# Reasonably priced preventative fungicide program for TTTF?



## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

I'm trying to figure out what I should do (if anything) for a preventative fungicide program on my TTTF/HBG/creeping red fescue lawn. I have a few things in "stock" around, HeadwayG and Propiconazole. I also have a host of others that I use on my fruit trees and veggies (copper, Immunox, etc).

I'm trying to put together a reasonably priced preventative program. Thinking of rotating between Prop and something else every other time.

Or am I over thinking this entirely and let it be? Headway is so expensive it makes my brain hurt when I throw it.


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## Lawn Noob (Jul 26, 2020)

Scott's disease ex is what I rotate with propiconazole.


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

The Ai is Astro, right?

https://www.domyown.com/azoxy-2sc-select-p-15183.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwtJ2FBhAuEiwAIKu19hxdY6hbRyus3Pp_6aG-Df4BvGha7XR1w2tv9yn-kYUuS41x9UEbOhoCvyoQAvD_BwE

That's what I was thinking rotating with, sounds like the same thing as you're using. Just wish is wasn't so expensive.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

I don't see how you're gonna get away with less than a minimum of two and actually three fungicides from different FRAC... and I am convinced it is the cost of fungicides what separates Level 1 enthusiasts from Level 2 and 3 ... "reasonable" is subjective but one thing I am sure of, preventing fungal outbreaks in my TTTF is worth the high costs and immense amount of work! :thumbup:

Definitely check out the TLF "*Fungicide Guide: Cool Season grass focus*: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4042



Suburban Jungle Life said:


> _Fungicides are used to correct and prevent fungus from damaging turf. There are 2 common rates. Curative: cures a current fungus problem. Preventive: prevents a fungus problem. It is best to only use a fungicide with 1 Mode of Action (MOA)/FRAC Group no more than two consecutive applications. *Resistance to fungicide is a real problem and we don't want to add to this problem. Therefore, it is best to combine 2 or more fungicides on a rotation or even in 1 application.* This list is for fungicides approved for residential use. . .:_


FWIW, my rotation this year will stay the same as last years and will consist of 2 sequential app.s of each of the following, 21 days apart. It has worked like a charm!
Myclobutanil - aka 'Eagle' (Group 3)
Abound - azoxystrobin (Group 11)*
TM 4.5 - thiophanate-methyl (Group 1)
Armada - Triadimefon 41.67% Trifloxystrobin 8.33% (Groups 3 & 11 Combined)**
TM 4.5 - thiophanate-methyl (Group 1)
Abound - azoxystrobin (Group 11)*
Myclobutanil - aka 'Eagle' (Group 3)


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Yeah it's really about what all your comfortable with. Like @440mag said, if you just have to have an elite lawn then they are necessary especially where your located. If your ok with your lawn getting brown patch or what ever else in the summer then probably not worth the cost. In the past it wasn't worth the cost or effort and I was just OK with getting Brown Patch in July or August. No big deal, will fix it once Sept rolls around. This year I'm going to use some Azoxy and Propi to see how it works. Not on the entire lawn though.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

ksturfguy said:


> Yeah it's really about what all your comfortable with. Like @440mag said, if you just have to have an elite lawn then they are necessary especially where your located. *If your ok with your lawn getting brown patch or what ever else in the summer then probably not worth the cost.* In the past it wasn't worth the cost or effort and I was just OK with getting Brown Patch in July or August. No big deal, will fix it once Sept rolls around. This year I'm going to use some Azoxy and Propi to see how it works. Not on the entire lawn though.


^^^Two VERY GOOD points!!!^^^ :nod:

First, I would glaaaaadly snicker at brown patch, etc. if our lawn was anything even close to level. That is, if it just weren't for the fact our home (and so, yard) is carved into the side of a foothill to a mountain range. Before I knew what fungus was we got it and it took year$ (and more $) to fix the erosion that resulted after tropical storm remnant season followed on the heels of the fungus disabling areas of TTTF. Tough le$$on that one 

We were not the original owners / builder or else I'd have NEVER laid out the sf of lawn our predecessors did. It was only after settlement and moving in we that learned the particular builder also ran a side landscape company with relatives and apparently not so coincidentally talked his home build clients into sweeping lawns :roll: (Same builder subsequently had his GC license confiscated by the Atty Gen'l for NC. Sidenote: in order to have your GC license even suspended in NC you practically have to commit homicide so, suffice it to say that sob left a swath of destruction, uncompleted projects and swindled customers in his wake!)

