# FUNGUS among us!!!



## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Ok...we have had A LOT of rain in the Chicago area this spring. Two weeks ago, flooding type rain. It has, sporadically, continued since then leaving lawns pretty wet. Haven't had to water for almost 2 weeks now. There is more rain predicted over the next week or so...how much, who knows....it's Northern Illinois weather.

I believe I am getting the start of some fungus in my grass (SEE PIC BELOW). I believe it is the start of Brown Patch...the pic depicts the worst of it in my lawn so it is just starting to show. I purchased some Scotts DiseaseEx to treat my lawn, however, 5 or so days ago I layed down a good amount of Milorganite….and yesterday I did my GrubEx preventative treatment as Japanese Beetles are abundant and common in our area, as are other grub infestations.

My concern is laying this DiseaseEx down after doing the Milorganite and GrubEx just this past week. Should I just let it go and hope for warmer dryer weather....or....wait a little before laying the DiseaseEx down....or....do it right now (even though the grass is wet and we are expecting more rain) to try to alleviate the problem?

Also, does the GrubEx and/or the DiseaseEx fungicide cause issues with the wanted microorganism development the Milorganite is supposed to support? Soil temps are now averaging around 65 deg 4" down in my area.

Not sure what is best so any help would be much appreciated.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Milorganite microbial activity is primarily bacteria, and DiseaseEx works to control fungus. There will be little to no adverse affects on the microbial benefit from milo by the azoxystrobin.

Throw er down!

The additional N from milo will only make your fungus problem worse so get that disease ex down ASAP.


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## tgreen (Oct 20, 2018)

You're about a month early on the grub control. You don't want that stuff to wear off before the egg lay. Here's a good resource for timing. Click on Japanese Beetle for map and timing.

http://www.gddtracker.net/


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

I'm not a fungus expert but I doubt it's brown patch. Brown Patch more of a summer disease from what I've read and doubt your getting constantly in the upper 80's to 90's in Chicago already. Could be leaf spot, dollar spot or red thread if I had to guess. Those are more common in Spring especially with as much rain we have gotten in the midwest. I'm dealing with something similar.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

tgreen said:


> You're about a month early on the grub control. You don't want that stuff to wear off before the egg lay. Here's a good resource for timing. Click on Japanese Beetle for map and timing.
> 
> http://www.gddtracker.net/


Grubex (ai chlorantraniliprole) should be applied at green up(01apr to 30may) per this MSU article. It moves slower thru the soil profile.


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

g-man said:


> tgreen said:
> 
> 
> > You're about a month early on the grub control. You don't want that stuff to wear off before the egg lay. Here's a good resource for timing. Click on Japanese Beetle for map and timing.
> ...


G-man....so then, I am right on the money with Grub Ex. Thanks!!! I had seen that piece you posted from MSU.

How about that yellowing on some of the blades of grass....Fungus??? That is what the lawn guy said at ace when he saw that pic. I did put down the Scotts Disease Ex....I guess I will see. We have had SOOOO much rain this last month, month and 1/2. Heck its raining right now.

Geez sooo, much on my lawn right now. Over fertilized with Milogranite (like double), then Grub Ex, now Disease Ex....hope it is not to much all at once.

Not sure what to do next if anything......may be best to just let it go for a while.....water when necessary....then, maybe some more Milorganite in July....or something else???

Would like to get some darker, deeper greening for early June.....maybe some Iron....or is there enough in the Milorganite….just got to wait on it.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Hard to tell from those images. Is that the only spot? Since you already applied azoxy, let see and wait.

Some soils in Chicago are great and don't need anything applied. Others are high in pH, which makes iron not as available. If you want more green, then go with FAS.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

To piggyback on what @g-man just posted, all the rain can lead to a bit of iron chlorosis. Worse on a higher PH soil and issue can be more apparent if higher rates of nitrogen are used. We have been wet, and I am seeing yellowing over alot of lawns. Can you take a zoomed out pic of the whole lawn with some of the spots in it to get a better picture of what is going on? If it is iron chlorosis, you can wait for the soil to dry up, or apply a foliar form of iron.


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Sure....here you go Pete1313. These pics are this morning after that TORRENTIAL downpour yesterday...I mean we had a river of water running down the sidewalk during the rain.

Also....since I put down Milorganite like a week ago, then Grub Ex 3 days or so ago, and then that Disease Ex like the day before yesterday.....does ALL that wash away with this big rain and one has to start all over?

Will likely cut my lawn today, 2.5", since we are expecting another round of good rain this afternoon. Grass grew like 1-2 inches in 2 days....GEEZ!!!

Most of the yellowing is on the wider blade lawn leaves....not so much on the thinner blades (which I believe is the newer Johnathan Green Ultra I reseeded with).

Again, would like to get some deeper, darker green in the lawn.....without damaging it. Put so much on it already in the last 3 weeks.


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

g-man said:


> Hard to tell from those images. Is that the only spot? Since you already applied azoxy, let see and wait.
> 
> Some soils in Chicago are great and don't need anything applied. Others are high in pH, which makes iron not as available. If you want more green, then go with FAS.


G-man....what's FAS????? And would it be too much with ALL that I have put down already???

