http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/diseases/Dollar_Spot.aspx

That does look like dollar spot. Fortunately, the stuff actually dislikes nitrogen application! That article also has a list of tons of fungicides that will take care of it.

Iron sulfate (powdered iron) on this is not likely to be particularly effective given the limited effectiveness of copper sulfate and copper hydroxide. I'm not sure about baking soda, either, so I'd go with a chemical fungicide this one time.

Future prevention could include cracked corn or corn meal, which will help suppress the fungal infection. It's not perfect, but it does help.

So I looked at your link and the grass leaves pictured look like what I have…so I have this dispersed throughout most of my lawn - does this mean this is actually dollar spot that doesn't fully develop or leafspot - it looks similar to each other (the actual leaf)

I also read about how long wet overcast days can start this which is exactly what happened here a couple of weeks ago

Could I try using a high nitrogen fertilizer prior to needing a fungicide - would this work? I really want to avoid the fungicide if I can (my dog eats the grass/have kids and I really want to maintain the soil biology I have built up thus far) I was actually thinking yesterday that it wasn't looking as deep and green as it usually does

Yes, try a good fertilizer with some iron sulfate in it (it may not help, but it sure isn't going to hurt). Some Vigoro fertilizers contain iron sulfate, or you could use both a high-nitrogen synthetic and apply some Milorganite over the top for the iron.

ok will try the fertilizer route first… won't use a synthetic because I'm hopeless at applying and will probably burn the lot… will get some milorganite because I know that has iron and greens up nicely in summer

What about this (I already have a bag in the garage) and should I put on more than the normal rate? : http://www.jonathangreen.com/product/natural-beauty-organic-lawn-fertilizer.html

and since it has iron in it would I still need the milorganite as well?

come to think of it last summer I applied a good dose of milorganite - maybe that's why I didn't get dollar spot last year?

I'm afraid by the time the N from organic fertilizer gets to the turf, the dollar spot will have run its course.

that's a good point yardtractor1… I guess I could try to put down a chemical one with the milorganite and be extra careful (I'm just paranoid about using the chemical ones re burn - if I just water in well will I be ok?)…which one should I use? PS Saw a couple more spots today

What about this one? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-16-lb-5-000-sq-ft-Super-Green-Lawn-Fertilizer-62200-1/203079667

Or maybe this one will be quicker: http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-Green-000-Sq-Pinellas-County/dp/B00827I5B4/ref=sr_1_6?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1434392947&sr=1-6&keywords=lawn+fertilizer+with+iron

You might be able to find Milorganite containing 40% fast release (urea), it is a small prill used for putting greens and comes in a 50# bag. You may be able to find it at a feed and seed store. The one you linked states it is a slow release with 70-100% urea. I'm unfamiliar with that product and don't know what the delivery system (coating) is for its rate of release.

yardtractor1 I looked at the 'professional' milorganite online but ti doesn't say anything about being 40% fast release but is this the one you mean? http://www.milorganite.com/Professionals/Product-Information/Specifications

Yes, that's it. 2.5% (40%) of the total 6% N is water soluble (fast release).

Full disclosure: I personally use a triple NPK, but I fee tat I'm pretty familiar with my turf and soil. The N promotes a flush that helps outpace the fungus damage, the K hardens the cell walls that I believe gives the fungus problems (too much K is not good btw) and the P helps in promoting rhyzome/root spread and fill-in.

Actually, all Milo has a 40% fast release (maximum), but it does vary somewhat batch by batch.

In this instance, I wouldn't overthink it too much. Apply bag rate of any high nitrogen fertilizer (that's cheap), and a week or so later, apply bag rate of Milorganite. Or just apply bag rate of Milo, for that matter...

For the average person, I wouldn't recommend a triple NPK formula without a soil test. Overdoing P isn't too much of an issue until it hits ridiculous levels, but it is a water pollutant and we're having big problems with the stuff. Even at not-ridiculous levels, P is an antagonist for other nutrients and blocks their uptake, so going overboard isn't a good idea.

K's window of application isn't quite so wide, but at least it isn't a pollutant as there's plenty kicking around in water sources normally. K is also an antagonist for other nutrients.

Nutrient antagonism is one of those things that tends to remain unconsidered by most people, but it does come into play. It can be quite simple (calcium carbonate alters pH and directly binds iron) or quite subtle (where ion pumps in the roots will get what they get, and if that's phosphorus instead of something they actually needed, they're stuck with it).

