Centipede Grass Problem

12 years ago

Please help me identify my grass problem! This lawn was installed in '07 and not watered well. We moved in Oct '08 and the yard looked pretty bad. We watered 1" per week over the growing seasons and the grass seemed to do pretty well. Fast forward to this year...We have had severe drought (NO rain) to the point of watering every other day 30 min (we also have very porous/sandy soil) instead of once or twice per week like usual. We fertilized with weednfeed in July and the grass is mowed every 7-10 days to a height of 3". Now there are dead spots with light green grass around them. I thought maybe I was overwatering, but the rest of the grass looked GREAT. I am thinking grubs but am a professed grass idiot. What do you think? Thank you in advance for any advice! I included 2 photos of my healthy areas so you can see what I mean by my definition of healthy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of lawn

Comments (4)

fancherml
Original Author
12 years ago
Well, my eyes are bleeding from all the research I've been doing on what is going on with my grass. I believe at this point that I have take-all root rot. Even from the photos I posted just 3 days ago, it has become so much worse. I guess I will just let it do its thing and consider replacing my lawn at this point. It was in pretty bad shape when we moved in, so maybe I secretly wished for new sod anyway. Thanks for the (un)help. I have to say, though, not getting any feedback really helped me learn more about my turf! :)

Namaste,
fancherml
fancherml
Original Author
12 years ago
So for anyone googling about their problem and it's the same one I've got....

I took a turf and soil sample to my local know-it-all place. They examined my grass and sent off the soil for analysis. They will call me when the soil results come back. Verdict is fungus. They gave me a bag of 4-0-10 with Iron to put on the lawn and also recommended composting the problem areas and possibly the entire lawn. Other than that, I wait for soil results. Hope this helps someone!!

fancherml
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User
12 years ago
Fancherml,
Don't ever put weed and feed on your centipede grass, ever.
You can put compost on it, but Don't fertilize it now, it's really too late. September is almost here.
Water the grass when it needs it.
Not ever for only 30 minutes, for a couple hours at a time.
Mow your centipede at 1 1/2 inches high.
You don't have to fertilize centipede like other grasses, I use alfalfa pellets from Tractor supply once in the spring when it greens up, and then again at the end of June.
That's it.
Easiest grass in the world that loves sand, unfertile soil and you have to water it when it needs it for hours at a time. Long and deep watering.
Your centipede will come back, slowly, but it will come back.
fancherml
Original Author
12 years ago
THANK YOU! So wait till Spring for the fert? It will be hot for a couple more months! My grass doesn't go dormant until end of November. I have the irrigation system on 90 min per station once a week now. Is that enough? I am mowing as we speak (taking a break for a drink). I don't have the $$ to compost the entire yard, so I am doing the trouble areas for now and going from there. Still waiting on soil result.

fancherml