Centipede grass diseases

Under certain environmental conditions, centipede grass is susceptible to a variety of fungal diseases including brown patch, pythium blight, collar spot and spring dead spot. These diseases are most prevalent in the spring and fall when daytime temperatures are 60 to 80 degrees, nighttime temperatures are round 60 degrees and there is plenty of moisture on the grass. During critical times, do not irrigate unless it is absolutely necessary. If needed, water on a sunny day when moist will evaporate quickly from the grass leaves.

Since fungal diseases are very difficult to identify it is important to keep a sharp watch for anything abnormal. In general, fungal diseases appear as brown or damaged patches of grass with smooth outlines. If you find a patch that fits this description, don't run out and spray the entire lawn with fungicide. Wait to see if the patch of damaged grass expands over the next day or two. It is quite possible that the fungal disease has already run its course. An "active" patch of disease turf will grow and expand concentrically over a couple of days. Grass plants along the outline of the damaged patch will have the most telling signs: wilted plants, shriveled leaves or discolored leaf blades. Once you have located a fungal disease, spray immediately with a lawn fungicide approved for use on centipede grass.

If your lawn has fungal problems, you may want to renovate the dead areas and then spray preventatively with a lawn fungicide the following year so that the disease does not recur. Follow the directions on the product label explicitly. You will probably need to spray several times over a 2-4 weeks period.

In general, good maintenance practices like weekly mowing at the right height and limited fertilizer applications will go a long way toward preventing disease problems on centipede grass lawns.