The homeowner 36# retail bag is no longer 0.5% water soluble?

I suppose one might theoretically get lucky, but the bag's listed maximum is 40%.

So I should order the 50 pound (I will need 50 pounds anyway) bag then as it has some fast release?

Yes.

I've actually got a Nefarious Plan here (gentlemen...BEHOLD*!) In addition to the fast nitrogen to help the lawn outgrow the fungus (not to mention that the fungus dislikes nitrogen exposure and doesn't flourish in it), I also want the organics. Let's get colonies of other fungi and bacteria going in the lawn that are saprophytes (eat dead stuff) to both clean up the dead grass blades a little faster AND use up living spaces in the top soil.

If you can't kill them, start to outcompete them.

* I confess to an entirely sophomoric interest in Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Buy Eagle Fungicide (Myclobutanil), and spray it every 2-3 weeks over your lawn when the conditions for the fungus are present. Will treat/prevent almost all fungi.

I'm not a big on organic type person and a fungicide treatment can at times be necessary/useful, but preventative fungicide treatment isn't good for the lawn's long term health. There are a lot of beneficial fungi that I wouldn't want to be killing off.

Lol Morpheus…all guns blazing!!! Ok so I put down some high nitrogen chemical fertilizer (is that going to be ok for kids/dogs???) with some Milorganite professional (40% fast release) 50 bag size/type plus also some organics (yay!)… which TYPE of organics??? morpheus please advise :)

The high nitrogen fertilizer can be a little irritating to dog paws and/or bare children's feet until it washes in a bit. If it is, rinse off the offensive paw/foot and that'll take care of it. Barring eating significant amounts out of the bag, there are no other considerations.

Your Milo app dropped a grand total of about thirty pounds of organic material (the other twenty pounds is also organic, but a flash in the pan in terms of sticking around). Divide by the size of your lawn to figure out how many pounds per thousand.

If that was your first organic app, smaller amounts than we usually discuss (10 to 20 pounds per thousand for most standard applications) isn't a problem. Your soil bacteria aren't up to speed on the stuff just yet, but will be in a few months if you keep applying it reasonably regularly.

One other thing I might do is apply 10 pounds per thousand square feet of cracked corn or corn meal. It'll provide a very gentle fungal preventative--and I wouldn't be too shy about sprinkling the stuff much more heavily in the spots where the grass blades are doing strange things or you already have dollar spot.

It's not very strong, but every little bit helps.

I know you directed your questions to morph, but I think things are getting a bit muddied. It is not so much high nitrogen or chemical fertilizer that you want as it is a fast release N. Milo Professional has the fast release and will also meet your organic needs. As we are pushing Summer heat, I defer to morph on the rate of application of the fast release to use.

In the case of disease pressure where nitrogen can help, normal app rates go out the window. Normally right now? Zero in terms of fast release. Under disease pressure? A normal feeding targeting 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand. Or even a bit more; we can compensate for the problems this will case later on when the disease slows down.

In this case, the fast release does a couple things. One, it's a salt. Fungi do not like most salts. Two, during soil processing the pH goes all over the place (which way and how much depends on the type of fertilizer used), which fungi also don't like. Plus the nitrogen helps the lawn outgrow the damage.

Really, we're trying to help the lawn recover, plus alter the environment enough to set back the fungus enough for the lawn to fight it. Plus we want to change the environment in a way that won't harm the lawn and will naturally tend to reverse itself.

You don't want to fertilize your lawn in the summer; cool season grass doesn't do as well in the heat. You will stress the grass even more and then you will cause any summer weeds present to thrive. I really would just buy some fungicide like Eagle 20W, it's way easier to manage your lawn when the conditions are pro fungus. Tropical weather isn't normal for MA so treating the lawn when conditions are optimal for fungus is smart. Then you can stop treating it when its no longer needed (intervals of 2-3 weeks).

No offense, but having a lawn isn't an organic thing. It is completely unnatural to have one type of grass growing on a large area of land. Since the end result desired is unnatural many times unnatural products are required to maintain it.

Also, I noticed you said you have Kentucky blue grass. This is the most difficult type of grass to maintain. It's extremely susceptible to fungal infections. This is the type of grass that baseball stadiums maintain with an army of sprinklers, chemicals, and people.

