil has good tilth, it has the structure for supporting healthy root growth.
  2. Nutrient-holding capacity — the ability of the soil to retain minerals that plants use as nutrients. Clay soils generally have higher nutrient-holding capacity, giving them the potential to be very fertile. But they also compact and clump easily. 
  3. Water-holding capacity — varies by soil type (sandy soil drains quickly, and clay holds on to water longer), but other things affect it as well. Soil should be well drained, while still holding enough water for healthy plant growth. 
  4. Organic matter — ideally 5 percent. Organic matter promotes soil biological activity, and also affects tilth, and nutrient- and water-holding capacity.

What are Soil Amendments and Conditioners?

A soil amendment is any material, organic or inorganic, added to soil to improve its physical qualities so it can support plant growth. The term is often used interchangeably with soil conditioner.

Organic Amendments

Organic amendments contain materials derived from animals or plants, and include manure, biosolids (treated sewage sludge), compost, grass clippings, straw, hay, sawdust, wood chips, wood ash, bone meal, leaf mold, and sphagnum peat moss. To be classified as amendments, organic materials should be fully composted. The exception is sphagnum peat moss, which doesn’t require further decomposition.

Adding organic matter to the soil increases pore space, allowing for better oxygenation for root growth, and making it physically easier for roots to penetrate the soil. Organic matter also improves soil structure, aeration, water- and nutrient-holding capacity, drainage, water infiltration, and workability. Many organic amendments also provide plant nutrients and act as organic fertilizers.

Organic matter as well feeds bacteria, fungi, and earthworms that live in the soil. This increases bioactivity, which releases even more nutrients for plant roots. Once the earthworms and microorganisms have digested the organic matter, more of it will have to be added.

Inorganic Amendments

Inorganic amendments are either man-made or mined, and are often more expensive and less available than organic ones. Some examples include vermiculite, sand, perlite, lime, pea gravel, and gypsum. 

Inorganic amendments improve water filtration, increase soil aeration and drainage, decrease or increase soil weight, and decrease excessive water holding capacity.

Fertilizers and Organic Amendments

Fertilizers are concentrated organic or inorganic nutrients added to the soil that directly affect plant growth. In contrast, amendments are organic or inorganic materials that indirectly affect plant growth by improving the condition of the soil.

However, because of the substantial amounts of organic matter in organic fertilizers, many are considered soil amendments (e.g. manures, bone meal, biosolids) and organic amendments, because they provide nutrients in varying degrees to plant roots, can act as fertilizers (e.g. sawdust, straw, hay, leaf mold, sphagnum peat moss).

Texas Soil

Nearly all soils in Central Texas lack organic matter, are somewhat alkaline, and are clay-textured. These characteristics create the following problems:

  • It’s hard for roots to penetrate
  • Pooling and drainage problems occur when clay absorbs water and traps it for extended periods
  • Clay becomes hard when dry
  • The alkalinity prevents plants from absorbing iron
  • The clay compacts easily and prevents water and oxygen from reaching plant roots

Soil Testing

Before using any soil amendments always test your soil first. One place to get it tested is at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service soil testing labs. Download and print the applicable submittal form from their site. For homes and gardens select the Urban and Homeowner form. If unable to obtain soil sample collection bags from the laboratory you can use plastic zip lock bags. Information is provided on the forms on how to collect and submit a soil sample, as well as the fee amounts for each type of test.

A number of different soil tests are available, including ones for routine nutrients, micronutrients, organic matter, boron, lime requirement, detailed salinity, and texture. The routine test detects the soil acidity or alkalinity (pH), salinity, nitrates (NO3-N), plus the levels of primary nutrients (P — phosphorus, K — potassium, Ca — calcium, Mg — magnesium, Na — sodium, and S — sulphur) that are available to plants. 

A routine test report will tell you what nutrients are already in your soil and recommend which ones to add and how much to apply. This takes the guesswork out of what type of fertilizer or amendment to use. You’ll also get a lime recommendation for any low pH.

Amending Your Lawn by Top-Dressing

Top-dressing a lawn is the process of adding a thin layer of compost or other soil amendment over the surface to improve soil quality. Using compost is best for achieving better soil structure and a healthy environment for microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes) and macroorganisms (e.g. earth worms, spiders, beetles). 

The best time of the year for top-dressing is in the spring for warm season grasses, and the fall for cool season grasses. Cool season grasses can also be top-dressed in the spring if you don’t plan to overseed in the fall. Be sure to match the nutrients in your compost or other soil amendment with your soil test results.

Steps for Top-Dressing

  1. For lawns with more than 1/2 inch of thatch, dethatch or core aerate first. Core aerate if you have poor soil, such as heavy clay. Remove the thatch debris and cores.
  2. Mow the lawn to the lowest recommended height for its grass type.
  3. Shovel a small pile of top-dressing onto the grass, and evenly spread a layer over a small area 1/4 to 1/2-inch-thick, depending on the grass height. You can layer up to 1 inch thick for grasses 3 or more inches high. Fill in any aeration holes, especially if the soil is poor.
  4. The top-dressing must touch the soil, so brush the grass using the backside of a rake until the grass shows through. Make sure the top-dressing is at an even depth.
  5. Water the grass to settle the top-dressing and keep it in place. 
  6. In a day or two rake the area again to make sure the top-dressing is even. With enough moisture, much of the top-dressing should work into the soil within a few weeks.
  7. If you’re overseeding, do it after applying the top-dressing. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate. 

Proper irrigation of your lawn is indispensable to its health and vitality.  You can rely on the pros at South Austin Irrigation for irrigation and sprinkler system alterations and repairs.  

Call us today at (512) 534-7449 or complete our online form.

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Landscaping Ideas for a More Beautiful Fall

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Autumn is almost in sight and for Texans that means cooling trends in the 80s. These lower temperatures and potential for fall rains creates the perfect conditions for you to add  plants with colorful leaves and flowering plants back into your landscape to celebrate the return of milder weather.

Cockscomb
Cockscomb

Traditionally, early September is one of the best times of the year to add new greenery in Texas. You should expect that whatever you plan now will last until first freeze of the season. For residents of central Texas, that first freeze usually happens around the end of November/beginning of December.

Before you begin your project, consider adding a bit of fall color to established flowerbeds or to pots located near a front door or, if you have one, a patio area.

Here are some suggestions for plants that are guaranteed to provide cheerful seasonal accents to your landscaping scheme:

  • Celosia plumosa (cockscomb) –  produces feathery flowers and comes in yellow, pink, red and maroon.
  • sweet potato vines – fast-growing and light yellow-green in color.
  • moss roses –  sun-loving, low growing flowering plants that produce yellow, orange or pink blossoms.
  • dusty miller – has gray-green to almost white deeply indented felt-like leaves; makes for a striking addition to any landscape.
  • chrysanthemums – adapts well to potted environments and produces big, colorful blooms.

You can prolong the growing season of these plants (and especially the ones that produce flowers) by protecting them from early frost and freezes with a sheet or row cover cloth.

At South Austin Irrigation, we are committed to helping our clients achieve the most beautiful results with their landscaping. Regardless of the time of year, we’re here to help you with all your irrigation repair needs.  For the best in irrigation system inspection, service and repair, contact us today!

Call South Austin Irrigation at (512) 534-7449 to find out more about irrigation for you.

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