# Bermuda Thin Spots



## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

I don't know what else to describe these as other than thin spots. I don't know what they're from other than it might be from years past cuts where my rotary mower scalped the grass. Or it could be from the scalping I did in February during a dethatching. Here are some pictures of the areas, I hope it comes through like it does in person. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

It's not actually thin, it's just heavily populated with dead stalks of bermuda giving it the appearance of thin grass. I see plenty of leaf tissue there. Scalp it down further, i.e. to the dirt, if you haven't already, and it will thicken back up.

Welcome to TLF, glad to have you here.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

That looks like fungal damage to me @nhudson.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Spammage said:


> That looks like fungal damage to me @nhudson.


I'm interested in this angle as well. Was there something sprayed on the lawn prior to this photo? What time do you irrigate at/have you been irrigating@nhudson ?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

If no irrigation, I would look at constant rain, cool temperatures, and a lack of sun after the Bermuda came out of dormancy. That looks like Leaf Spot.


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## TC2 (Sep 15, 2017)

Is all that bermuda? There seem to be some suspiciously thick leaves and there are light and dark green patches.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Looks like fungus from excessive moisture. I know it well!!

Also, lots of dead grass from previous dormant season.


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## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

Thanks for the reply's fellas.

@FATC1TY thanks, yeah I figured thats what it was. I have sprayed twice now a fungicide in hopes to stop it just incase that was it. I normally get dollar spots each year as the temps start to go up. I am watering every other day, guess I need to cut back a bit now.


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## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Spammage said:
> 
> 
> > That looks like fungal damage to me @nhudson.
> ...


@Colonel K0rn Yeah 3 days prior I sprayed some Air8, Fungicide and Iron down. I am pretty sure its fungus damage though. Not quite sure what I can do about getting it up or removing the dead grass. I am already mowing at the lowest setting my reel mower goes.


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## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> If no irrigation, I would look at constant rain, cool temperatures, and a lack of sun after the Bermuda came out of dormancy. That looks like Leaf Spot.


@Greendoc. Im watering every other day right now. I will back off of it to 2-3 days a week. I already sprayed a fungicide thinking it was some kind of fungus.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

nhudson said:


> Thanks for the reply's fellas.
> 
> @FATC1TY thanks, yeah I figured thats what it was. I have sprayed twice now a fungicide in hopes to stop it just incase that was it. I normally get dollar spots each year as the temps start to go up. I am watering every other day, guess I need to cut back a bit now.


You should not be watering every other day. You want deep infrequent waterings. Try and put down an inch of water at a time once a week or as your yard needs it. It is actually something I am working on as well. I am trying to water only when my grass starts to show signs that it needs water.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Ral1121 said:


> nhudson said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the reply's fellas.
> ...


+1


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

WHats the best type of fungicide for bermuda to treat it??


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm not a turf disease expert, but it does look like leaf spot. I battle it when we get frequent rains in the spring (like this one). I plan to apply a preventive very soon.

I have used Heritage G as a curative treatment, but have found that once you get a lot of damage it takes a while to "outgrow" it. In other words, the spots you see, along with any melting out, do not just disappear - it has to be replaced with healthy regrowth.

Here is a good article from NC State with a list of fungicides and their efficacy at the bottom:

https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/diseases-in-turf/leaf-spot-in-turf/


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Leaf spot is also a disease that can be made worse with high rates of N. More Potassium and micronutrients help recovery, while not worsening disease.

X2 on the Heritage. In the last 15 or so years, some really good products for Leaf Spot have come onto the market. There are products containing Myclobutanil or Propiconazole marketed towards individuals. Those products are not the best on Leaf Spot. What I want for Leaf Spot treatment includes Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin,, Pyraclostrobin, Fluoxapyrad, Penthiopyrad, or Fluopyram. Most of these are marketed towards golf fairway and green disease control. Don't know if any of these products are sold in a package size that does not cost less than $200 except for the Heritage G.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Tellycoleman said:


> WHats the best type of fungicide for bermuda to treat it??


Chlorothalonil or Mancozeb.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Tellycoleman said:
> 
> 
> > WHats the best type of fungicide for bermuda to treat it??
> ...


Those are also the least expensive and no longer legal for turf not on golf courses or sod farms. Mancozeb and Chlorthalonil applied at maximum rates is part of how I got through a disease plague that made it so that every residential lawn was converted from Tifgreen or Tifdwarf to El Toro Zoysia in the the early 1990s. At that time, the weather turned extremely hot and humid 12 months out of the year, but it did not rain much. I noticed the Bermuda dying out in rings and spots. What was different was the grass would not grow back no matter how much water or fertilizer was applied. The only systemics availabe were Benlate, 3336, Bayleton, and Subdue. So my Bermuda got monthly applications of one of the contact fungicides tank mixed with one of the systemics. I had no idea what I was doing at that time, but the Bermuda grew back and stayed free of dead areas.


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## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

Ral1121 said:


> nhudson said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the reply's fellas.
> ...


@FATC1TY Hmm ok, my mind wants to think opposite of that. Like I normally like to water the day after I cut thinking that it would be better off for the grass. I will cut back to once a week and go for the deeper watering. My wife will be happy about the water bill now. Thanks for the info!


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## nhudson (Apr 24, 2018)

Ware said:


> I'm not a turf disease expert, but it does look like leaf spot. I battle it when we get frequent rains in the spring (like this one). I plan to apply a preventive very soon.
> 
> I have used Heritage G as a curative treatment, but have found that once you get a lot of damage it takes a while to "outgrow" it. In other words, the spots you see, along with any melting out, do not just disappear - it has to be replaced with healthy regrowth.
> 
> ...


@Ware thanks for this. Looks like what I put down the other day was Propiconazole which has helped with Dollar spot the last few years. According to the link it seems with 1-2 applications over 14 days (which I applied my 2nd application on Sunday), it might take care of it. I guess I will watch it and see, if I don't see any new growth over the next week or two I will look into getting some Heritage and putting it down. Also I guess it didn't help that I threw down some extra Milo on Sunday in those areas thinking that would help get things moving in the right direction.


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