We're only two weeks late on the absolute perfect date, and there's a window. Hint: we're still in the feeding window. This is not a course of action I would have recommended post July Fourth, but it's only June 15, rainfall is projected to be normal or above for the next seven days minimum, and temperatures are riding near-normal for the period.

My lawn would like to differ on the "isn't an organic thing." The most offensive chemical it normally sees is extract from the bottlebrush plant. While I wouldn't drink it, it doesn't require any protective equipment under normal circumstances. One of the few breaks is Grub Ex preventative as the lawn, being green and rich all the time, is a beacon to Japanese beetles.

Chem,

You make some interesting points. However, the OP asked what can be done to correct the issue that avoided the use of fungicides and was more compatible with their organic program (+ child and pet friendly).

"Kentucky bluegrass is particularly susceptible to such diseases as leaf
spot, dollar spot, stripe smut, necrotic ring spot, and summer patch."
https://ag.umass.edu/fact-sheets/selection-of-grasses-0
-UMASS

@morph - Your bottlebrush "extract" is a synthetically produced version. It's name brand is Tenacity. It is not the hormone produced by the plant but a synthetic version of it that is much more potent. The main reason many herbicides are dangerous is the fact they they are dissolved in petroleum distillates.

@yardtractor1 - OP asked if she needed to use fungicides, and that answer in my opinion is yes. Fungicides are extremely low in toxicity to mammals. If you ever had wine or have eaten table grapes then you are consuming a plant that is almost always treated with fungicdes; Myclobutanil (Eagle 20W) is used on many edible foods so spraying it in a lawn is extremely safe. OP has Kentucky bluegrass and is very susceptible to fungal attack.

I was wondering about 'fertilizing' in summer but since I missed fertilizing the front (besides CGM end April) I was going to put down an organic slow release fertilizer anyway and I agree with morpheus that it isn't quite 'summer' yet…we have irrigation so my lawn looks pretty good in hot weather (the KBG) besides the fungus issue with the humidity… I am in 2 minds about using a fungicide (I could use it and go away over the weekend so the kids and dogs are away while it dries) - firstly if fungus wipes out my lawn I won't be happy and then having happy microbes might not be worth it ;) But at the same time I am wondering if there is a solution that might help get rid of the fungus and then I can work on my microbes over the future so that my lawn is in a better balance and stronger to fight off disease (though since I have KBG I am wondering if I will always have this problem???) How bad is dollar spot and how quickly does it move? Also, what should I wash down my lawn mower with to kill any spores on it?

PS Chem I'm not sure what it means when you say tropical weather is not normal for MA - it's hot and humid here every summer and for the last few this has combined with rain at the end of Spring (if you can call it Spring that is lol)

The current weather in MA in not normal. You don't need to go away over the weekend; that seems overboard (once it dries its fine). Your solution is simple, treat the disease. You have KBG, it's a high maintenance lawn. I have a small child and it's not dangerous to treat your lawn. The grapes in the grocery store are treated with fungicides, and those are eaten!

Do you know Milorganite is human feces from the Milwaukee sewer system? Granted it's processed to be safe, but I bet there are all sorts of heavy metals and things in it. I use composted plant matter in my yard as a slow release fertelzier every year since it is very safe and will not contain any salts or heavy metals.

I think you just need to find a balance. A lawn is not a natural thing, it is going to need some help to keep it that way, and sometimes you need chemicals.

If I use a systemic fungicide then it would be poisonous if my dog eats the grass? One of my dogs eats the grass

Here are some commond Fungi affecting KBG:

Melting Out

A number of leafspot diseases are particularly severe on many Kentucky bluegrasses and fine-leaved fescues. The most obvious disease symptoms are circular to elongated spots on the leaves. These spots have brown or straw-colored centers and prominent reddish-black to brown borders. Leaves, stems, crowns, and roots may be affected, often causing considerable thinning of the turf. These diseases first occur on the leaves during cool, wet weather. If not checked by changes in weather conditions or application of chemical fungicides, the disease may move into the plants' crowns and roots, causing considerable damage throughout the entire summer. For recommendations on leafspot control contact your county agricultural Extension office.

Fusarium Blight

Some Kentucky bluegrass varieties are extremely susceptible to Fusarium blight, especially if nitrogen availability is high. The disease occurs most frequently during hot weather when the plants are under moisture stress. Circular to irregular patches of light green grass, 2 to 8 inches across are the first symptoms. These patches quickly turn to a reddish-brown, then to tan, and finally to a light straw color. Plants normally die during the reddish-brown stage. Apply systemic fungicides immediately after first symptoms appear to reduce disease severity.

