# New Zeon Lawn - Dark Areas ID Help - Rot?



## TonyC (May 17, 2018)

Our new sod yard has been down for over a month now, and it's just starting to kick in. Although I would like to fertilize it soon. Many of the rolls with thinner canopies are filling in, and the pallet variations are starting to fade. There are some row lines still visible, but I'll be addressing those with a leveling soon enough.

I have searched for other pictures and info on these irregular patches that I have. The sod came from the farm this way, so I want to understand if they are just a growth variation from conditions, or if I need to consider a treatment. The stalks in these areas are dark brown/black and are very soft. They don't appear to have any above ground stolons either. Were these areas rotting in some way? I can see tips of new growth in most of the spots, but again just trying to be cautious. We continue to get heavy rain the in the Atlanta area, so nothing is drying out. I have dethatched several spots including these with my hands and fingers lightly agitating the areas trying to open them up to the air, again for fear of rotting and fungus.

I'd appreciate any feedback on these. :thumbup:

TIA,

Tony


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## JollyGreen (May 12, 2018)

Not going to be much help with a response but my Zeon had/has a similar patch in areas where water pools. Mine was installed last August. I have a low area at the gate where half my yard slopes to before flowing out onto the driveway and the grass right before the driveway seems to have thinned out and looks similar to your picture. I have been fertilizing and not overwatering until I can install a drain and am starting to get growth back slowly. You may try lowering your cut height to keep it dry. Curious as to what others on here say.


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## green is king 01 (Mar 9, 2018)

Also make sure there is nothing under the sod (at least a few inches down). I had a few spots that had roots under my sod.


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## TonyC (May 17, 2018)

I'm asking because these are localized spots that have been there from Day 1, so I'm not so worried about the ground underneath yet. It's possible that they were low spots at the sod farm, but again very localized, I would expect more of the roll to be in recovery. Their position in the yard is also on a slight slope which I would call a good drainage area. I'm thinking that the farm doesn't scalp sod coming out of dormancy, so it could be just old stalks that still have a weathered outer sheath on the stalk from a prior issue.

Thanks for the responses!

Tony


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## CARL HD MOVIE SOURCE (May 24, 2018)

Does look like a water drainage issue. Can you redirect your gutters in any way?


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Too much water and or not enough sun. Put down some fungicide as well while you're watering in.


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## raymond (May 4, 2018)

i've had similar issues with my zeon. The area almost appears scalped though, yeah? At least for me, even though the grass looked to be ~1 inch high, there wasn't any leaf, just stem, so it wasn't greening up at that height. It has been filling in for me with new blades but very slow with zeon as you know


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Also are you bagging your clippings? If not please do.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Rolls? They suck....tightly wound up doesn't help keep dirt w/ sod. SuperSod?

I don't think thatch is a worry at this age but I assume you're referring to dead material. Is yard lumpy, possibly scalping some areas? Sun all day?


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## TonyC (May 17, 2018)

Many good comments, thanks!

I think the general consensus is that the grass is ok, just in need of some blade growth. It was the localized dark and soft stalks that had me wondering. Again, the sod came from the farm this way, and these spots are all on what I would consider good draining, sunny areas.

We have been getting tons of rain, so right when I started to taper off the watering, the lawn in general remains WAY too wet. I've been cutting at 1 1/2 with the reel mower and have not been bagging, trying to get whatever nutrients I can back into the soil, but I can switch over. The yard is well graded. It think these areas were either scalped at the farm, and arrived without leaves, and then when I cut at the same height I just lopped off the new growth. I'm waiting for some more vigorous growth before I even consider cutting lower than 1 1/2'. Will likely have to wait until next season for a seriously low cut which should help clean out some of the thatch and drive lower branching.

SuperSod, yes, I'm generally ok with the product, BUT, their rolls did suck. I don't know if their fields were not level, but their sod cutter tore up one side of a majority of the rolls. I'm guessing they had dips in their fields and the cutter didn't stay deep creating a root scalping effect. There were two pallets that smelled like they were taking runoff from a pig farm. Definitely low on the quality control.

Getting ready for the first application of fertilizer. IF it will stop pissing!

Cheers!