Anyhoo, were my yard not always at risk for erosion my whole attitude about a fungicide preventative program would be different!

Secondly, you don't necessarily have to do "the whole" yard. I prioritize my app.s according to the "history" of fungal outbreaks in my yard. There are two, maybe even three, areas in my lawn that I can make a certain bet will have a fungal outbreak if I did not prevent it. There are at least as many areas where I've yet to ever see any disease pressure. Go figure ...


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

Overtaxed said:


> The Ai is Astro, right?
> 
> https://www.domyown.com/azoxy-2sc-select-p-15183.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwtJ2FBhAuEiwAIKu19hxdY6hbRyus3Pp_6aG-Df4BvGha7XR1w2tv9yn-kYUuS41x9UEbOhoCvyoQAvD_BwE
> 
> That's what I was thinking rotating with, sounds like the same thing as you're using. Just wish is wasn't so expensive.


How many gallons/1k can you do with this product. I was thinking 1 gallon/1k, with a 4gallon back pack sprayer I'll have to fill it up 5x to cover 20k sq. ft.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

I used the do my own fungicide program and did some extra propi apps when it was dead of summer


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## Teemo (Feb 28, 2021)

440mag said:


> and I am convinced it is the cost of fungicides what separates Level 1 enthusiasts from Level 2 and 3 ... "reasonable" is subjective


I was going to put down headway until I realized it was going to cost $350 per application. Would you call that reasonable? Lol


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

Lawn Whisperer said:


> How many gallons/1k can you do with this product. I was thinking 1 gallon/1k, with a 4gallon back pack sprayer I'll have to fill it up 5x to cover 20k sq. ft.


The 16oz container of Azoxy 2SC will cover just under an acre at the low use rate and about 1/4 of an acre at the highest use rate per application. It does appear that it wants a LOT of water used to spray it, (2-4 gallons per 1K sq/ft). That's a drenching, and I don't see any low volume directions, so perhaps you need all that water? Find that a little hard to believe since you can apply this same AI with 0 water as a granular (Headway), but, following the directions; unless you have a tiny lawn, applying with a backpack sprayer would be, well.. Difficult. 



> I was going to put down headway until I realized it was going to cost $350 per application. Would you call that reasonable? Lol


I hear you. First time I read the directions on Headway, I thought "I must be reading this wrong". I wasn't.  When I see people upset about the cost of stuff like Drive or even more expensive herbicides like Prograss; yeah, wait till you start to look at fungicides buddy! The cost per sq/ft is high, and then add in that you're spraying that amount every 14-28 days (vs 1/2 times a season) and it gets pretty painfully expensive quick!


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

@Teemo None of the fungicides are really inexpensive, but Azoxy is actually one of the more affordable fungicides now. Look at generic pricing rather than Headway. If you really want sticker shock, look at Velista.

@Overtaxed I apply Azoxy with 1 gal/1000. If you want a foliar application, that is sufficient. If you want to target root based diseases (e.g. Summer Patch), you need to get it to the roots. I water with 0.1-0.2 Inches of irrigation immediately after spraying. Headway G and other granular fungicides will fall to the soil when applied to dry grass, but doesn't really get to the grass until irrigation or rain. Both ingredients in Headway (Azoxystrobin and Propiconazole) are systemic and will travel to the blades when taken up by the roots after watering.


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

> I apply Azoxy with 1 gal/1000. If you want a foliar application, that is sufficient. If you want to target root based diseases (e.g. Summer Patch), you need to get it to the roots. I water with 0.1-0.2 Inches of irrigation immediately after spraying. Headway G and other granular fungicides will fall to the soil when applied to dry grass, but doesn't really get to the grass until irrigation or rain. Both ingredients in Headway (Azoxystrobin and Propiconazole) are systemic and will travel to the blades when taken up by the roots after watering.