Stripe Smut

Although it attacks many turfgrasses, stripe smut is most severe on some varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, especially Merion Kentucky bluegrass. It is caused by a systemic fungus that attacks grass internally, in contrast to most turfgrass disease fungi that attack plants externally. Initially, stripe smut-infected plants appear light green to yellow-green and soon develop light green to gray streaks on leaves and sheaths. As the fungus develops, the epidermis over these streaks ruptures, releasing a mass of black smut spores. The leaves then split and curl and eventually die. Most severe damage usually occurs during cool periods of spring and fall. Apply preventive fungicides in late fall or early spring to reduce disease severity in the spring.

Red Thread

A common fungus disease that normally is most severe on fine-leaved fescues, red thread may also attack Kentucky bluegrasses, ryegrasses, bentgrasses, and some warm season grasses. In early morning or when humidity is very high, the grass plants may be covered with a gelatinous mass of pink mycelium that mats the leaves together. As this gelatinous mass dries, hardened pink to red threads of the mycelium may protrude from the leaf tips. Infected leaves first appear water-soaked, rapidly fading to a bleached tan as they die. Red thread usually occurs when temperatures are 60° to 75°F and humidity is high. Red thread is also most severe under conditions of low fertility. Fungicides coupled with adequate lime and fertilizer will control this disease.

No, the fungicide inside the grass will not harm a dog. There are different kinds but the Eagle 20W (Myclobutanil) type is very safe around mammals. The amount contained in the grass after dilution is extremely low. It is best to just be cautious of the concentrated bottle, that is where the danger lies. Keep it locked up or out of reach of children.

Myclobutanil is registered for use on a wide range of food and feed
crops. It may also be used in greenhouses, public rights of way, turf,
and in landscaping applications. Cotton seeds may be treated with
myclobutanil (EPA).

California accounts for roughly 50% of all myclobutanil use in the
US, using 70,000 to 90,000 lbs. annually. Grapes are the most heavily
treated crop, using 60% of all myclobutanil in California. Almonds and
strawberries are also account for a notable percentage of myclobutanil
use in California (EPA).

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/boston-ma/02108/month/348735?view=table

That's well within normal range.

Do you know that Milorganite lists its heavy metal results and you can look them up? It's true! It's also true that they're of completely reasonable amounts and won't do any harm. It's also untrue that it's human feces; it's post-processed bacterial mass from sewage treatment, kilned to render it both mostly-sterile and safe. It's human feces about as much as tomatoes are the water and sunlight that made them--true to a point, but a very poor claim.

FYI, all plant material, including your compost, contains both salts and heavy metals. Plants absorb metals. Bacteria excrete salts. They don't go away. They're in there. Nor are salts an issue in reasonable amounts; the majority of the creative chemistry used to balance soil resources are mild salts. So, for that matter, was the synthetic fertilizer.

In this instance, I'd stand pat but keep a close eye on it. If the problem intensifies, then go with a fungicide. But this is not something that's going to knock out the entire lawn in hours or even a day or three, and you'll have time to react as long as you see it start.

The problem with most fungicides isn't the primary effect, it's the fact that they'll severely damage or destroy the natural fungi in the soil. If you want to use them, go ahead. Once a year I lightly spray my roses with Rose Pride and accept the damage, spending the rest of the time restoring the natural networks.

Over-reacting to what looks like a mild to moderate issue isn't smart when the collateral damage is severe. If, for instance, you were starting to lose hundreds of square feet, we'd head straight for the fungicides and we'd be skipping the lower-powered ones. You aren't.

I find liquid too hard to work with - I would be looking for a granular fungicide if I decided to go down that route…any suggestions? Completely confused as to what to do now...

If you used Eagle 20W, I have far less objection than to most other fungicides--although I still consider it a severe over-reaction at this point. It's going to damage your soil fungi which are, in many ways, the lungs of your soil and roots.

