this is something to worry about

6 years ago

my lawn has been pretty good for years. Generally I fertilize with Crabgrass preventer a few times a season. I usually use whatever crabgrass stuff I can get the cheapest. This year I used Scotts. I'm not saying that has anything to do with this. I really don't know. I'm just curious why I've got these brown patches in my lawn. it looks a little worse in the pictures...taken right after I cut my grass. I'm not sure if it's because we've had some intense intense heat followed by intense rain. I'm not sure if I should fertilized again. Any thoughts,?

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Comments (4)

User
6 years ago
It does look like it might--might--be the very beginning of a fungal issue, but it's also so early that it could also just be some dry patches in the lawn.

July fertilization is definitely a mistake, so avoid doing that. If it's time for another round of crabgrass shield, use 0-0-7 Dimension or the like. Grass is best fed on Memorial Day, Labor Day, October first and when it stops growing for the season. At all other times, you can use a pre-emergent without a nitrogen feeding in it--like the above.

Summer feeding tends to set off growth that can be attacked by fungi, particularly if the weather is hot and wet. As you might be finding out right now.

Although, as I said, it's hard to tell. That could be the beginning of brown patch or the like, but it's really early on. I'd be tempted to go with an application of something fairly gentle, like DiseaseEx, which is fairly wide-spectrum but also not very strong, just to try to stop any problem before it gets worse and also put down a short-term shield against future issues.

That causes its own problems, but...with what I'm seeing, I think the tradeoff might be worth it.
Bob F
Original Author
6 years ago
what are the problems..and yes I feet in April June and Sept typically.
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Bob F
Original Author
6 years ago
feed (lol)
User
6 years ago
The anti-fungal will also wipe out the good fungi, which is the vast majority, and those will have to repopulate. That will take some time, but they'll do it. It's not something I like doing, but when one has a disease, there's not much choice.

The September feeding is perfect. April feeding tends to set off growth that will attract fungal issues again because it's tapping out the carbs in the roots too early and causing huge flushes of growth at the wrong time. It's better to wait until late May when the application won't cause growth and helps restore carbs for summer survival instead. That would cover your June feeding.

Then shift that third feeding to October when the grass is still hungry in fall, the heavy feeding period, for winter survival--and also to build yet more carbs in the roots for that spring growth period.