# HEEEEELP!!! What happened to my Saint Augustine??!!!



## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

I moved into a newly renovated Home in South Florida the Fort Lauderdale area about three years ago. I had the nicest lawn on the block with all new Saint Augustine sod about 3000sf. With a full irrigation system about 40 heads I've been able to maintain just fine, but about 6 to 8 months ago my lawn has significantly declined. Massive dead brown spots were found in the most sunny areas, About six or seven different types of weeds especially sedge and Kyllinga in the back and crabgrass and Florida snow (pusley) in the front! The brown spots appear to be dry and "burned "as they almost look charred in some places. Only about 60% of my lawn in the front and back is actually fairly lush and green, in the other 40% only weeds will grow. No evidence of chinch bugs, Some mushrooms in the shady areas mixed in with sedge but those dry areas are completely barren. It doesn't seem like the Saint Augustine wants to grow in the dry areas or in the wet areas. I can't help but think that I may have used too much Scotts weed and feed (every 4 months). Some of the burned areas are slowly coming back after seven months with heavy heavy watering I just don't know what to think. I replaced a few pieces of sod in the front but even they are not taking well.


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Also, ALL of my neighbors lawns are 100% weeds.


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## turbopenguin (Aug 11, 2020)

No idea what that is, but I'm also in Fort Lauderdale and want to hear what the experts say. We got about 6-7 inches of rain in the last week. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.


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## turbopenguin (Aug 11, 2020)

Have you put down any insecticide products? I just installed new sod on the 11th and they said people have had issues this year with sod web worms and reccommended putting down Triazicide within 24 hours (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Spectracide-Triazicide-32-fl-oz-Ready-to-Spray-Lawn-Insect-Killer-HG-95830-6/100137837).

University of Florida has some good resources for St. Augustine grass

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/baker/docs/pdf/horticulture/DiagnosingInsectandDiseaseProblemsinFloridaTurfgrass_000.pdf

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig001


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Yes I recently used spectracide but didn't seem to make a difference. I think I used too much weed and feed in the sun tbh


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Msumm001 said:


> Yes I recently used spectracide but didn't seem to make a difference. I think I used too much weed and feed in the sun tbh


Most here don't use weed and feed. Get on insecticide and fungicide plan stack. St Augustine is a sensitive grass type as I still have problems with mine


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

6 to 8 months ago... might have been large patch disease. You can look at the beginning of my journal for an example picture of LP in St. Augustine. If that explains your winter decline, then you need to treat for it this fall with a series of preventive applications of fungicide.

Once you have a major decline in turf cover, all the weeds are going to germinate and make their presence known. You'd do best to avoid using weed and feed.

Are you hoping to resod or plug these areas?


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

I honestly don't know. I've planted some sod in the front and used a sedge killler post emergent (sulfentrazone)in the back. Works well but kyllinga and sedge will die and 100 more will pop up a week later. Lawn just isn't what it used to be, even along the fence and up against the deck is baron. Even the somewhat healthy areas are thin and not healthy looking. The soils seems somewhat hydrated below the surface, I really think I destroyed the soil with weed and feed. I notice slight improvement in thickness and color with HEAVY watering but then I get mushrooms in the shade. Just can't win


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

The soil will be fine; weed/feed has a relatively short life in Florida due to all the rain. If you spend the money to do some soil testing, you'll have more confidence about where to go from here on the nutrients side of things. You can do a bunch of samples in one kit to get an overall baseline, and you can get one or more separate test kits for specific areas of concern just to get a sense of any variances that might be explained by nutrient imbalances. There are a bunch of providers to select from if you want to go that route.

Another thing you can do is get a $10 soil hygrometer that validates your sense of the soil moisture. St. Augustine requires a lot of water to look its best, but it hates being wet all the time. And it hates being dry. It's the worst girlfriend you've ever had. It is a very sensitive grass. It does best with moderation of all inputs.