Keep children and animals off the grass until completely dry. Other than that, just follow the safety instructions and warnings in the MSDS: http://www.bartlett.com/productlabels/pdfs/New%20York/Product%20Labels/EAGLE%20MSDS.pdf

I am going to give the quick release nitrogen etc a go first… I know about Milorganite which is why I stopped using it but would prefer to use it this once over a fungicide or even a chemical iron for that matter…we can touch base in a week and see how it is going…can't do much now since it's still raining a lot - next couple of days I'll get on to it once the lawn dries out and I can cut if first

Certain fungal infections are made worse with a nitrogen boost. Be carfeul thinking nitrogen is going to help in all situations. Honestly you really should just hire a lawn care company to come once per month. KBG is high maintenance and it looks like you have a beautiful neighborhood. They can treat it with whatever it needs at the time and you wont have to handle any chemicals or keep anything at the house. If you aren't going to do it right just hire someone; it would be a shame to see that turf get destroyed.

How fortunate that we've already diagnosed this and nitrogen is a viable treatment.

As far as lawn care companies, most are useless. A few are worse than useless.

You can do the work at the proper time (which they rarely do) at a quarter the cost, and you'll know your lawn if you pay attention to it and be able to react to problems far faster than a lawn care company will be able to.

Get a good soil test (UMass or Logan) and you can alleviate most problems before they happen. Turf that has everything it needs to flourish--and no severe excesses or shortages--has very few problems.

Mine effortlessly outcompetes all the surrounding lawns for 0.8 miles (the distance to my mother's house, which is a close second to mine). About half have some kind of service. And mine's pure elite Kentucky bluegrass, which really isn't that difficult to maintain (although like any other grass it has its preferences and dislikes not having those met).

We'll gladly help you achieve the same just as we have with many other people. And we won't make veiled threats about how it would be a shame if something happened to your lawn. Because occasionally it's going to and you'll have to react to that. That's life as a homeowner.

Thanks Chemical Lawn …and thank you for complementing my neighbors who all use lawn companies - they actually complement me regarding how great my lawn looks all the time… how green it is… how it always looks great…how it was the greenest by far early Spring and how committed I am to an organic program and still get amazing results… in fact some say it's the best lawn in the neighborhood and they need to 'keep up' with our garden….or maybe they are all just amazed that I cut my own lawn vs their companies ride on mowers and I'm a suburban (very nice suburb but still…) housewife with 4 year old twins who just loves gardening and caring for her family's lawn ;) (incidentally it's the men of the neighborhood who asked me early Spring how I got the grass looking so dark green and thick when theirs was struggling…I loved responding with 'CGM') But hey thanks for the suggestion of getting a lawn company but I think I'm doing just fine!

Pippin, have you found that CGM has reduced your weed pressure from what it was before use? I never had any luck with the stuff and had to go back to Prodiamine. But reports differ.

No weeds...

CGM thickened up lawn even more and the dark green color was ridiculous… messy to use when it is a fine grain but I will be using it again

Good luck Pippin. I wish you the best with your lawn; I hope you realize how tricky it can be to maintain a turf and that you will care for it appropriately. As for that Morpheus guy he obviously has a chip on his shoulder. The good thing is that KGB can heal itself unlike TTTF, so no matter what happens at least it will probably recover somewhat this fall if things get screwy in the summer. Bottom line quickest, easiest, and cheapest solution is to just treat the fungus with a systemic fungicide.

No problem Chemical Lawn… as strange as it is the lawn is my little hobby and I'm enjoying learning… I like choosing the safest route for my family and the healthiest having had cancer myself…. I deeply believe that an over use of chemicals with our food supply, farming and agriculture is the biggest problem facing this country - one plus one always equals two… if I can avoid partaking in what I believe is the wrong approach then I will - and at the end of the day it's only grass ;) We always have Fall for overseeding!

It's not that tricky, so I wouldn't worry about it, and it sounds like you're doing a fine job so far all by yourself.

http://thegreengreengrassofhome.blogspot.com/

My recent photos actually do show a little drought stress from a month without rain. That's since reversed beautifully and I'll take the next photos shortly to document that (not to mention that the rains have pushed the gardens into incredible growth).

I mostly use soybean meal (7-1-2, roughly) to feed the lawn. The flower gardens are half Milorganite, half soybean meal, plus a Miracle Gro chaser at half rate weekly as they're extremely tightly planted and I'm extremely demanding. I've tried CGM, but it's expensive up here--even considering that I'd only need half as much, roughly.

