Today's tips will keep lawns looking lush Now that we are starting to feel autumn's cooler temperatures and increased rainfall and high humidity, we need to be on the lookout for potential problems in our lawns. We are entering the perfect time to start seeing an increase in fungal turf diseases, especially take-all patch. This disease commonly appears as developing dead spots in St. Augustine lawns. It was first discovered on St. Augustine grass in 1991. It has also been found in Bermuda grass, zoysia grass and centipede grass.
Early symptoms are yellowing and thinning turf in either circular or irregular patches.
The roots are often short, blackened and rotten. The grass stemsoften can be lifted from the soil due to the poor root system. The yellowing grass blades eventually die and become brown. This disease is often misdiagnosed as brown patch. But plant pathologists have reported very few cases of brown patch in this area.