Question
We live on the east bench area of the Salt lake valley and we have drying and dying spots in our lawn. We water ever other day, but some one told us that we have grubbs. We got fetilizer that had a grubb killer in it but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Any help would be great.

Answer
And educated guess says that your patches are Fungus related -- but that guess is WORTHLESS without a Soil Test.  Like I just told someone else, to quote Cornell, 'The supply of essential nutrients in Soil cannot be determined without conducting a Soil Test.'

See that?

EXPERTS are telling you that NO ONE can tell what a Soil sample is missing without testing it.

I know what you're thinking.  You want to assume that if you Fertilize regularly, any shortage of nutrients won't matter, because you've covered everything.  That's what 'Balanced Fertilizer' is.  Right?

Give your Grass enough 'Balanced Fertilizer' and you don't need to worry about your Lawn getting enough to eat.  It's 'balanced'.  All the t's are crossed.  You're insured.

Wrong!

Giving your Lawn TOO MUCH of some nutrients CAUSES DEFICIENCIES in others!

Bet you never read THAT on a bag of Scotts Fertilizer.

And why does this matter?

Because Grubs is a problem you find almost always in two kinds of Lawns:

1.  Heavily managed Lawns (yours qualifies since you have fertilized your Grass AND used a Grub killer); or

2.  New construction.

Both of these problems can be solved.  And no, Grub Killer is not part of the fix.  (I'll summarize quickly here because I have more to say on other things.)  Resolving a Grubs problem is easy if you:

A.  STOP using chemical fertilizers and Grub killers; or

B.  Build up the Organic Matter in your Soil to counter the sterile Soil syndrome of new construction that causes a Grubs problem to erupt.

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are highly destructive to Soil life.  Consider the 'Warning' labels on the containers, how small a microorganism is, how much of that stuff you are using and what it would be like to be a microorganisms surrounded by Weed and Feed.  It's murder on them!  Why should you care?  Because 80 percent or more of those microorganisms are GOOD for your Grass -- and include Grub attackers like Ground Beetles, Earthworms, etc.

At the same time, building the organic content of your Soil will have a NEGATIVE effect on your Grubs... IF of course you have Grubs.  Grubs have so many enemies down under, it's a wonder any ever see the light of day.  Add to that a healthy population of Birds and you'll never have a Grub problem again.

But is this is a Fungus?

Fungus attacks Lawns that are heavily managed.  Nitrogen fertilizer puts Leaves of Grass into overdrive, leaving behind a smaller root system and nothing to protect the thin, stretched leaf tissue.  Which Fungus you get depends on Soil or air temperature and moisture conditions.

To fight Fungus, STOP using chemical fertilizers and Grub killers.

There are probably other issues as well, due to your location and the exact Soil you have.  But the only way to really know the condition of your Soil is to do a Soil test.  Whether the problem is a Fungus, Grubs, or both, the solution is the same:  Be nicer to your Lawn.  Step away from the chemicals that cause these problems.  And topdress with Humus, Compost or Aged Manure to support your local Earthworms and raise the Organic Matter content of your Soil.  I know it's hard to believe, but in this case, less really is more -- as long as the 'less' is not ignored.

Any questions?

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER