Question
I live in the Long Island, NY area.I have had a severe fungal problem, most likely fusarium and necrotic ring spot. Front lawn was sodded ( Kentucky Bluegrass) 10 years ago and fungus appeared apx. 5 years later and is now getting worse every year.  Have been using Ringers Lawn restore the past 3 years and no improvement yet (don't think Ii applied enough).  Just started to use fungicide ( which one or would be best?) a couple of years ago also but don't think I applied at proper time.  Any advice on how to cure would be welcome. Thanks,
Len

Answer
I see you have not seen my Mildew + Towels speech.  Here goes.

Why does Grass get Fungus?

Grass gets Fungus because 'good things'have been happening to it all Summer long.

Good things like sprinkler systems.  Good things like Grub Killer, Weed N Feed, Fertilizer and Weedkiller.  Lots of those good things, any of which disrupt the flora and fauna in the soil and set up prime time for Fungus.

How's that?

Chemically treated lawns get sick all the time.  Natural organisms that are part of the breakdown process are killed by Chemicals.

There are probably a thousand good reasons not to pour chemicals on Lawngrass, all beginning with the letter 'F'.  For Fungus.

Professional turf-people are only too happy to proceed with Fungicides.  Because there is SO MUCH money in 'treatments'.

But there is NOTHING healthy about a Lawn that needs Fungicides and other chemicals.  My position is, if Adam didn't use it in the Garden of Eden, you should not use it, either.

Normally, even thatch is home to many natural Fungi, most of them beneficial.  The Fungus population is key to natural decomposition of Grass clippings and dead leaves -- and a necessary ingredient for a healthy Lawn.

Yes, I said that.  Fungi are GOOD for your Grass.

Proper mowing, fertilizing, careful watering and intelligent, organic Soil management will banish BAD Fungi from your Lawn forever.  Check the photographs at the Cornell University Plant Clinic website:

plantclinic.cornell.edu

Do any of these pictures look like your Grass?

Just so you know how important this is, I want to tell you one of my favorite Fungus stories.

A gardener was talking to his wise neighbor about the local landscaper.

He pointed out that the landscaper's first customer that morning had a REALLY bad Lawn Fungus.  Was the landscaper spreading Fungus on ALL the Lawns?

Because, you see, every time he mowed someone's grass, the lawnmower he'd used on the first customer -- with the Lawn Fungus -- would spread Fungus spores all over the NEXT Lawn.  Was he giving all his customers the same Lawn Fungus?

No, said the neighbor.  He didn't think the landscaper was spreading Fungus all over everybody's Lawns.

'He drew me a picture of a three-legged stool,' explained the Gardener of his wise neighbor.

And the wise neighbor explained: 揟he seat of the stool is the disease, Fungus,?he began. 揟he seat has to have three legs to support it.

'One leg is the host plant, the Lawn Grass.

'Another leg is the Fungus spores.  They抮e present all of the time in the soil.

'The third leg is the environment around the Lawn. If any of the three legs is not present, the stool falls and there is no disease.'

He continued:

'Two legs -- the Grass and the Fungus -- are permanently present. They can抰 be changed.  The third leg, the environment, can be changed in order to keep the Fungus at bay in a given lawn.'

Or it can be made Fungus-friendly.  And you have yellow blades, or red circles, or slime, or brown patches, or lots of dead and dying grass.

Now, think about this: When you have wet towels, you hang them up to dry.

Why is that?

Because if you leave them wet and dark for too long, those towels will get Mildew all over them, right?

Why would they get Mildew?

Do you spray Mildew-killer all around the house all the time?  Does Mildew attack when you stop spraying?

Of course not.

But some companies would have you believe that if you don't pour Agent Orange all over your grass, if you don't keep it pure and cleansed with their products, your grass will get sick.  They make it sound like you're not taking care of it.  Like you don't have what it takes to have a Lawn.

If they told you the same thing about Mildew, you'd laugh.

It wouldn't matter what their commercials looked like.  You wouldn't waste your money on Mildew Killer all over the house, all over the towels, on your socks, in your shoes, in the bathroom, in the living room, blahblahblah!

If they could get away with it, of course, they'd try.  But it's ridiculous.

Plus, it is also ridiculous that anyone would put Fungus Killer on their Grass. Because Fungus is always out there, just like Mildew.  It's just waiting for the opportunity to seize and attack.

The opportunity comes along when you kill things that keep Fungus in check.  When nights get cool, and dark, and the grass is wet long enough, and the Fungus is right there.  Boom!  The Grass gets yellow/red/brown/slimy/white powdery.  Disaster strikes.  Fungus has attacked.

Here's what I think you should do.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

That means you should leave your poor grass alone.

Don't 'winterize' it with any special chemicals -- there's some Scotts product for 'winterizing' the Grass that's high in Nitrogen and is absolutely awful if only for that one thing.  Put down some Milorganite, if you're somewhere down near the Mason Dixon line, and the Grass is still bright and green around town.  Iron is not a problem in healthy soil.  Build the soil and you build great Grass. That's the honest to God truth.

I hope it makes sense.  If you need any clarification, please let me know.

Science will back me up on this.  Chemistry, Science, even the Bible. Just say the word.

For kicks, send a specimen to your local Cooperative Extension.  But some of those CE's jump on chemical treatments, just because it's fun to know these things.  Please let me know what they tell you if you do bring them a sample.  I like to know these things.

Even if it won't change my opinion.

You have Fungus, and you have it because the lawn was taken care of all summer long.

Relax.  The Fungus dies when temps plummet.  Come spring, days from now, I'd bet your Soil is recovering pilot.  If you can let Nature take its course, the grass will be just fine.  Trust me.