Would a low volume application of either Azoxy or Prop followed immediately by irrigation be any different than doing those AI's in lots of water? Just much easier for me to do a low volume application using a mistblower or backpack than to drop a tons of water at the same time. I could immediately irrigate after spraying if a low volume app is dangerous to the blades of grass.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Overtaxed said:


> > I apply Azoxy with 1 gal/1000. If you want a foliar application, that is sufficient. If you want to target root based diseases (e.g. Summer Patch), you need to get it to the roots. I water with 0.1-0.2 Inches of irrigation immediately after spraying. Headway G and other granular fungicides will fall to the soil when applied to dry grass, but doesn't really get to the grass until irrigation or rain. Both ingredients in Headway (Azoxystrobin and Propiconazole) are systemic and will travel to the blades when taken up by the roots after watering.
> 
> 
> Would a low volume application of either Azoxy or Prop followed immediately by irrigation be any different than doing those AI's in lots of water? Just much easier for me to do a low volume application using a mistblower or backpack than to drop a tons of water at the same time. I could immediately irrigate after spraying if a low volume app is dangerous to the blades of grass.


It will be essentially the same. There will be some absorption by the leaves, but if you irrigate immediately it won't be enough to matter. They do absorb fairly quickly which is probably why the label recommends higher carrier volumes, but in practice you will be fine with even application at lower volume and then irrigate.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Teemo said:


> 440mag said:
> 
> 
> > and I am convinced it is the cost of fungicides what separates Level 1 enthusiasts from Level 2 and 3 ... "reasonable" is subjective
> ...


Positively NOT reasonable; those are funds that can be spent on clay targets or, the shot-shells required to bust them with! :lol:

That is why I identify the a.i. I'm after and then search for it on the same websites that sell the "name brand" fungicides. Then I locate a generic of the same a.i. - % even! - and I'm off to the races (or, rather, local sporting clays course! :thumbup:


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

Wow, I should have read one of the earlier posts more closely. I was thinking something like Azoxy 2SC Select Fungicide (~125/pint) when the poster said Abound, same AI, same concentration at 200/GALLON. That's a whole different ball game, it's a little under 1/4 the cost to use the crop labeled version.

I think I'm going to go with a mix of Propiconazole and Abound. That gives me two groups. If I have some sort of breakthrough, I have a few other MOA around that I could use (I use them for other things).

Best to mix them together and have at it, or go 1-2-1-2 (apply them one at a time and rotate between them)?


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

I found a quart of  LESCO Spectator T&O Fungicide  (not the Ultra version) at my local site one. It's highly concentrated at 41.8% propiconazole. Here is the  label for the 2.5 gallon , since the one the quart is broken.
For $60 for the quart, it can cover a little over an acre on the high rate for most diseases.


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

Propiconazole I already have, I buy that by the gallon for ~100 bucks. It's the rotating partner I didn't have an affordable option. I do now, Abound seems pretty darn affordable when it that way!


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## Grass Clippins (Apr 30, 2018)

@Overtaxed I went with 2.5 gallons of Mazolin from Chemical Warehouse for my azoxystrobin this year. I used Abound last year but this is a much better deal. They also have Azoxy 2SC...same thing. I bought my Propiconazole from Chemical Warehouse this year as well, goods deals and free shipping.


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## Overtaxed (May 9, 2021)

> I went with 2.5 gallons of Mazolin from Chemical Warehouse for my azoxystrobin this year.


Goodness, that's even cheaper! Now I see how you guys can afford to blanket this stuff down all summer long. For those following along; let me quickly lay out the cost swing that this thread has brought to light for me:

Azoxy 2SC - 125/pint -- $7.81/oz
Abound - 199/gallon -- $1.55/oz
Mazolin - 275/2.5g -- .86/oz

For those keeping track, the Azoxy (which is labeled for lawns) is 9X more expensive than the Mazolin for exactly the same AI, same concentration.

I think my question has been answered. A "reasonably priced" preventative fungicide program for TTTF is Azoxy and Prop. You just have to buy it from the right place and with the right "label" so it's not insanely priced.

