Question
I live just north of Cincinnati Ohio.  We hired a landscaper in April to do work in our backyard which included laying sod.  He put down fescue sod after clearing out the patches of Kentucky Bluegrass we had.  The sod was great for the first couple of months and then we started getting brown patches some big some small all over the yard.  When we clean the area the ground is very moist and has an odor.  Also part of the dead stuff we pull up has a seaweed like appearance.  The other interesting part in all this is that at least 1/3 of our yard is now Bluegrass again?  We have been watering daily at night unless it rains.  What can we do to spot the brown spots and why is the bluegrass coming back and taking over the sod?  Thanks for any help you can give.


Answer
It is time to stop watering, my friend.

This is a Fungus.  Once your Sod grows into your Soil (if that did happen -- I hope your landscaper knows how to prepare the Soil for rolling out Sod), once the roots have recovered and made themselves at home, it is necessary -- it is mandatory to STOP watering and let the Lawn dry out.

If you're thinking, OK, I'll run out and pick up a Fungicide first thing in the morning... IXNAY on the UNGICIDEFAY, dear.

On the matter of the Bluegrass surviving, there are two possible explanations, either or both might be the situation.  One: This Bluegrass may be Poa annua, the Annual Bluegrass Weed that grows all over the country and will not die.  Two: This is the same Bluegrass you were growing previously, and it is resistant to the Fungus you have cultivated so carefully on your new Fescue Lawn.

Remember, Fescue is drought-tolerant.  Overwatering it is EASY.  And perfect for...

Brown Patch Disease, described by the Alabama Cooperative Extension and posted on their website:

www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1168

The Alabama experts note, 'Leaves and leaf sheaths invaded by this Fungus first become water-soaked, then wilt, and finally turn Brown. Often, these water-soaked spots appear first along the leaf margin and then quickly expand until the leaf sheath and crown is invaded and destroyed.'

Pythium Blight, perhaps?

'The early symptoms of Pythium Blight include small, circular water-soaked spots, which are several inches in diameter.  At first, these spots appear greasy or slimy.  As these patches dry, the blighted leaves turn Tan to Brown.  On Tall Fescue Lawns, the blighted patches of turf may reach a diameter of 1 foot and are sunken due to the collapse of the blighted shoots.  Often, these blighted patches merge to form large irregular areas of dead turf.'

I have a webiste that is the Fungus equivalent of America's Most Wanted:

www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/landscap/pp950w.htm

Look over the photos of the perp and see if you recognize anything.

See, by i.d.'g the perp, you will get a better idea of how your Lawn got caught up in this kind of activity.  Not only do you suddenly know how to manage it, but you also know how to avoid getting it again in the future.

What you DON'T want for this problem is to solve it with a Fungicide.

Reason:  Most Fungi are beneficial.  Why kill 'Most Fungi' because you want to get rid of ONE?

You should know that the most carefully maintained Lawns are the ones that deal with Fungus attacks because the beneficial Fungi control the destructive Fungi; you damage the beneficial Fungi when you use a Fungicide.

But as you know what they say about an ounce of prevention.  This is important to understand because it applies very much to Lawns.

Because Lawns grow in dirt.

And dirt is loaded with Fungus spores and dead Fungus bodies.

Have you seen my speech about the towel on the bathroom floor?

Do your towels get Mildew because you did not spray them with Fungicides?

Do you have NO Fungus problem in the living room because you spray?

NO!

Spores are EVERYWHERE.  They're on our skin.  Our food.  Our lungs.  If you take a loaf of bread and put it in the refrigerator too long, mold grows on it.  These things are ubiquitous.  And that's OK.  Right?

Because we manage them.  We pick up the towels.  We use up the bread.  And we do NOTHING in the living room because without moisture and darkness and the right materials, there will never be a Fungus problem there.

Step outside, Tracie.

Why is there Fungus out there?

Heavily maintained soil suffers constantly from shell shock.  Bad Fungi take advantage of that every chance they get.

Why do you suppose we never hear about 'good' Fungi?

I'll tell you why.

They don't make money for anyone.

No one is going to get rich selling you products to wipe them out.  No one is going to make money getting you to feed them.  They're out there, minding their own business, doing what good Fungi do to be 'good', until someone comes along and knots up the hyphae and mycelia.  Then all hell breaks loose.

If you have an automatic sprinkler, stop using it.  Your Soil needs to dry out.  Give those good Fungi a rest.  Wipe out some bad Fungi.

Get some good old fashioned AGED MANURE and COMPOST.  These are rich in good Fungi and other good things that fight crime in your Soil.  Make sure they are NOT sterilized.  Sterilizing kills all the good things you need to get.  Top dress affected areas.  Let it rain.


L.I.G.