TonyC


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## JollyGreen (May 12, 2018)

My area that looked like yours has filled in and the thin area I posted about early last month is about 3/4 of the way filled back in. I think the grass just needed sun and was a little late to start this year. Over the last couple weeks it has exploded with growth and really greened up (helps with Milo and 16-4-8). I would post pictures but I am at work. From what it sounds like, we seem to be in the same position regarding installation date. If the picture above is a recent picture it should start thickening up soon. You may want to throw some Milo on it or some other 16-4-8 but it sounds like you are planning that.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@TonyC thanks for that picture, gonna guess Marietta or Roswell? if you ever buy sod again, i'd suggest NG Turf (a producer), they won't even sell you dormant zeon. you can even talk to the owner!

i'd pick up a fungicide soon - to have on hand, avoid the panic when it pops up


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Put the fert down in the rain! You won't melt and the grass will love it.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Large Patch and Pythium are becoming known issues for me on Zeon. Overcast and wet conditions are problems for this grass. Only time it is not an issue is if the lawn is not shaded by trees or structures and it is laid on top of sand not dirt. Another issue is Nematodes. Nematodes are not usually a problem on Bermuda or St Augustine kept under home lawn conditions. However, Zoysia seems susceptible. Most Nematode thresholds published by academics are for Bent or Bermuda greens not for Zoysia turf. I suspect it takes less to cause damage to Zoysia.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Large Patch and Pythium are becoming known issues for me on Zeon. Overcast and wet conditions are problems for this grass. Only time it is not an issue is if the lawn is not shaded by trees or structures and it is laid on top of sand not dirt. Another issue is Nematodes. Nematodes are not usually a problem on Bermuda or St Augustine kept under home lawn conditions. However, Zoysia seems susceptible. Most Nematode thresholds published by academics are for Bent or Bermuda greens not for Zoysia turf. I suspect it takes less to cause damage to Zoysia.


Do you recommend Stressgard for the other varieties of lawn like Centipede and St Augustine when newly sodded? Looking for something to put down on areas we are resodding for someone.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I would stick to soluble and available NPK + Micronutrients at time of sodding. A biostimulant mix of Kelp and Humic/Fulvic is a worthy addition to the fertilizer. I treat sod as if it is a hydroponic plant the first month after install. The concept of laying it down and forgetting about it is foreign to me. Irrigation. At this time of the year, unless it is raining ever day, new sod needs water. Once those points are addressed and sod is failing to take hold 2-3 weeks after being laid, I would then look at Nematodes and diseases. I typically get called in when a sod install looks bad a month or two after it has been laid. Of course, sod has not received the fertilizer program. But normally, it has been getting enough water.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> I would stick to soluble and available NPK + Micronutrients at time of sodding. A biostimulant mix of Kelp and Humic/Fulvic is a worthy addition to the fertilizer. I treat sod as if it is a hydroponic plant the first month after install. The concept of laying it down and forgetting about it is foreign to me. Irrigation. At this time of the year, unless it is raining ever day, new sod needs water. Once those points are addressed and sod is failing to take hold 2-3 weeks after being laid, I would then look at Nematodes and diseases. I typically get called in when a sod install looks bad a month or two after it has been laid. Of course, sod has not received the fertilizer program. But normally, it has been getting enough water.


Right or wrong, the practice here in SC is to apply fungicide when the sod is put down, preventatively. You recommend against that? Just want to make sure I'm getting it right


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Is that a practice suggested by the academics? Or is that a practice done by people whose butts are on the line if there is a problem with the sod? If it is the latter, I would indeed apply 4 oz Exteris Stressguard per 1000 sq ft. I would also provide coverage for Pythium because of the heavy watering needed to establish sod. Subdue Maxx is labeled for application to residential lawns. That is something I have tank mixed with other fungicides when Pythium is a possibility. When dealing with fungal diseases, I have long ago discarded the notion of only one disease being a problem. In the case of Large Patch, Brown Patch or the other diseases stemming from Rhizoctonia, be aware that the fungicides for Rhizoctonia do not necessarily deal with Leaf Spot or Dollar Spot. It is fortunate that Exteris provides coverage for both diseases, but I do not count on it for Pythium.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

We had pythium in one of our zoysias last season, i believe it is meyer. We got it very early, customer is retired and vigilant. Super nice guy. 
Neighbors were not so lucky.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

My kind of customer. They call for off color spots before the whole lawn is dead. I also teach mine to call me if the notice scavenger type birds in the lawn. The birds mean Sod Webworm and Armyworm. Call me before the lawn is totally eaten up.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Way to manage customers, that's brilliant.