Thank you again! The next question, how long can I keep that Mazolin around?? Doing the math, I need something like 2.5-5oz per treatment for my lawn. I'd have the jug of Mazolin for many years (I do have other things I could treat with it, but it would still be a long time before I used it up). It's about 1/2 the price of Abound, but if I'm going to throw it out because it only lasts a few years, Abound might still be cheaper per application?


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Grass Clippins said:


> @Overtaxed I went with 2.5 gallons of Mazolin from Chemical Warehouse for my azoxystrobin this year. I used Abound last year but this is a much better deal. They also have Azoxy 2SC...same thing. I bought my Propiconazole from Chemical Warehouse this year as well, goods deals and free shipping.


What app rates do you use with your Mazolin?


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## Grass Clippins (Apr 30, 2018)

@Overtaxed It's a good combo. Just watch the propiconazole when the temp gets mid 80's because it'll burn your fescue if it sits too long. I try to let it sit 24 hours before it rains. If you are afraid of overbuying you could always find someone local to pick up what you don't need at cost.

@Scagfreedom48z+ I use the following every 21-28 days depending on the rain, no irrigation.


0.77 fl. oz./# Azoxy 2SC(Mazolin)

2.00 fl. oz./# Propiconazole

I realize that's a little heavy handed but I followed the labels when I came up with my game plan and I don't over apply the annual rate. I believe you would use the half rate when recreating Headway...we'll call this Headway XL. I ran these rates last summer with no issue. My label notes are below.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Grass Clippins said:


> @Overtaxed It's a good combo. Just watch the propiconazole when the temp gets mid 80's because it'll burn your fescue if it sits too long. I try to let it sit 24 hours before it rains. If you are afraid of overbuying you could always find someone local to pick up what you don't need at cost.
> 
> @Scagfreedom48z+ I use the following every 21-28 days depending on the rain, no irrigation.
> 
> ...


That's a steal for 2.5 gallons and at that rate. How long does the 2.5 gallons last you?


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## Grass Clippins (Apr 30, 2018)

@Scagfreedom48z+ The most I could use, with a 15K lawn size, would be 106 fl. oz. / year. 2.5 gallons would get me 3 years.

Found this quote:

_"The good news is that most fungicides have a shelf life of at least two years--and probably longer--assuming they are stored correctly. Optimum storage conditions are cool, dry conditions, away from sunlight. Storage temperatures should not go below freezing; however, if a fungicide does freeze, then slowly thaw it out at room temperature."_


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

440mag said:


> FWIW, my rotation this year will stay the same as last years and will consist of 2 sequential app.s of each of the following, 21 days apart. It has worked like a charm!
> Myclobutanil - aka 'Eagle' (Group 3)
> Abound - azoxystrobin (Group 11)*
> TM 4.5 - thiophanate-methyl (Group 1)
> ...


Or sub in big box store Bio-Advanced Fungus Control (Group 3), Scotts Disease Ex (Group 11), and Bonide Infuse (Group 1).


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## Grass Clippins (Apr 30, 2018)

@Old Hickory depends on the size of the lawn. If I had a small lawn I would probably stick to big box products as well so I didn't have to buy 20 years worth of products.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

The original question includes a very good one: "is it worth it or am I overthinking it?" Over the past maybe six years I've gone back and forth between fungicide applications are for crazy people, and full blown research on every available FRAC code and product. A go-to plan (depending on your comfort level and wallet) is tank mix propiconizole and axozystrobin, rotate to (not many choices so . . ) "accidentally" overspray the turf when applying Daconil to ornamentals. You didn't hear that from me and of course I would never do such a thing.

To each their own and I get the quest for a perfect lawn. It can be very rewarding or a heartbreak every now and then. For now though, I'm back to: grass seed is cheap enough and a lot less work than fungicides all Summer :thumbup: :lol: Manage the turf on the dry side, back off on Spring fert and accept that while it looks really good it won't be perfect.

If you shift the focus from the turf to the overall landscape as a whole, it's a lot easier to let go of the quest for the perfect lawn. Work on perfecting the entire setting, and the lawn will fit in there right where it should in terms of available time and money. There's a reason golf course superintendents have a full time staff. It's easy to pile up a lot of work to keep turf at its peak condition.  My hat off to those who do. :thumbup:


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