# Fungicide guide for SA?



## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

Anywhere I can find a fungicide quide or suggestions for St Augustine. I had fungicide issues last year and am hoping once I get full greenup that the fungicide issue has resolved. I did treat with something in a hose end sprayer last year.

I am wanting to add them to my program this year, but do not even know where to start...


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

@Ecks from Tex


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## seebryango (Feb 21, 2019)

Depending on what issues you had, that will affect what you need (I think). @Greendoc knows it all but for a preventative measure I'm planning on doing Propiconazole 14.3 @ 3oz/M, then in 28 day do Azoxyatrobin @ .6oz/M, then back to Propi until we get through the summer/early fall. Don't put too much N down too


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

bassadict69 said:


> Anywhere I can find a fungicide quide or suggestions for St Augustine. I had fungicide issues last year and am hoping once I get full greenup that the fungicide issue has resolved. I did treat with something in a hose end sprayer last year.
> 
> I am wanting to add them to my program this year, but do not even know where to start...


Very few of the standard fungicides will hurt your grass so you shouldn't have an issue there.

It's only necessary during the rainy months into the hot summer months. Don't just put stuff down for no reason. Apply preventative not curative rates.

I rotate a mode 3 and mode 11 fungicide usually. Sometimes Azoxystrobin which if I recall is mode 1.

But if I were you I'd rotate Thiophanate-methyl, otherwise known as Clearys 3336F, and Myclobutanil, otherwise known as Eagle 20. They are cheap and effective against most typical fungal infections and will not hurt your SA.

If you have a specific problem with a certain fungi, then you may need to get more specific.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

preventative applications is what I am after...hopefully I will get complete greenup and will not need the curative rates.

Thanks for the info!


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

I had a BIG problem with this last year. This year I'm going to hedge my bets on preventative rates and different modes of action. This year I got propiconazle, azoxystrobin, Armada, and prostar.

@Ecks from Tex what months are you running a fungicide for your area? I started April 10 because greencast online had a high risk for dollar spot and take all.


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## Ecks from Tex (Apr 26, 2018)

As needed but generally about every 28 days from mid april through july. Then only in wet conditions from there until temperatures fall below 90.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

So you guys are spraying appr. monthly?


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

bassadict69 said:


> So you guys are spraying appr. monthly?


I started on April and will stop maybe in September. I apply the next product before the last one runs it's course


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## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

Wanted to bring back this thread. I had some horrible problems with St Augustine and fungus last year and finally just gave up. Hopefully I'll get a better start in the spring. I believe I have a pretty solid plan in place but wanted to ask about Propiconazole. I remember reading somewhere on here that it not very good for warm season grasses and should be avoided? I think greendoc mentioned it. Am I remembering correctly? I wonder if that played a part in my grass never recovering? Should I just stick with Eagle, Cleary, and Scott's for preventative this year? Thanks.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Chrisholmes02 said:


> Wanted to bring back this thread. I had some horrible problems with St Augustine and fungus last year and finally just gave up. Hopefully I'll get a better start in the spring. I believe I have a pretty solid plan in place but wanted to ask about Propiconazole. I remember reading somewhere on here that it not very good for warm season grasses and should be avoided? I think greendoc mentioned it. Am I remembering correctly? I wonder if that played a part in my grass never recovering? Should I just stick with Eagle, Cleary, and Scott's for preventative this year? Thanks.


I don't spray propiconazle when temps are over 85. I spray azoxystrobin at the high rate all every time that stuff works GREAT. No real problems with my St Augustine this year. Those are the two fungicide I will not go without.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Chrisholmes02 said:


> Wanted to bring back this thread. I had some horrible problems with St Augustine and fungus last year and finally just gave up. Hopefully I'll get a better start in the spring. I believe I have a pretty solid plan in place but wanted to ask about Propiconazole. I remember reading somewhere on here that it not very good for warm season grasses and should be avoided? I think greendoc mentioned it. Am I remembering correctly? I wonder if that played a part in my grass never recovering? Should I just stick with Eagle, Cleary, and Scott's for preventative this year? Thanks.


Propiconazole acts as an extreme growth regulator on warm season grass. Most affected are Bermuda, Seashore Paspalum, and St Augustine. Eagle 20 EW has the same MOA but does not do that. What kind of fungus are you dealing with? Most of what I see on St Augustine has to do with Gray Leafspot. Normally see it on freshly laid sod. Seldom on an old lawn. Difference is that the sod farms do fertilize St Augustine until it is almost blue. That is a lot of N. I only apply N to St Augustine if needed for growth. Otherwise no heavy or regular fertilization. Especially not with organics. If I do apply fertilizer, it is with decimal rates of Ammonium Sulfate and or Potassium Nitrate.


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## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

CenlaLowell said:


> I don't spray propiconazle when temps are over 85. I spray azoxystrobin at the high rate all every time that stuff works GREAT. No real problems with my St Augustine this year. Those are the two fungicide I will not go without.


Unfortunately here in DFW its above 85 from May to October generally. What do you use besides azoxy when temps are high to change up MOAs?



Greendoc said:


> Propiconazole acts as an extreme growth regulator on warm season grass. Most affected are Bermuda, Seashore Paspalum, and St Augustine. Eagle 20 EW has the same MOA but does not do that. What kind of fungus are you dealing with? Most of what I see on St Augustine has to do with Gray Leafspot. Normally see it on freshly laid sod. Seldom on an old lawn. Difference is that the sod farms do fertilize St Augustine until it is almost blue. That is a lot of N. I only apply N to St Augustine if needed for growth. Otherwise no heavy or regular fertilization. Especially not with organics. If I do apply fertilizer, it is with decimal rates of Ammonium Sulfate and or Potassium Nitrate.