We had an armyworm bulletin from State last year. Luckily i did not see any.

I'm going to remember your advice re: crows etc.
Do you have crows in Hawaii?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I do not have crows in Hawaii. I have the Indian Mynah. Believe it or not, this bird was introduced and released in Hawaii specifically to eat Armyworm and Cutworm by the Department of Agriculture in 1866. What a bad idea. Not long after introduction, the Indian Mynah carried Avian Malaria to the indigenous birds. In addition, the Indian Mynahs are very aggressive and territorial to other birds. They will kick other birds off of nests and commandeer them for their own use. They also cannot eat enough Armyworm to save a lawn. My specific instruction is for my customers to call me immediately if they notice a flock of those birds picking through their lawn. I use Dylox + Merit.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Introduced species seem to turn invasive in a hurry.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

In the name of being politically correct, a lot of species have been introduced to Hawaii to do things organically. Yeah right. Once it is out of the lab, oh dear. Unintended consequences.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Is that a practice suggested by the academics? Or is that a practice done by people whose butts are on the line if there is a problem with the sod? If it is the latter, I would indeed apply 4 oz Exteris Stressguard per 1000 sq ft. I would also provide coverage for Pythium because of the heavy watering needed to establish sod. Subdue Maxx is labeled for application to residential lawns. That is something I have tank mixed with other fungicides when Pythium is a possibility. When dealing with fungal diseases, I have long ago discarded the notion of only one disease being a problem. In the case of Large Patch, Brown Patch or the other diseases stemming from Rhizoctonia, be aware that the fungicides for Rhizoctonia do not necessarily deal with Leaf Spot or Dollar Spot. It is fortunate that Exteris provides coverage for both diseases, but I do not count on it for Pythium.


The people whose butts are on the line 

Is Stressgard only in 2.5 gallon jugs? Because that stuff is EXPENSIVE!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Not cheap by any means. Then again, 1000 sq ft of sod can buy me a lot of chemicals. So I spend the money on Exteris and Prostar and Lexicon. Subdue is also in the budget as well.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Not cheap by any means. Then again, 1000 sq ft of sod can buy me a lot of chemicals. So I spend the money on Exteris and Prostar and Lexicon. Subdue is also in the budget as well.


Like all of those mixed together? LOL

Also can I mix the 20^3 and FEature in the same tank as the fungicide?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

No need to mix all together. But I am aware of how Subdue is indicated for Pythium. Prostar does nothing for Dollar Spot. Eagle is weak on Rhizoctonia. You kind of have to make intelligent tank mixes. 20-20-20 + FEAture + necessary fungicides is certainly a good tank mix.

I will use Exteris on a new Zeon or El Toro install. The Nematodes can be brutal. They can be the reason why a Zeon Install fails to take. No really good legal treatments that can be applied preplant. It is not like the 1970's where soil can be gassed with Methyl Bromide or drenched with Metam. Those days are over.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> No need to mix all together. But I am aware of how Subdue is indicated for Pythium. Prostar does nothing for Dollar Spot. Eagle is weak on Rhizoctonia. You kind of have to make intelligent tank mixes. 20-20-20 + FEAture + necessary fungicides is certainly a good tank mix.
> 
> I will use Exteris on a new Zeon or El Toro install. The Nematodes can be brutal. They can be the reason why a Zeon Install fails to take. No really good legal treatments that can be applied preplant. It is not like the 1970's where soil can be gassed with Methyl Bromide or drenched with Metam. Those days are over.


Awesome, appreciate it. Do you water it in I assume? I guess I will have to try and find somebody to split a 2.5 gallon jug of that stuff with!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Yes, Exteris gets watered in, but not so deeply that it is past the root zone.


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