April 12th or so: Johnathan Green Starter for seeding and sodding (12-18-8)….accidently overdone
April 12th: Johnathan Green Black Beauty Ultra Seed....overseed took well, bar spots almost totally filled in
May 21st: Malogranite…..double amount
May 25th: Scotts Grub Ex
May 26th: Scotts Disease Ex


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I think you did enough for now. FAS is ferrous ammonium sulfate. It is a foliar (spray) applied iron that bypass the soil. Get a soil test in the future to k ow if you need to go this way.


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

Hard to tell how much, if anything, washed away. I'm not seeing much from the pics that would indicate a fungus, but I'm not on your grass(although currently not far away in Schaumburg).

It has been wet. Grass roots have a hard time functioning in saturated soil, some iron chlorosis could be all it is.

I agree with @g-man's advice. Sometimes the hardest part is doing nothing. If it gets worse, then maybe take some more action. Until then, let it dry out. You will be good on nitrogen and water for a while.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Your yard looks GREAT.

When did you seed this yard? If you did it all last fall (which is my guess) then the light color is to be expected, and it will darken over the summer. Come fall you will have the color you want.

Don't do too much. Keep up with your fungicide and maintain your Nitrogen and don't go too crazy. With how thick and dense that turf is, there's not much more you can ask for.


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

g-man said:


> I think you did enough for now. FAS is ferrous ammonium sulfate. It is a foliar (spray) applied iron that bypass the soil. Get a soil test in the future to k ow if you need to go this way.


Thanks....I think your suggestion is best. For now, just leave it alone and hope things settle down with this weather. GEEZ....just mowed and it's about to storm AGAIN!!!

May post some pics in 2 weeks or so and see what you think....just keep mowing it to 2.5" (till end of June, then maybe 3" after for summer hear), and mulch clippings in.

Thanks again!!!


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Pete1313 said:


> Hard to tell how much, if anything, washed away. I'm not seeing much from the pics that would indicate a fungus, but I'm not on your grass(although currently not far away in Schaumburg).
> 
> It has been wet. Grass roots have a hard time functioning in saturated soil, some iron chlorosis could be all it is.
> 
> I agree with @g-man's advice. Sometimes the hardest part is doing nothing. If it gets worse, then maybe take some more action. Until then, let it dry out. You will be good on nitrogen and water for a while.


I'm being pretty picky....just see blades of yellow, especially after mowing (pics are before mowing), around within the grass. As I mentioned, most on the wider blades of grass. Schaumburg....I'm down here in Naperville. Just about ready to get smashed again with more rain....GEEZ!!! Yes, I think you guys are right.....just leave it alone for now. Maybe post some more pics in a couple weeks after mowing and see what you think.

Thanks again!!!


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Jconnelly6b said:


> Your yard looks GREAT.
> 
> When did you seed this yard? If you did it all last fall (which is my guess) then the light color is to be expected, and it will darken over the summer. Come fall you will have the color you want.
> 
> Don't do too much. Keep up with your fungicide and maintain your Nitrogen and don't go too crazy. With how thick and dense that turf is, there's not much more you can ask for.


Well....I aerated and oveseeded with Johnathan Green Black Beauty Fall Mix last fall. Also dropped their, Johnathan Green's Green-Up for seed and sod. It's a starter type fertilizer at 12-18-8.

Then in Spring, about April 12th, I overseeded again, reseeded any bare spots, this time with Johnathan Green Black Beauty Ultra, and again used that same Johnathan Green Green-up.....but accidently overdid it by A LOT. Can't seem to get the right setting, yet, for my Republic EZ Rotary Spreader....used Johnathan Green's recommendation. It was still WAY TOO MUCH.

About 6 seeks later I dropped Milorganite, which was about 7 days ago, again, dropped too much because of my spreader. FINALLY getting the hang of it though by setting it much lower than recommended on the bag and recovering if I don't get enough based on what I have left and the sq ft of my yard.

About a week after that I dropped the Grub Ex and then Disease Ex 2 days later.

That's it so far.

I think I will leave it alone for now and see what happens. I was hoping for deeper, darker green....which I am getting in some of the bare spots where that JG Black Beauty Ultra seed took well. That looks unbelievable. Would have liked that seed and that color ALL over the lawn...but....


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

KM1 said:


> Schaumburg....I'm down here in Naperville.


I work in Schaumburg, but live about 20min south of the Rockford area. Speaking of Schaumburg, I was just on a test drive and drove past some of my favorite lawns in the area. Not a single one of them had good color. Blotchy, with lighter colored areas throughout. You are not alone. According to an irrigation/rain log I keep for my yard, the soil has been saturated for about the last 12 days.


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Pete1313 said:


> KM1 said:
> 
> 
> > Schaumburg....I'm down here in Naperville.
> ...


I know....there are a couple in my neighborhood that are a little darker....and only one that is as thick as mine (it is darker). But this rain is just nuts. As I mentioned, we got hit AGAIN this afternoon......AND MORE tonight.

Yep, feels like 12 days straight without a break...GEEZ!!!


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Have a couple beers and relax lol. You'll suddenly look out one day and say "that's what I wanted to see"


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## KM1 (May 23, 2019)

Jconnelly6b said:


> Have a couple beers and relax lol. You'll suddenly look out one day and say "that's what I wanted to see"


LOL.....best advice YET!!!


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