I don't have any pics unfortunately but I definitely had some grey leaf spot. I believe I may have had another type of disease as well. I had large (the majority of lawn) areas where the grass blades yellowed and withered. They just looked sickly. Probably half of the runners under what was green/yellow on top completely died and I also had whole sections of lawn that just died out completely and left large dirt patches. The lawn was sodded roughly two years ago and has done really well until this summer.

I probably used too much fertilizer as well as attempted too many treatments to cure the fungus and ended up doing more damage than good.

How do you know when you need to apply nitrogen to st Augustine? Also, the yard is moderately to heavily shaded. I understand st aug is a thirsty grass but with the shade I guess it's staying wet/damp too long. Unfortunately the two sprinkler zones that water it in the backyard are are also split with the front yard which is bermuda so that makes watering tricky. One grass is going to suffer. Sorry for the wall of text, I'm just trying to figure the best way to combats fungus and promote healthy growth.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Under most circumstances, St Augustine does not need very much Nitrogen. In heavy shade and cover from air movement, it also does not need very heavy or frequent watering. I have maintained St Augustine with 0 Nitrogen applied as long as the clippings are left. There is something wrong if the grass looks almost blue and is growing 5" per week. Forget what you have seen on youtube. That is grass that is overfed.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

No I'm in Central Louisiana where it stays hot as well. What I mean is if I'm spraying propiconazle I'll spray early in the morning or really late in the evening. I just wait until temps get below 85 either way. You definitely can spray this way from my experience. @Chrisholmes02


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## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

Understood. Thank you for the help gentlemen. I'll update my watering schedule and maintenance schedule for next spring.

How much are y'all watering over the off season? My Rachio waters every couple of weeks or so. Is that sufficient?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

CenlaLowell said:


> No I'm in Central Louisiana where it stays hot as well. What I mean is if I'm spraying propiconazle I'll spray early in the morning or really late in the evening. I just wait until temps get below 85 either way. You definitely can spray this way from my experience. @Chrisholmes02


St Augustine tolerates that? Good to know. I have problems with Propiconazole on the other grasses irregardless of the temperature at the moment of spraying.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> CenlaLowell said:
> 
> 
> > No I'm in Central Louisiana where it stays hot as well. What I mean is if I'm spraying propiconazle I'll spray early in the morning or really late in the evening. I just wait until temps get below 85 either way. You definitely can spray this way from my experience. @Chrisholmes02
> ...


Yes, I've never had problem with applying this way. I think I read that Bermuda could not handle propiconazle at temps over 85.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Seashore Paspalum is just as bad if not worse than Bermuda regarding Propiconazole. When reading tenperature restrictions, I read them as if temperatures are going to exceed the limit any time 30 days post application. Again, it is not momentary.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> Chrisholmes02 said:
> 
> 
> > Wanted to bring back this thread. I had some horrible problems with St Augustine and fungus last year and finally just gave up. Hopefully I'll get a better start in the spring. I believe I have a pretty solid plan in place but wanted to ask about Propiconazole. I remember reading somewhere on here that it not very good for warm season grasses and should be avoided? I think greendoc mentioned it. Am I remembering correctly? I wonder if that played a part in my grass never recovering? Should I just stick with Eagle, Cleary, and Scott's for preventative this year? Thanks.
> ...


Are you saying you don't do regular or heavy fert especially with organics on St Aug?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

yes. Not uncommon for me to apply no fertilizer to St Augustine at all. Does not need it.


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

@Green R Lawn 10-4

But why are you specifically saying organically are bad? I just got done buying micro life for my fall application.

So if you have a sparse lawn you still don't recommend pumping it with nitrogen to promote growth?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Sparse? what is causing the grass to be sparse? Shade? Lack of water? Lack of P, K, Micronutrients? Nematodes? pH in soil not optimum. Reason why I ask myself those questions is that I have seen grass with more than adequate growth and density with little to no N applied. Upon further analysis, those other issues are not present.


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## bassadict69 (Apr 2, 2018)

Cenlalowell, how has your preventative program worked out?

I have not done much of anything with mine this year, including only fertilizing at the beginning of the growing season, and I still have fungus issues now!


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## mjh648 (Sep 1, 2020)

CenlaLowell said:


> I had a BIG problem with this last year. This year I'm going to hedge my bets on preventative rates and different modes of action. This year I got propiconazle, azoxystrobin, Armada, and prostar.
> 
> @Ecks from Tex what months are you running a fungicide for your area? I started April 10 because greencast online had a high risk for dollar spot and take all.


I may have asked this before but Greencast asks for business name and type. Did you just BS something and it doesn't really matter?


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

bassadict69 said:


> Cenlalowell, how has your preventative program worked out?
> 
> I have not done much of anything with mine this year, including only fertilizing at the beginning of the growing season, and I still have fungus issues now!


Grass still brown for now, but my preventative program went horribly. Its crazy how much money you can spend on fungicides and still have problems. I ran a soil sample last year so I'll try to fix this as well, but I really have no answers for fungus.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

mjh648 said:


> CenlaLowell said:
> 
> 
> > I had a BIG problem with this last year. This year I'm going to hedge my bets on preventative rates and different modes of action. This year I got propiconazle, azoxystrobin, Armada, and prostar.
> ...


I really don't remember what I put


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