# Battling Spring Dead Spot in Bermudagrass



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

My Spring Dead Spot seems to get a little worse each year, so I have decided this fall I'm going to apply some Kabuto Fungicide SC (Isofetamid - 36%) to help combat it.

NC State gives it their highest efficacy rating among Spring Dead Spot chemical control options, and I have read various articles like Kabuto: Spring dead spot's archnemesis that suggest it is one of the best fungicide options available for SDS.

Note that SDS fungicides should be applied preventatively in the fall, so now is the time to start thinking about chemical control options if you are battling it:



> Fungicides are available for spring dead spot control, but they must be applied preventatively in the fall. Applications are most effective when soil temperatures are between 60 and 80°F. To move the fungicide into the root zone, apply in a high volume of water (5 gallons per 1,000 square feet) or water in with at least 1/8" of irrigation immediately after application.


There are a number of fungicide options listed in the NC State article above.


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## M311att (May 22, 2017)

@ware would this be the kind of thing that you finally get grass to grow in a spot by August only to have it disappear for the start of next season?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

M311att said:


> @ware would this be the kind of thing that you finally get grass to grow in a spot by August only to have it disappear for the start of next season?


Yes. My SDS spots are gone before August, but I bet it was mid-late June before they were filled in completely.


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## Jeremy3292 (Apr 30, 2020)

According to that NC State article chart you need to apply every 14-28 days starting in the fall? That seems quite excessive, no?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Jeremy3292 said:


> According to that NC State article chart you need to apply every 14-28 days starting in the fall? That seems quite excessive, no?


It depends on the rate. Below is a screen capture of the product label rates for SDS. Max rate for the year is 3.2 oz/M. You can either do a single app or a split app. The trials discussed in Golfdom article linked above used a split app (1.6 oz/M) 3-4 weeks apart:



> We decided to evaluate Kabuto at the recommended split-application rate (1.6 fl. oz. per 1,000 square feet, followed by another 1.6 fl. oz. per 1,000 square feet) 21 to 28 days apart," Aynardi explains. "This rate has performed consistently well in university trials.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

With rain in the forecast, I sprayed my bottle of Kabuto Fungicide SC this morning.


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## jasonbraswell (Aug 18, 2019)

too expensive for managing 3.5 acres.
I'll just buy some more AS in the spring :thumbup:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I also found about an apps worth of Propiconazole 14.3 in my cabinet, so I applied it at 4 oz/M to finish off off the jug. :thumbsup:


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## CarolinaCuttin (Sep 6, 2019)

I hope it rained shortly after, if the fungicide dries on the leaf blade the efficacy goes down a bunch. It really needs to be watered in immediately after application.

Looking forward to seeing results in the spring!


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Ware said:


> I also found about an apps worth of Propiconazole 14.3 in my cabinet, so I applied it at 4 oz/M to finish off off the jug. :thumbsup:


What did that high rate of prop make your grass look like?
I wanna do kabuto but one bottle only treats 7k at the high rate.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

@Ware have you seen this

https://turfgrass.ucr.edu/reports/pest_management/SDS_Fungicide_Trial_Final_Report_2018.pdf

Xzemplar did the best on this study but it doesn't seem that Kabuto was tested. I might try that mixed with a DMI. Study said having both modes of action from a DMI and class 7 fungicide worked well. Xzemplar covers more. I hope it works


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## CarolinaCuttin (Sep 6, 2019)

@Tellycoleman If you're open to splurging a bit anyway, Lexicon, Maxtima, or Navicon are great options too. Two apps starting based on soil temps and spaced 30 days apart with Maxtima or Navicon shows virtually 100% control in test plots.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Does it look anything like this




Because I can't figure out what's eating my Bermuda.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

CenlaLowell said:


> Does it look anything like this
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Doesn't appear until spring when the Bermuda comes out of dormancy.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Ware said:


> CenlaLowell said:
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Okay good to know. If anyone knows what this could be chime in please


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## cldrunner (May 14, 2019)

CenlaLowell said:


> Ware said:
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Have you checked for armyworms?


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

cldrunner said:


> CenlaLowell said:
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No I haven't, Im going to look into how to do this


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## cldrunner (May 14, 2019)

CenlaLowell said:


> cldrunner said:
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If you have them you will see them crawling around.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Let's keep this topic focused on SDS. Feel free to start a separate thread.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Had pretty bad Spring dead spot the last several years at my old house. The local landscape chem and fert supplier Pro-Chem in Lubbock, TX to all the golf courses and landscape companies didn't even have a suggestion to fix.

