St. Augustine problem

[CSRA Landscaping]

This St. Augustine has been like this all season long. I'm wondering if it's because the rye crowded it out and it just hasn't recovered yet, or if there are some grubs/mole crickets causing problems, or maybe a fungus. I really just began looking at it today, so any insight would be helpful. I'm going to post three pics of it.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Close-up of the large patch.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Closer shot of the parts behind big bertha.

[heather]

HAVE YOU RULED OUT CHINCH BUGS? FAR AWAY PICS LOOK LIKE SOME DAMAGE.

[CSRA Landscaping]

I haven't ruled out anything, yet. I noticed it last season and I thought maybe it was from the ztr, so this season I'm using a WB on it but still the same. This turf is WELL irrigated, fertilized, and aerated, so that's why I'm wondering what's up here. I guess I could get out the ole coffee can and see how many floaters I get ...

[mowerparts]

If it is not spreading then I would say that it is old damage and has not filled in yet. If so, plug it or install new grass.
The one part by the patio looks like chinch(spl) bugs damage. They allways start by cement or blacktop areas. (They love the heat, the hotter the better).:blob3:

[Paradise Yard Service]

If the root system is real loose and gives way when you shuffle your foot on it, and since you said it has not responded to your maintenance, I say its got to be chinch. Sevin will kill. I had the same trouble and repeat apps EVERY 14 days (3 apps in all) corrected the problem. Watch cutting height in summer to keep soil as cool as possible. Replace damaged turf. This is a tricky problem...I know most techs will do a 'reactive' (wait until the problem comes) rather than a 'proactive' (apply pesticide whether the grass indicates a breakout). In the case you are facing maybe a more proactive approach will be best since you already have strong evidence of an invasion that could happen again. Hope this helps.

P.Y.S.

[ProMo]

doesnt look like chinch bugs to much green grass in it and no yellowing who fertilizes it ive seen st aug do this when a customers neihbor used bahia weed n feed took 2 years to recover also could be a fungus

[CSRA Landscaping]

I fertilize it, using Lesco's 16-4-8, the only weed control that I've used has been atrazine.

[ProMo]

i have seen chinch bugs become resistant to certain pesticides dursban etc in yards that were treated as prevetative kill and you may be killing beneficial insects as well best to part the grass were it is yellowing with your hands in hot weather usually 1/4 below soil to see if the little guys are crawling around

[Eastview Landscaping]

I have had same thinning appearance in some palmetto St. Aug ustine here in Myrtle Beach, SC. I believe that it is grey Leaf spot.( disease) Look for yellowing of the leaf blades from the tip on backto the crown.. Also have been told that it is not a good idea to over seed St. Aug

[turfman33]

To rule out chinch bug do the coffee can and soapy water trick. My thinking is, there wouldn't be any grass sprouts in the dead area if it was chinch bug though. St Augustine is strong though. It should fill in unless it is really burnt out. I had a guy that had a problem like this. I raked it out, aerated it, put some LIGHT furtilizer on it and then top dressed it, with plenty of top dressing. If your not having any rain, give it a water. The client I did this for, grass has grown right back nice and green. You wouldn't know that there was a problem.

Hope this helps

Steve

[CSRA Landscaping]

Steve,
I'm going to take the can out tomorrow, already got it ready. I think I'll probably have to do like you said and clean it up, the fert n topdress.

[richlawns]

Not sure but I work at a golf course part time and we have had the same problem. It was a fungus that we had it took a few weeks to get it back to normal. Some spots we just dug up and put new sod.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Well all I saw today was earthworms galore, a coupla earwigs, an ant, and a tiny beetle. So I'm ruling out the bugs.

Richlawns, did you folks treat for the fungus or did it correct itself?

It seem to me that these areas were especially thick with the winter rye so maybe that's why it hasn't grown in there yet? The rye really just now transitioned all the way out. I've noticed the same thing here at our house only not that noticable.

[richlawns]

Originally posted by CSRA Landscaping
Well all I saw today was earthworms galore, a coupla earwigs, an ant, and a tiny beetle. So I'm ruling out the bugs.

Richlawns, did you folks treat for the fungus or did it correct itself?

It seem to me that these areas were especially thick with the winter rye so maybe that's why it hasn't grown in there yet? The rye really just now transitioned all the way out. I've noticed the same thing here at our house only not that noticable. Believe it or not but it did correct itself. But we are still going to fertilize and put a heavy coat of topdress on to get the new grass to come in.