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Mixture of Green and Brown Grass

8 years ago

I'm in New York. My front yard is a mix of fine fescue and Kentucky blue grass. It receives sun most of the morning and into the afternoon. I'd say about 8 hours a day.

My problem (see pics) is a mixture of seemingly dead grass mixed in with alive and green grass. We've had plenty of water so i know it's not due to dry conditions. The KBG in the same areas seems to be mostly fine, its just the fescue that does this. The areas that get the most sun (not shaded by trees seems to be the worst areas. Any ideas what this is?

Thanks

Mark

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Comments (6)

dchall_san_antonio
8 years ago
When you say plenty of water, are you referring to rain or to irrigation? What is your watering regimen? How often do you water and for how long?
bic9
8 years ago
It seems like just a fungus

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/plantpath/extension/fact_sheets/Turfgrass_-_Managing_Brown_Patch_in_Tall_Fescue_Landscapes.htm

I'd say try watering less and or mowe lower
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bic9
8 years ago
You can probably put some iorn down and green it up for a week or two untell you kill the fungus.

http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/turf/extension/factsheets/turfgrass-fertilization-professional
Mark H
Original Author
8 years ago
Only rain for watering, no irrigation. Problem seems to be present every year in same general areas of the lawn. I'll look into the fungus thing. I thought maybe insects but I don't see any.

Also I have a lot of shale in my soil which seems to me would tend to prevent deep roots.
dchall_san_antonio
8 years ago
Try this. Stick a screw driver into the soil in some good spots and in some bad spots. You're checking to see whether it is harder to push in at the dry looking spots. If it is equally easy, then check for depth to see if something is buried in the top 6 inches or so.

We like to use shampoo to improve penetration of water into the soil. If you have dense soil, the shampoo should cause it to open up. It might take a couple applications, 2 weeks apart. The application rate is 3 ounces of shampoo per 1,000 square feet. You may as well spray the entire yard. Use a hose end sprayer. Which type of shampoo? Any shampoo you can see through - no conditioning shampoos. The dollar stores carry cheap shampoo. Shampoo is not a trick. Surfactants have been used for various reasons on sports fields for decades.
bic9
8 years ago
I wouldn't think shallow roots would do that. For my bermuda the roots are 3 4" deep on the greens and most of its doing ok when the ruff thy go down 6 feet or more. You can take a core sample and see how short thy are if you think it's bad you can go crazy and perform some massive surgery by coring I'd say full solid tin depending if it freezes hard out there if not hallow tin but I'd say no.

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