Interested in this thread for long term but the only solution I came up with was to paint the dead spots. I had left over green lawn paint and if you get the color density mixture correct, from a distance you could hardly see SDS from the good growing grass.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

MrMeaner said:


> Had pretty bad Spring dead spot the last several years at my old house...


Sounds like we both decided the best way to get rid of SDS is to move. :lol:


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

Ware said:


> MrMeaner said:
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> > Had pretty bad Spring dead spot the last several years at my old house...
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I know right...lol

My new house, the turf is only a year or so old and I have only been here two months so time will tell if I get the spring dead spot at all next spring.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Ware said:


> My Spring Dead Spot seems to get a little worse each year, so I have decided this fall I'm going to apply some Kabuto Fungicide SC (Isofetamid - 36%) to help combat it...


Back with an update - no signs at all of spring dead spot this year, so I'm calling the properly timed app of Kabuto Fungicide SC last fall a success. It's not cheap, but I am thoroughly impressed with the results. I am glad the new owner of our home will not be dealing with unsightly dead spots into the summer. :thumbup:


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

Is there a correlation with PRG over seeding in the fall and SDS? The past few seasons that I have over seeded, there seems to have been significant SDS moving to spring. This year I did not overseed and I'm seeing no SDS present.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

cnet24 said:


> Is there a correlation with PRG over seeding in the fall and SDS? The past few seasons that I have over seeded, there seems to have been significant SDS moving to spring. This year I did not overseed and I'm seeing no SDS present.


Could be, but I know a few years ago I had it much worse in my front yard the spring after I overseeded the back only. I had never overseeded the front at that point. Then it seemed to get a little worse each year.


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## Drthomp02 (May 17, 2020)

Do you guys think this is spring dead spot?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Drthomp02 said:


> Do you guys think this is spring dead spot?


Looks like "spring dog spot" to me. 

Does the front have the same spots?


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## Drthomp02 (May 17, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> Drthomp02 said:
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> > Do you guys think this is spring dead spot?
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That's a good point. These could be all the pee spots that get covered up quickly in the growing season. Front yard is fescue.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Drthomp02 said:


> That's a good point. These could be all the pee spots that get covered up quickly in the growing season. Front yard is fescue.


That's what they look like to me. The good news is that if it recovers quickly in the growing season, your dog obviously doesn't pee the radioactive lava like some dogs.


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## Drthomp02 (May 17, 2020)

Drthomp02 said:


> Do you guys think this is spring dead spot?


I think I have discovered the mystery dead spots. I used 24D as a spot treatment in late February. I guess I missed the memo not to use this on dormant Bermuda..


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Drthomp02 said:


> I think I have discovered the mystery dead spots. I used 24D as a spot treatment in late February. I guess I missed the memo not to use this on dormant Bermuda..


If that is the case, you should be just fine. 2,4-D may slow down the green up but shouldn't kill it.


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## Joeeeekkkkk (Jan 28, 2021)

Drthomp02 said:


> Drthomp02 said:
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> > Do you guys think this is spring dead spot?
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Behind my property line is common HOA property and it was covered in weeds. Small area guessing 500 square feet. Mixed some Celsius and crossbow in a 1 gallon tank sprayer. As I mixed it thought hmm hope this doesn't end badly...

Blanket sprayed that area and had some left in the tank so hit a few weeds on my property. I think it did more damage to my grass than the actual weeds. You can see basically a light brown ring around the spots I sprayed.

Kicking myself as this is the first year in the house and made it a priority to have the lawn looking clean. Scalped and greened up quickest on my street but this was definitely a setback. I've watered those areas a good bit since, threw down some milo and went heavy on those spots. Looks like there's green below the browning so hoping I'm okay.


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

@Ware do you have an update on the use of Kabuto to prevent SDS? I need to start planning in case my issue is also SDS: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27831

_edit: just noticed the additional pages of this thread -- I'll go through it to check for answers!_


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@Awar



Ware said:


> Ware said:
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> > My Spring Dead Spot seems to get a little worse each year, so I have decided this fall I'm going to apply some Kabuto Fungicide SC (Isofetamid - 36%) to help combat it...
> ...


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

Ware said:


> @Awar
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Thanks @Ware I did eventually get to that post 

Do you think my issue is spring dead spot (link above)? My lawn had those weird white-pink spots all over it over the winter but only ended up with a dozen or so dead spots after green-up.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@Awar looks like it could be SDS. Do the roots, rhizomes and stolons appear dark and rotten in the affected areas?


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

Ware said:


> @Awar looks like it could be SDS. Do the roots, rhizomes and stolons appear dark and rotten in the affected areas?


I should be able to check tomorrow after the storm is gone :thumbup:


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