John

Might want to look at my thread:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lawns/msg0815263910143.html?5

Might help.

Mike

He is using fear as his sales pitch. Billbugs will be the most common problem for Empire, if you have any problems.

He is probable talking about rhizotonia fungus aka Brown Patch. Best advice is to follow proper lawn care by not over-watering especially the wrong time of day, and over fertilizing.

If you have a fungus problem, use what the pros use, Daconil.

Here are symptoms to compare the two.

I have empire in florida, I have let my grass get very high, 4+ inches this summer during the rain. I have not noticed any fungi other than a few mushrooms.

the difference is how they start, the fungus looks like wet grass where the billbug just looks dry and dead.

____________________________________
Brown Patch fungus
On warm season turf grasses, the disease is characterized by at least two different types of symptoms. The most common is a circular pattern of brown grass with a yellowish ring (smoke ring) of wilted grass on the perimeter of the diseased area. The leaves can be easily pulled from the stolons with the smoke ring because the fungus destroys the tissue at the base of the leaf. Symptoms first appear as small circular patches of water-soaked, dark grass that soon wilt and turn light brown. Stolons often remain green as the disease develops, the circular patches enlarge, smoke-rings become apparent and new green leaves may emerge in the center of the circular areas.

Bill bugs cause the most damage when they are larvae, and can spread and destroy large sections of grass if not contained or killed. Small circles that get bigger and overlap, creating a large kill area.
Common signs of Bill Bug problems are dead spots on your lawn that don't recover from watering.

He is probable talking about rhizotonia fungus aka Brown Patch

Yup, I think that was the word.

I have not noticed any fungi other than a few mushrooms
This seems to be "the year of the mushroom" here in Florida.

Other than mushrooms, the lawn has no problems.

What time of year should I treat for billbugs?

There are two methods of control. Nemotodes, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam are quite effective, and applied in early spring before eggs are laid and hatched. Once hatched, insecticides offer very limited control and usually do more than good by wiping out beneficial and predatory insects.

There are two methods of control. Nemotodes, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam are quite effective

I don't know what any of those are, so I googled it. Meotodes are round worms? How's that work?

Imadeclroprid is advertised as being a chemical in Grub-X. Ok.
And I guess thiamethoxam is another chemical. Didn't see any products in the search results.

So sounds like, using Grub-X in the spring would be good?

I don't know what any of those are, so I googled it. Meotodes are round worms? How's that work?

Neither one of us can spell worth a darn today. Try Beneficial Nematodes

Neither one of us can spell worth a darn today. Try Beneficial Nematodes

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks.

I tell you I dont know about the fungus but Im thrilled beyond believe at the empire zoysia ! I was just sick of my SA browning and dyeing and needing resodding so I switched half of my yard over. That stuff is soooo soft,lovely and green.I even laid in the stuff picnic-style...Im in JAX Fla never again to SA !