# Bermuda turning brown from bottom up, with pictures



## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Alright, I've got an issue that seems to have started to show yesterday. Lawn is hybrid bermuda with a touch of Poa 🤦🏻‍♂️. I started noticing some brown areas and I'm curious what your thoughts may be. I last fertilized 3 weeks ago, with 1 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft. (Slow release) Irrigation is about 50 minutes a week with 40 sprinklers over 20,000 sq ft. No rain until today.

I pulled these 2 for a close up. The brown ones seem to have many more leaves than the dark green. Any idea of the issue?

Also, front and side yard look fine. It was all treated with the same rate at the same time.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

fungus is what it looks like


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

ktgrok said:


> fungus is what it looks like


I've never had to treat for that. What seems to be the "go to"? I know some don't like granules for fungus treatment.


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## CarolinaCuttin (Sep 6, 2019)

Could be drought stress, also looks like a little bit of tip burn. That much N (what % was slow release?) and no rain could have caused it. Have you recently sprayed something for what looks like Poa annua? Lots of things it could be, but because it doesn't look at all like a fungus to me I'm thinking there is another explanation.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

CarolinaCuttin said:


> Could be drought stress, also looks like a little bit of tip burn. That much N (what % was slow release?) and no rain could have caused it. Have you recently sprayed something for what looks like Poa annua? Lots of things it could be, but because it doesn't look at all like a fungus to me I'm thinking there is another explanation.


No, I haven't sprayed anything within the last 45 days. The Poa is dying from the recent mid to high 80 degree temps. I used the Ace Hardware 29-0-4, no idea what % is slow release, but it states that it feeds for 8 weeks.

The rest of the yard still look great, but the back seems to be struggling in certain areas.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

I have some blades that have more reddish tips, I am pretty sure it's from the cold spell we had for a few days over a week ago, temps got down to about 35-38, looks similar to yours, just a little redder.


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## CarolinaCuttin (Sep 6, 2019)

GaJake said:


> CarolinaCuttin said:
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> > Could be drought stress, also looks like a little bit of tip burn. That much N (what % was slow release?) and no rain could have caused it. Have you recently sprayed something for what looks like Poa annua? Lots of things it could be, but because it doesn't look at all like a fungus to me I'm thinking there is another explanation.
> ...


You'd have to have the bag, the online store doesn't supply the label, but the SDS lists only one nitrogen source: urea. This is fast release, so I'm definitely thinking a combo of drought stress and tip burn from fertilizer. Keep the lawn wet but not soaked and this discoloration will be gone in 7-10 days.


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## Jeremy3292 (Apr 30, 2020)

I wouldn't worry about this for at least a few more weeks IMO. Temps have been weird, huge amounts of rainfall then no rain, etc. Just a really weird spring. Keep doing what you're doing and check back in early-mid June.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

CarolinaCuttin said:


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Thanks, and that would tend to make the label misleading at best. We're getting rain now and for the next 3 days. I was just trying to get on top of it asap, if it was a bigger issue.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Jeremy3292 said:


> I wouldn't worry about this for at least a few more weeks IMO. Temps have been weird, huge amounts of rainfall then no rain, etc. Just a really weird spring. Keep doing what you're doing and check back in early-mid June.


Thanks for the input. I'll keep on keeping on. I just didn't want to wake up in a week and all my grass be dead from something that I could fix. I bugs me not have 100% of my lawn nice and green.


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## Jeremy3292 (Apr 30, 2020)

GaJake said:


> Jeremy3292 said:
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> > I wouldn't worry about this for at least a few more weeks IMO. Temps have been weird, huge amounts of rainfall then no rain, etc. Just a really weird spring. Keep doing what you're doing and check back in early-mid June.
> ...


Trust me you're not the only one. Just had 4 days of nice 80s here in SC, now having 3"+ of rain with mid 60s - low 70s temps.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

rjw0283 said:


> I have some blades that have more reddish tips, I am pretty sure it's from the cold spell we had for a few days over a week ago, temps got down to about 35-38, looks similar to yours, just a little redder.