Really, for bluegrass, just feed it (organically) around May 1, August 1, September 1, and October 1. Then winterize it with a good synthetic when top growth stops (usually around Thanksgiving for me, but it varies a lot depending on the weather that year). That'll give it a nice storehouse of carbohydrates to survive the winter, and it may not even go brown depending on your exact location and climate (mine stays up about half the time, but I'm in the mountains of Pennsylvania).

Water it an inch a week if nature doesn't supply it, all at once. Or, if you'd rather allow it to go dormant, supply 1/4" all at once every 2 weeks if nature isn't doing so. Dormancy periods of 2 months aren't a problem for KBG and you can extend it far longer if you have to with proper care.

Mow as high as you can stand to increase competition against weeds. My top deck is 3" (I use a robot so the deck is lower than many lawnmowers), and that's just fine. Mom prefers hers about 3 1/2". Longer grasses are also not quite as thirsty, have longer roots, and do better in drought.

Get A Soil Test from Logan or UMass. Most soils are imbalanced in one way or another.

Serenade is a biofungicide, safe to use around children and pets. It prevents fungal diseases but does not cure them so it probably won't help in this case. But next year if you start early enough and continue through prime fungal season, it could be a way to avoid getting hit. I haven't used it myself but have read about it. I'm trying cornmeal this year as a preventative (April and May), watering only in early morning when I water, and am mowing at 3.5 inches to have more photosynthesis. My nemesis is brown patch. So far so good but there is a lot of hot humid weather ahead. Last year I used Milorganite in May and in June and was hit with some devastating brown patch a couple weeks after the June Milorganite. I regretted the June application. It may be all in my mind that it was connected, but I am now avoiding any nitrogen June-August, iincluding Milorganite. I have read that early spring nitrogen is bad because it encourages new lush growth which is very suspectible to fungal attack.

KBG is not some 90lb. sickly weakling. It is the most robust of all cool season grasses. It is classified as a high maintenance grass because it requires more nitrogen than other cool season grasses. If irrigated, it will thrive on regular N feedings throughout the Summer. Although many strains are more resistant to disease through breeding, any grass/plant is susceptible to attack depending on weather conditions, periods where moisture remains on the turf (cool rainy weather or hot humid weather.) Some lawn care choices can increase or decrease the possibility of various turf problems but none are a guaranty of certainty that a problem will or wont occur. You weigh the advantages against the disadvantages and put your money down.
In this case I suggested the fast release application. I too had fungus this year. I applied Immunox to the front yard only and slightly under 1/2 lb/k of fast release N to both the front and back yard. The infestation was stopped in both yards and both are filling in. So in my case, both treatment methods worked. There are possible repercussions to consider with each. Weigh the benefit vs cost and go with whichever makes you most comfortable Pippin.

1st Update:

As Morpheus suggested - I put down some quick release high N fertilizer and about 5 days later put down the pro series milorganite… we also have had some rain that I think has helped and raining again today - a nice slow long rain with much cooler temps

Things have not got worse and I am now pretty certain it is dollar spot (but am concerned there might be other fungus as well that might not like the additional N but can not be sure)

The outcome is a much healthier looking lawn and the fungus situation seems to have improved but too early to say… I think one important lesson I have learned through this post is that KBG requires more maintenance in terms of N and increased irrigation over summer so I will keep this in mind - because of the fungus last year I had deliberately kept the N low so interesting that dollar spot had manifested - seems to make sense now that this is an outcome in my case

If everything suddenly goes pear shaped and my hand is forced I will apply a fungicide but at this stage I don't think I will need to… I plan to apply another round of milorganite in another month

Thanks again for all the advice esp Morpheus …it's so helpful to have input on these lawn concerns for newbies

Will update again in another week or 2!

PS I think the sugar solution has been working on my dog urine patches too! Lawn is growing back in those areas

Definitely keep a close eye on this one. If the conditions suddenly become more compatible it can take off. And yep, at that point, or if it doesn't improve, it's time for a fungicide.

Post use of that, we can restore your natural (and healthy) fungal populations in the soil. But it'll take some time and the lack of them will set off problems.

Irrigation of KBG during summer is dealer's choice. My usual stated rule for my area is "Irrigate as necessary through July 4th. After that, stop if you want." Rains generally resume in late August to very early September anyway, and the KBG can go dormant for that long with absolutely no problems.

Normal feeding is a little different. Synthetically, Memorial Day, Labor Day, October 1, and at growth stoppage (but the lawn is still green). That's more than high enough and at the right times to encourage a strong, healthy stand of bluegrass.