2,4-d is not a fungicide, it is an herbicide. If it worked against fungus, that would be news to the lawn community. Not sayin' it won't work, just saying it would be news. Is it an illusion or is this area slightly mounded up from the area to the left? If it is mounded up, then drainage would be better from that area allowing it to dry out more between watering/rainfall. That could easily cause a problem in one spot versus another. The obvious issue would be not watering deeply, once per week, throughout the summer. But then why would you have any grass if drought was the problem??? If you have not used any organic fertilizer in the past 3 years, I would suggest you do that to improve the health of your soil. Healthier soil can fight off disease better than sterile or deficient soil. The one I like for this year (due to cost) is alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow). You can get a 50-pound bag at your local feed store for around $12-$14. If this is a first time in 3 years, your first app should be 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. I would follow that up in a month with a second app at 20 pounds per 1,000. 20 pounds is the normal rate, but if your soil is not already sort of healthy, it will take longer for the alfalfa to decompose and it can smell a little sour for awhile. If you have doubts that alfalfa is a fertilizer, here is a picture posted here at GardenWeb by mrmumbles in 2011. He had fertilized the spot with alfalfa in mid May and took the picture in mid June. Note the improved color, density, and growth. Sometimes a lawn with poor soil will crash under repeated applications of chemical fertilizers. The occasional use of organics seems to keep the crashing from happening. Quite often homeowners will try the alfalfa and stop synthetics altogether. There does not seem to be any problem with a continual organic regimen. I've been doing it since 2002. If you think the problem is a fungal disease, the other thing you can try, on top of the alfalfa, is to apply ordinary, ground corn meal at the same rate of 20 pounds per 1,000. Results on this seem to vary, but it has worked for me every year. If I did not use corn meal I would not have a lawn at all. In my yard it stops the progress of the disease immediately and allows the new grass to come up disease free. If you are reluctant to use fungicide, and I completely agree, then corn meal is the only alternative we think we know about. Like I said, results with corn meal are all over the map but it works for me. I would not try the corn meal until after the 10 pound app of alfalfa. Corn meal is also an organic fertilizer, so it will prolong the effect of the organics. If you normally winterize with a chemical fertilizer after the grass stops growing, you can still do that whether you go with a full organic routine or not. Lots of people who are otherwise all organic will do the final app of the year with a chemical fert like urea.

I mixed some various random amendments with compost to see which worked best for starting squash and cucumber seeds. Tried: leaves, wood chips, wood chunks, wood wafers, corn cob slices, brown cubic rot, and as a control also used jiffy seed starting mix. The best result by far was the corn cob mix. 2nd best was compost and wood chunks or a wood wafer. Link shows more results Here is a link that might be useful: Seedling mix trials

Gonzoe, I am so glad you liked the chowder! It is a great recipe . I had 2nds too ! As to the salad, I never have much luck with pasta salad until this one. I made a dressing that was really good...mine usually don't come out well but this one did so I will tell you what I did. I put about 1/2c red wine vinegar and a heaping Tbs Dijon mustard in the blender. I added a good pinch of salt and sugar and mixed that. I then added about 3/4c EVOO and buzzed again. I put a few splashes of Balsamic vinegar and also lemon juice to taste. For herbs I use Mrs dash Garlic mix sprinkled in. It was so good that I am not going to buy dressing anymore in the store. I just made it after reading several internet recipes. What about your salad was not good ? I bet we can fix it :) c

I love soup, I could eat it all the time..chowders and stews too...husband and boys not so... Gosh it would be so easy to live off them, and cheaper too.. Phyllis, that sounds perfect.. Mary, all those things you made today would hit the spot too. Jas, simple things often are the best. I couldn't take beans today, so no leftovers of yesterday for me..lol Glenda, how nice..to have lunch with PJR..I love mexican flavors myself.. So it's over an hour later...and still no game plan for our dinner... But I'm hungry..so better come up with something...before I get grumpy..lol