What Is Wrong With My Centipede Grass?

Are there any bright yellow or bare dead patches of grass in the spring and early summer?

Does the turf has any brown circular patches on it?

Does your lawn have tan or straw-colored spots on it?

Does the lawn have green spots outlined with brown?

Are the insects causing yellowed round patches on the lawn?

Centipede decline presents as bright yellow or bare dead patches of grass in the spring and early summer, generally following excessively cold winters or usually warm winters with cold springs. Many conditions can create the issue. Prevent centipede decline by reducing the amounts of applied nitrogen or changing your mowing habits to prevent excess thatch buildup or scalping. Soil samples can also help with determining the cause of the centipede decline. Spraying infected areas with 2 ounces of ferrous sulfate per 1,000 square feet of grass help to cure the decline.

Brown patch is a fungal disease that causes circular areas of grass up to 2 inches in diameter to turn brown and die. It tends to attack St. Augustine grass, bentgrass, bermudagrass, zoysia grass, tall fescues, and ryegrasses. Control the disease by reducing nitrogen fertilization, mowing less frequently, aerating, and dethatching. Top-dress with humus-building material. Water less frequently and only during the day so grass dries off quickly.

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 also 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.

Fairy ring is a fungal disease that causes green circular areas that seem to grow more rapidly than the rest of the lawn. A circle of mushrooms usually develops around the edge of the infected area. Rake and discard the mushrooms as they appear. Spike the area with a spading fork every day. Water well. Encourage beneficial soil microbes by top-dressing with finished compost or organic lawn fertilizer. Eradicate the fungus by digging out the soil in the area of the ring.

Chinch bugs are small insects with dark bodies and a black triangular pad between white, folded wings. They suck plant sap, causing the grass to turn yellow and die off in patches. Encourage native predators, including big-eyed bugs, minute pirate bugs, lacewings, ladybugs, and birds. To control chinch bugs in small lawns, soak sod with soapy water, then lay a flannel sheet over the grass to snare the bugs as they are driven out. Pick up the sheet and kill the chinch bugs inside.

Centipede grass is susceptible to plant-parasitizing nematodes. Some species of nematode are more likely to devastate centipede grass in sandy soils. Affected turf begins to discolor from apple green to yellow while also becoming thin. Nematode-infected grass doesn't respond to cultural practices such as watering or fertilization as the roots are affected by the pest. Hot weather may exacerbate the problem due to the roots not being able to take up water as quickly as they need to.