Brown Patch Fungus has arrived
Once again, Fall has brought out the fungus. During this time of year conditions are perfect for the development of one of Florida's most damaging turf grass diseases. Cooling temperatures and a few foggy mornings promote the resurgence of this pathogen that exists in the soil. The only good news is, this fungus only develops in about 10% of St. Augustine grasses, not at all in Bahia grass and about 60% of Zoysia grasses.
To prevent the spread of this pathogen to your whole yard we apply a fungicide that we have tested and vetted to make sure we give you the best possible treatment. This product has two modes of action. First it is topical. Upon diagnosis your technician will advise you to stop watering for a period of up to 3 weeks to allow the ingredients to sit on the grass. The ingredients are also systemic. This means that as the product dries and the grass begins to grow the material is absorbed into the grass providing a second level of defense.
Brown Patch Fungus is very aggressive. Your technician is on the lookout and once they determine that the fungus is present they have 3 steps to follow. First, we know that the fungus will get worse if it is fertilized. Your technician will avoid applying any fertilizer to the affected areas. Second, weed controls will also encourage the spread of the disease so no herbicides are applied in the area. Third, a fungicide application is made to encourage the healing process. These are the steps we take to suppress this disease and stop it from spreading.
Since working on creating a healthy turf grass is a joint effort between us and our homeowners there are a few important steps we need you to follow as well.
**Stop Watering**
This disease spreads rapidly with water. Without reducing the amount of water as much as possible, this disease will spread and can linger into March
**Skip Mowing**
By not mowing the infected areas, this allows the fungicides to sit on the foliage longer. Our fungicides are topical so the longer they sit, the longer they perform. Also, mowing infected areas increases the likelihood of the disease spreading.
With our applications and your help, we will send this devastating turf disease into remission until next November.
