Question
Hi

Thanks so much for your thorough reply.  On
Sept.1 we moved from Brooklyn to the lush,
green suburb, Wantagh, LI.  We've spent
many weekends trying to get our lawn to
look like our neighbor's which is mowed by
professionals. Those guys wanted lots and
lots of money ($26/wk, not including
treatments). We decided to do it ourselves
(unable to recover from the high tax shock. I
don't know how seniors do it) The house was
abandoned for 3 months before we moved
in.  Basically, during the dry summer months
no one was taking care of the lawn.  We
decided to start with just watering regularly
and seeding.  The grass was growing
beautifully. We were so happy with our
results and savings. No more dry patches. My
lab.golden mix loves rolling in the grass.
Hardy soil, tender loving care and now
yellowing. As you suggested, I will do
nothing.  Should we add iron -Miracle Gro?
Just hope the frost tames the fungi and in the
spring we start over.  I'm sure you'll hear
from me then.  Thanks again. Liked the
stories.


Sue
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Hi,

I noticed that my lawn has yellow grass blades all over not in patches. As
I walked my dog I noticed other lawns also speckled and also others far
gone yellow lawns.  What's going on?  I heard of dormant grass
preparing for the cold winter but didn't say anything about yellowing.  I
heard about bugs causing patches of yellowing but this is not what this
looks like, not in patches.  We have had plenty of rain and the weather is
seasonal.  What's happening to my lawn? Our lawns?  Are we going to
face a upcoming horrible recovery season in the spring? Should we
fertilize?  Add iron?  What percent/ ratio? Acid rain?  What's happening to
by beautiful green lawn?  Hope you can help.

Thanks.
Sue
-----Answer-----
Cool evenings and heavy rains of autumn are great for lawns -- but they
set up ideal conditions for turfgrass diseases.  Your lawn should be
verdant and rich right now.  If you're seeing yellow speckles, you may be
looking at one of several Fungus problems.  See the Integrated Pest
Management website photo (http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/diseases/
series300/rpd311/) of Selenophoma Leaf Spot (this from an eruption in
a Wisconsin lawn); Leaf Spot and Stripe Smut in Kentucky (http://
www.uky.edu/Ag/NurseryInspection/newsletter/97news/97july.htm);
Yellow Patch caused by Rhizoctonia cerealis (http://
turfgrassmanagement.psu.edu/turfdis10.cfm) across the Northeast; or
something else.

Unfortunately, Sue, you have not mentioned where in the world you are
growing this grass.  The world being a huge place, I have to stop a
diagnosis right here -- until you provide more info.

But like all New Yorkers, I am only too happy to continue with my
opinion about what's going on here.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  
You sound intelligent and highly educated so this is probably not over
your head.

The biggest problem with grass that gets Fungus is the "good things"
that 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
lawn grass, all beginning with the letter F -- for Fungus.

Professional turf people are only too happy to proceed with Fungicides
because there is money to be made 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.

Proper mowing, fertilizing, careful watering and intelligent, organic soil
management will banish these 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?

I will close this note to you with 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 problem.  Was the landscaper spreading Fungus
on ALL the lawns?

See, every time he mowed someone's grass, the lawnmower
he'd used on the first customer, who had 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.

Sue, when you have wet towels, you hang them up to dry, right?

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.

And Sue, 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, Sue.

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.

But 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 will die when temps plummet.  Come spring, if you
can let Nature take its course, the grass will be just fine.  Trust me.

Answer
Sorry, Sue - I posted a reply before I noticed your question follow up here.

Just want to add to the reply sent earlier: Those $26/wk mowings don't begin to include the major bonuses these workers get for Chemical applications.  THAT's a major expense.  You think $125/month is bad?  A single extra care-application will cost more than that.  If they were good for your grass, it might be worth it.  But it's not.

With respect to the Tax Shock, I have to add two things: (1) seniors get a break in most districts, I think it's around 50% or more, depending on where they live, which is nice when you're on a fixed income and you've lived and contributed to a community your whole life; (2) imagine you bought your house and in 10 years the taxes tripled - that's the story of my life!

Most grass goes dormant in the summer due to less rain and the ultra high temperatures.  Some people push the grass to remain active, it's an uphill battle for the grass and not a healthy thing to do.  Your grass got a nice rest and when you showed up and watered it, the temperatures were grass-friendlier.  Perfect combination.  Remember this next summer when you are trying to push your grass to stay green and active during 3-digit summer sweltering temperatures.

Good to hear from you again.  Keep me posted.