I second that...the weird temps and lows have really screwed with our Bermuda this year. My 419 looks just like that too but my Tiftuf is looking really good. 419 hates cold and is really slow coming out of dormancy this year. I think by mid June we will all be fine.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

GaJake said:


> Jeremy3292 said:
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> > I wouldn't worry about this for at least a few more weeks IMO. Temps have been weird, huge amounts of rainfall then no rain, etc. Just a really weird spring. Keep doing what you're doing and check back in early-mid June.
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The sample on the right above looks like common Bermuda that I have in my yard. @Spammage what do you think?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I keep my 419 at .5" and it doesn't look like that but there are some drought stressed areas. I have a small patch that I use for pulling sprigs that I let grow taller. It looks just like your sample on the left. I'm not sure what is causing it but just figured like everyone else it has been a goofy start to the season. We still haven't gotten any rain but it seems to be recovering.

From the distance shot it just looks like drought stress. I'd wait to see what it looks like a couple of days after the rains stop.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

TN Hawkeye said:


> GaJake said:
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I agree that the two grasses are different. The left appears to be 419 and the right is a common variant. I do think that the 419 shows some leaf spot/melting out.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Spammage said:


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I'm going to have to disagree, as the little bit of common that I have is much larger than what's in that picture.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

@Spammage & @TN Hawkeye I definitely am not an expert here, but I always thought this was common Bermuda on the left. The right is bermuda that I pulled out of the same area as the previous pictures.

What are yalls thoughts?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I might just have weeds on the mind but that one on the left looks like Torpedo grass. The right looks like common bermuda.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> I might just have weeds on the mind but that one on the left looks like Torpedo grass. The right looks like common bermuda.


I was kind of thinking the same, after I examined it. I went and pulled a few more, with the bermuda on the far right and the pencil for size reference. I was able to find a really large one that was growing across the ground. Always something, and lots to learn, I guess...


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Get down to the roots/rhizomes and see if they are fat & white. Again, my eyes may be tricking me but the far right looks like common while the other 3 look like Torpedo.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@GaJake @Redtwin why am I looking at the first two and thinking zoysia japonica?? Not enough blade on the third to tell, and the last is a common variant.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> Get down to the roots/rhizomes and see if they are fat & white. Again, my eyes may be tricking me but the far right looks like common while the other 3 look like Torpedo.


Well, it's not looking good.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Spammage said:


> @GaJake @Redtwin why am I looking at the first two and thinking zoysia japonica?? Not enough blade on the third to tell, and the last is a common variant.


I was actually told that may yard is/was hybrid. I've got Arden 15 sitting on my counter to seed a previous garden. Since it seems to be common, would that just be a waste to use hybrid seed, instead of common?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@GaJake I believe you may have a mostly hybrid lawn. Common can invade for many reasons, including being in the sod when it was installed. I don't know what you are trying to do with the Arden 15 though, as it likely wouldn't be an improvement over a sterile hybrid. If you have large, bare areas or something then that would make sense.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

I took 5 samples from around my yard, excluding the torpedo grass area. I'm guessing all hybrid Bermuda except #2&#3. Thoughts? @Spammage , yes, I have 2 areas that were gardens and are now bare dirt, that are about 2,000 sq ft. I've got 5 lbs of Arden 15 for those areas. Thanks for all the help.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

GaJake said:


> Well, it's not looking good.


That's a fine sample of torpedograss. :?


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> GaJake said:
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What's your address? I can ship you about 100 sq ft of it. :lol:


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

GaJake said:


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I have plenty of it I'm battling at this time. I have it mostly under control in my backyard Tifway 419 but I am currently in the planning stages of switching my front from SA/Centipede mix to Tifway 419 specifically because there is nothing I can do about Torpedograss in SA.


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## GaJake (May 19, 2020)

Redtwin said:


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Are you treating with quinclorac?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Yes. It dings the 419 but not as bad as it hurts the torpedo. I haven't used any surfactants just out of fear of doing more damage to the 419.


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