What Is Wrong With My Molate Red Fescue?

Are there piles of fine frass on the soil surface at the base of plants?

Are there any irregular dead patches of turf?

Are there any tan or straw-colored spots on the lawn, leaves appear water-soaked, then turn brown, often with a reddish band across the leaf?

Are there any small, roughly circular spots of blackened, withered, greasy-looking leaf blades?

Does the lawn have circular, scorched patches or pink, gelatinous masses on it?

Larvae of billbugs (Sphenophorus spp.) feed on stem and crown, and may move down to roots. Feeding is evidenced by piles of fine frass on the soil surface at the base of turfgrass plants. There are presently no curative treatments for billbug grubs. Preventative treatments need to be applied before eggs are laid and the damage is detected. Sufficient irrigation may also help to prevent infestations, as drought-stress increases vulnerability.

White grubs (larval forms of scarab beetles) feed on turfgrass roots, resulting in irregular dead patches of turf. While symptoms resemble drought stress, the damage will persist despite sufficient irrigation. Certain pathogenic nematodes can provide effective control of white grubs in late summer. If treating with chemical pesticides, timing is crucial. Depending on the treatment, applications are most effective either before adults lay eggs or when grubs are in the early instar stage.

Dollar spot is a fungal disease that causes tan or straw-colored spots the size of silver dollars to appear on the lawn. The fungus occurs widely on golf greens but may be a severe problem on low-nitrogen, poorly drained lawns. Aerate the soil and improve drainage by top-dressing with organic matter. In the meantime, keep soil well-watered. Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer or seaweed extract.

Development of Pythium blight is favored by high temperatures and high relative humidity. Excess nitrogen also appears to make the grass more susceptible to the disease, so avoid applying high levels of nitrogen during hot, humid weather. Practices and conditions that increase susceptibility to Pythium blight also include overwatering, mowing wet grass, and poor soil aeration and water drainage. Fungicides are best used preventively or as soon as symptoms are first evident.

Two similar fungal diseases, Red thread and Pink patch cause these symptoms. These diseases are common on bentgrass, bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, especially in cool, humid regions. Apply an organic fertilizer with nitrogen in readily available form, such as seaweed extract. Mow regularly to remove infected leaf tips. Water regularly and thoroughly.

If the turf is thinning, turning yellow, and dying, search below ground for the curved, fat, whiteish larvae of Japanese beetles or any other pest beetle species. Apply milky disease spores that will eliminate Japanese beetle grubs over a few seasons. Apply the material in late spring or fall when the soil temperature is at least 70°F. Apply predatory nematodes to control both Japanese beetle grubs and other white grubs. Water the soil well before and after application to improve results.