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KBG Sod thinning out

3K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Teach123 
#1 ·
I think I have diagnosed a problem I am having, but please let me know what you think.

Last fall I resodded my yard with a KBG blend. It looked great and still does to the naked eye or from a distance. However, at closer inspection the yard is full of areas where there is dead grass underneath existing green turf. The existing blades keep the area looking green, but these areas are definitely thinning out.

My thought is that one of the KBG varieties has a disease (leaf spot/melting out) while some of the other varieties do not. Does this sound correct? I do not have a camera readily available to take a picture, but there are not "rings" or "patches" that are completely bronzed/browned like I have seen diseases do in the past. Just areas where there is dead grass underneath causing a thinning and a brown hue upon close inspection.

Any ideas? Control? I have been using my irrigation system wisely and have been mowing higher while bagging the clipping in case there is a disease.

Reseed with 50/50 rye/kbg this fall?

Thanks for any help!!

Jason
 
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#2 ·
Are you finding any blemishes on the leaf blades under the canopy? I would find a really high quality blue/rye seed of about 75/25 and overseed now and in the future. Whenever I sod I always seed a few new cultivars into the sod. Sod can have problems acclimating itself into a new site and some cultivars can be lost. I would also like to know your fert regimen.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply! I am seeing those purplish-outlined spots on some of the blades. I assume this is leaf spot??? I am a little embarrassed about my fertilizer regimen! I now know that too much N promotes disease, especially when the grass is a little stressed from May/June heat.

1. Late April: I applied Pre-Emergent Crabgrass/Fert. Mix. High N (eeek!)
2. End of May: I applied a light coat of Starter Fert. after having my irrigation system put in. The sod was dug up and I was told the high phosphorus would help (a myth I think).
3. I just put down another round. I am ashamed to say!! And I have been spot treating weeds with Speedzone all season.

Question about overseeding...Should I attempt to dig out the dead grass or just lightly rake up the soil for the seed to have contact with?

Jason
 
#4 ·
Sounds like leaf spot. Don't make a big deal about it. You just need to get a few more cultivars in the mix. Look for a mix that includes "new destiny" and you will have a great mix. Do not dig any soil out but you may have difficulty now that you have mentioned that you used a pre-emergence. How long ago? If you have the money to burn you can try scratching some seed in with a leaf rake and see if the pre is still active but you will get better germination if you do it again in August. As far as fert is concerned. I think you have done well but try adding some Milorganite from HD or Lowe's. 25lbs/K or at least some.
 
#5 ·
Thanks again!! I think I'll wait until late Summer/Fall to reseed. I was recently at my local Lesco retailer and he gave me some great recommendations for seed as well. I will definitely shell out good money for good seed. I will ask about the "New Destiny" seed. I am curious about Midnight as well.

My lawn still looks great, but I am very anal!!

BTW..What will that stuf you recommended from Lowes do?
 
#6 ·
I have midnight in my mix too. It's a great cultivar. The milorganite is a natural fertilizer that will buffer the spikes of using chemical fertilizers and stimulate microbes which leads to a healthier lawn. If you use it as a base nutrient it will last all year and you can pop the lawn with a small shot of N and get great results with less chemical fert.
 
#7 ·
Assuming this is a fungus problem, I would remove the dead grass and the top layer of soil to clean up the infection. Spray with fungicide as preventive. Overseed sparingly, or you will get killed by damping off of the seedings. I would fill the patches with p. ryegrass temporarily, but plan on redoing them with KB in the fall. Frankly, getting any seedlings to survive in July is a hail Mary anyway. BTW, Midnight is probably too dark to use for patching.
 
#8 ·
Teach, I think you are on the right track--possibly some leafspot disease in one of your several varieties--exactly what varieties are in the blend? I would not overseed with any rye--you will get a patchy mixture of blue and rye--different growth rates, different shades of green. Be sure to mow it twice per week. Take off only a little at a time for best quality; that is what they do at Wrigley Field. look for new varieties that are disease resistant. "New Destiny" Midnight II, Northstar, Limousine, Courtyard. Your fertility program is OK. But a high level of slow-release or organic nitrogen is better. Warm humid weather will cause more disease. Sprinkling at night causes more disease. If there is a disease issue you may wish to switch to sprinkling no more than 3 times per week, but deeper. You want to reduce the average number of hours the grass blades are wet in any one week. Don't buy sod unless you know the varieties--and know that they are disease resistant.
 
#9 ·
Thanks Riggle. You are always a trusty person on here. I have followed your advice many-a-time. As far as my irrigation routine, I water once per week to a depth of about 6 inches. My irrigation system puts down approx. 1/2 in./30 minutes per zone. I used tuna cans to measure. So my system comes on at 4 a.m. and finishes about 8 or so. We have so much rain here in Central Illinois that I haven';t had to water in recent memory. And we have been getting much late night rains which keeps those blades of grass soggy and inviting to disease. Thanks for the advice on varieties of KBG. I will definitely spend the money to score the good stuff. Again....thanks to you and everyone else on here.!!!!!
 
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