One more comment on the disease in question... One thing I noticed today when cutting the yard, was that the decay is in perhaps 2 of the 3 leaves on the stalk. You can gently pull down the decayed leaves to reveal the fresh interior. The dead leaves are firmly packed and matted together, and it is very hard to tell to which stalk they belong. They are nearly impossible to separage they are so dried up, matted and glued together. To me it looks like the cottony stuff is just killing whatever it physically touches and then they wilt, dry up and all mat together (suspended dry matted dead grass--all grouped around the healthy remaining stalks--almost like a table set up around the healthy stalks). Sorry for this crazy description but I don't know how else to describe it. My photos are posted yesterday "Fungus on New Lawn--Help".

Thanks again for your input on what you think this is and whether to do baking soda, milk or cornmeal.

Kelly :)

Correct on the baking soda solution and that also applies to milk as I recall. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Understand none of the organic remedies are usually immediate, but they do work. So, it doesn't matter how long although I get scared like you. Just trust them and you'll be fine.

I honestly don't know if there is anything wrong with applying more than one or all of these remedies LOL. I can't imagine there being such a thing as overkill. If you want to try more than one, maybe do so at one week intervals.

Now, Kelly you express some concern for the soil beneficials. I don't know of your interest in organics or if you're repating something stated in the other thread,
but you repeated it, so I'm running with your words. Apply compost at 1/4 inch layer. That amounts to about 1 cu. yard per 1000 sq. ft. Also, it would be great if you can make compost tea. It's the best way to introduce new organisms to the soil and a really great foliar spray to combat disease. You can check here for method and equipment. Also, you never have to use Scott's again. Are you interested?

Hi Bestlawn...Thanks for the great info! Yes I'm 1000% up for the challenge. I am new to all of this and not afraid to ask questions. We've just built our first home and live in France actually...In our area they build the house fountain "up" so we actually had to PURCHASE about 23 semi-trucks of earth!!$$!!! Plus we put down about 35 semi trucks of "debris". You can't imagine the scales of earth we are talking here.... Because of this HUGE HUGE HUGE hassle and effort I was and AM determined to make this yard as wonderful as possible!!!!! We have a lot right on the forest and put in a descent to access it so I have free reign back there to brew til my hearts content. I have already been dumping my green grass clippings there---I'm not mulching in the mower because A. I can't (too fresh and heavy) and B. I shouldn't (spreading the disease)....So I have already a HUGE heap of greens turning black. BUT it is summer to I don't have any "brown" matter to add--dry leaves and the like. What else could I put with this and do I really need a container? In the old days my Dad used to turn it without a container. Could I just get a big rubbermaid trash can and cut air grills in it? I do not want to spend 200$ on a glorified trash bin! I will have MANY additional questions for you and others on composting. I'm really excited about it. (How pathetic does that sound!!!LOL!)

Anyway if I do kill the beneficials I'm going to buy compost this time around. It will cost a pretty penny I'm sure but until I get a bit more knowlegdge I'll go that route!

So...should I go with milk, baking soda or cornmeal??????

Thanks!

Kelly

Nope, you don't need a bin at all. Just make sure you turn it often because so much greens in the compost pile and no browns can cause odor. Actually, a better idea is let the grass clippings turn brown first to prevent them from becoming anerbic and smelling. If it does begin to smell, give it a sprinkle with the water hose. You need to keep it moist anyway. To help add some browns, wood shavings is a good addition. If there's a saw mill, a hay barn, or a construction site near you, ask if you can sweep the floor for them LOL. Hey, it's funny but free. If you have some wood but no shavings, make a small bonfire now and then to burn it and then add the ashes. You want unpainted wood though. Is there an ocean near you? Ground up some seashells. You'll be surprised how much you find around you that aren't in your own backyard.

There are also lots of things from inside the house you can add to the pile like used tea bags, brewed coffee grounds w/ the filter, egg shells (crush them), almost anything you would put down the garbage disposal can go into the compost pile. Most people I talked to don't put meats in it but some do. Do you eat corn off the cob? Throw the cob when you're done. Hair, dryer lint, and even an old ragged cotton tshirt. believe it or not.

My only concern is that the grass disease. You'll want to make the compost heats up really good to take care of that. There is much, much more to learn on composting on the Soil, Mulch, & Compost Forum. Really great folks over there just like here.

I mentioned never using Scott's fertilizer without regard for whether you necessarily have that brand product. I only meant any store-bought fertilizer by whatever name. Instead use grains to fertilize the lawn. Alfalf meal, soybean meal, etc. or processed sewer waste. Apply grains at 10-20 lbs per 1000 square feet. You likely need to find a feed store near you.

Wish I lived in France, South of France to be exact.

Getting back to the OP, I haven't tried the baking soda thing yet, but have tried milk and cornmeal. At current prices, I think milk is out of my reach for this purpose, and I couldn't see much improvement. Using cornmeal, though, seemed to do a good job...at least the fungicide spots I had seemed to disappear in a week or so, so I'm attibuting the success to cornmeal. That would be my first application if I have it again and I'm sure I will.

Hey bestlawn...how's things? Nice to have you back.

If it is Dollar Spot, that indicates a nitrogen problem combined with weather. The best solution is to do nothing but keep it fertilized as it will go away on its own.

I'd vote for some cornmeal. In addition to working as a fungicide, it is also a mild fertilizer. If you dollar spot, that should help clear it up.

It depends on the condition of soil biology that would take advantage of corn meal benefits. A good quality compost will certainly fix the soil biology ESPECISALLY fungi species which is badly lacking in the soil. You need trichoderma fungi to feast on corn meal and muliply to overwhelm harmful fungi in the soil.

I'm thinking you are all right and I really should stick more with the cornmeal and compost!!! The landscaper used a HUGE hit of N when I first told him about the prob. It seemed to get better but I can see that the fast acting N is wearing off and the problem is back--combined with the humid, warm weather again.

A few weeks after the N. I had a strange light shaped (LARGE) area crop up. I threw down some topsoil with Mycorhzie fungus in it-- a few weeks ago (have no idea of the spelling but someone might get my drift)--and it did get better. Maybe my soil is lacking in beneficials and I just need to compost and use cornmeal as a first attempt??

I just hate seeing these sections die and all the white mold in the morning! I just want to see instant results I guess.

Thanks for more comments!!! You are all so knowledgeable and helpful.

Kelly