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Spring Fungus Explosion
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Author:  toms54 [ Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:46 am ]
Post subject:  Spring Fungus Explosion

:( Have had an explosion of grey leaf spot in back yard and what appears to be brown patch in front this year. Some in both yards has a ring appearance. Previously acquired gls last year after never having it before. Believe it came in on some cheap mulch. Thought I had killed it end of last year but guess not. Have always had some brown patch in front but not 'till September. Never had any fungus problems in Spring. Lawn is predominately St. Augustine but has some Bermuda. Fertilized about 1 month before this with a St. Augustine Weed and Feed and lawn looked very good. Then this. Would like to go green as have pets to protect. Need a curative and preventative. About to start with Heritage but would like another option to this stuff. Live in Sugar Land.

Author:  user_48634 [ Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Spring Fungus Explosion

Apply ordinary corn meal at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. That is the eradication rate. You can use ordinary corn meal at a rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 every month or so if you want to prevent future bouts.

I get fungal diseases in my St Augustine every spring. I always have - even long before I went organic. The reason I get it is my wife puts yard clippings on the grass and my daughters like to leave piles of stuff to make forts. That cuts off the air circulation to the grass and the disease gets started.

Corn meal works against disease by attracting a predatory fungus called Trichoderma (try koh DER mah). Trichoderma eats other fungi. In 10 days all the disease will be gone and in another 10 days the grass will start to grow back.

You have to apply the corn meal to the entire lawn because it is also a fertilizer. If you apply it only in spots, you will have very dark green spots where the fungus was.

Author:  toms54 [ Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Spring Fungus Explosion

That means 120lbs of the corn meal for this yard. Open up spreader to 75-80% ? Water it in?

Author:  user_48634 [ Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Spring Fungus Explosion

120 pounds should cover 6,000 square feet at 20 pounds per 1,000.

Test your spreader before you spread it all. Measure out a 10x10 foot area (100 square feet) and put 2 pounds of corn meal in it. Start walking your test patch with the spreader wide open. When you finish, see how much corn is still left in the spreader. I find it takes more than one pass with a drop type spreader but every spreader is different. It also makes a big difference how humid it is that day. Corn meal clumps and wants to stick to itself on humid days.

You don't have to water it in but you should moisten it a little to wash it down to the soil where the decomposition gets going. "Watering it in" refers more to synthetic fertilizers that are made from chemical salts.

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