I don't know what temps/humidity were like when you sprayed, but supposedly sulfentrazone 'runs hot' on St Aug, resulting in damage to desirable turf. You want to make sure that you don't unwittingly end up in the vicious cycle of applying application after application. A lot of the damage reported on this site is the result of pushing grass too hard.

If you aren't going to sod/plug, consider putting down a pre-emergent that is labeled for the most common weeds you are seeing in your lawn and those around you.


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## LHP_Grass (Jun 19, 2020)

Not to be an alarmist, but could be parasitic nematodes? I'd get a soil analysis first maybe a nematode analysis as well, if the budget fits.


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Jesus what the hell are those lol


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Backyard Shrooms and kyllinga factory


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Have you been treating with fungicide?


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

I used spectracide and triazacide about a month ago and I think I noticed a slight improvement. It's so weird, obviously with the shrooms there are some fungus issues but the "burned out" area are so dry and dead. Maybe the fungus killed those areas and now it's just dead ?


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Some of your grass leaves are covered in gray leaf spot and it looks like some of your stolons have died. Suggest you start treating with a systemic fungicide like azoxystrobin or propiconazole. Liquid application would probably be best, but granular is okay too if that's easier.


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## LHP_Grass (Jun 19, 2020)

Sharpen mower blade and try not to cut when the grass is wet as well...lots of shredded tips there that increases disease stress.


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## SouthernCharms (Sep 30, 2020)

Where there's "shrooms", there's water. too much water, when it comes to turf grass.

I got a nice case of brown patch two years ago from trees removed five years ago. Seems the guy who cut down the trees thought it would be ok to use some mulch from having the stumps ground to fill the hole left by the tree. Over time as the mulch and soil settled, the hole started holding water. Over time a fugus developed. I live in "red dirt" territory, a dark sandy loam topping heavy red clay. It holds moisture well, but easily becomes dense, compacted and poorly draining. The mulch had to come out and the hole properly filled, or the fugus would only get worse.

Getting rid of the fungus was easy, compared to every weed in the county fighting for that area of soil. I have centipede with a St. Augustine mix (I think the former owner added the St Augustine because it grows better in areas that don't get full sun. Odd that both stop on a dime and will not grow in heavy shade, but both will run across concrete). Both will choked out every weed that showed up except crabgrass.

*



It's the worst girlfriend you've ever had. It is a very sensitive grass.

Click to expand...

*ionicatoms hit the nail on the head. While both are said to be the "lazy man's grass" because you don't have to cut grass as often, they forget to tell you both are high maintenance drama queens!

_*Nothing like standing back on a Saturday evening, looking at your lawn and saying "I did that". *_


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Great info thank you. This is my first home and I'm new to a lot of this lawn stuff but I used to have the best lawn on the block! Going to be spraying anti fungal this weekend and re sodding some areas in the front that had heaaaaavy weed growth. I'm still shocked at how much kyllinga has sprouted in the back and side yard. I think a lot of it is horrendous surrounding neighbors lawns, I'm talking 100% weeds with 4-6 weeks of no mowing!


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

I have mulched beds along my fence; I spray glyphosate on anything coming from the neighbor's lawn. Others on this site "accidentally" over spray.


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

My thoughts, which probably align with everyone else... Azoxystrobin + something else with a different AI. Either combo spray or alternate. Let it dry out, but water it once it shows sign of drought stress. Put down a pre-emergent if you haven't already (not sure what was in your weed an feed). Continue to spot spray, but make sure surrounding grass is healthy first. May not have anything to do with this current issue, but make sure your irrigation system is putting as much water out as you think (catch up test).


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## Msumm001 (Sep 29, 2020)

Just got some propicanazol spray. Will post update in about a week along with new sod in front. Digging out crabgrass and pusley tomorrow. Adding some 50/50 soil and sand in problem areas hoping for the best. It's been very wet in south Florida recently followed by extreme daytime heat index and humidity.


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

I think the Azoxystrobin works better. Scott's Disease Ex is an easy granular spread for that.


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## Buffalolawny (Nov 24, 2018)

Use a pitchfork to aerate and loosen the soil

Buffalo / St Aug hates compact soil.


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