# What's going on with my Bermuda?



## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Just joined and loving the forum. Was directed here by MANY YouTube videos. New to REALLY caring for my lawn and appreciate all the info here.

I have a new construction home with fresh sod. I worked hard in the spring and the lawn was looking great.







Kept watering through the summer but something hit a few areas hard.





Any ideas of what it could be? To add to the mystery, my neighbor has had the same type of spot form in the exact same areas of his lawn that was planted at about the same time period.

Thanks for any help!


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

First thought was over watering


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## mrbradg (Jun 19, 2019)

The same is all over our neighborhood. I was thinking drought since it hasn't rained here in 4 weeks. This Alabama heat is horrible.


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## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

Any pictures of it in between? Fungus could be an issue. My neighborhood has both drought and fungus issues in TX.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Here's a "between" shot from late July.



I wish I could get some re-establishment before winter, but don't know how to encourage the growth without over stressing. compost top-dressed a couple weekends ago to try to help.


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## Batsonbe (May 9, 2019)

Army worms/grubs, fungus, or heat stress my guesses


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## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

Hard to predict what happened without seeing pictures as it was in the process of death. I was just in houston and the summer heat and fungus was really taking a beating on a lot of lawns in the Woodlands. It was probably fungal or insects, but I wouldn't rule out something under your soil in those areas since you said it was new construction. Go start poking around under those areas and see if its full of gravel or cement debris. Since its dead there you don't really have to worry about destroying the lawn and you can remove it all now and fill it back with sand. In houston you've still got a little time left for growth, but I wouldn't expect much till next year.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Okay, being new at this I appreciate the feedback. Sounds like everyone agrees that this is considered dead?

Going forward, I'm worried about the quality of the soil under the sod so my plan was to remove what's there to 3"-4" or so, confirm there's nothing bad down deep and then bring in good soil.

What do I do to get new grass growing? I doubt I can find the same variety of sod that was originally laid. I have purchased the "plugger" referenced elsewhere on this site and my thought was to transplant plugs from the hardy parts of the yard over to here. Can I still do that at this time of the year? Any recommendations on increasing the success of this? I'm still seeing some good growth elsewhere in the yard.


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## lucas287 (Jun 3, 2018)

I don't think heat stress is a real thing with bermuda. drought stress...yes. But heat - nope. Also AFAIK it's extremely rare for bermuda to get a fungus. I seem to remember someone saying you could pour out dish soap in the impacted areas and it will bring the grubs/worms to surface - but don't take my word.

my vote is that you have some construction debris. constructions crews are incredibly careless. I can only imagine what's under my yard. i'm suspect of a few spots but nothing quite as bad as this.


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## lucas287 (Jun 3, 2018)

jbow03 said:


> Okay, being new at this I appreciate the feedback. Sounds like everyone agrees that this is considered dead?
> 
> Going forward, I'm worried about the quality of the soil under the sod so my plan was to remove what's there to 3"-4" or so, confirm there's nothing bad down deep and then bring in good soil.
> 
> What do I do to get new grass growing? I doubt I can find the same variety of sod that was originally laid. I have purchased the "plugger" referenced elsewhere on this site and my thought was to transplant plugs from the hardy parts of the yard over to here. Can I still do that at this time of the year? Any recommendations on increasing the success of this? I'm still seeing some good growth elsewhere in the yard.


That's a solid plan but honestly you might want to wait until spring. within a couple months it'll be dormant and brown everywhere anyways. might be better than having big patches of soil all winter.

Plugging is my recommendation. I thought i had tif 419 when i resodded a section only to later find out it's tifsport. they look surprisingly different! So i'm in the process of plugging tifsport in that area hoping it will take over.


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## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

Honestly you don't have to do much, you could plug or push sprigs into the area and it will help spread from there but you probably aren't going to get much growth for the rest of the season. If there is rocks and debris under the soil dig it out and just back fill with play sand. How often are you watering and how much are you watering? I saw a ton of St Aug lawns with fungal issues in the Woodlands because they were watering way to much to try overcome the heat issues, but they weren't factoring in the humidity and moisture hanging around. Usually Bermuda will grow out of dollar spot etc if you push nitrogen, but its also possible you pushed to much water with a fungal issue in areas of the soil that were retaining to much moisture making matters worse. Everyone in the thread is just guessing about all the potential things. The best place to start is to see if there is something under the soil and work from there so it will fill in next year.


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## joerob2211 (Apr 27, 2018)

If you and your neighbor are both new construction and got new sod this year it is possibly army warms. I moved into a new construction last September and the sod they brought in came with the army warms. The army worms can migrate in from other peoples sod as well. In the first picture that could possibly be one on the concrete sidewalk. Just a guess.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

@HungrySoutherner I am watering 1.5" once per week when we don't have rain. I do this by cycling through all the zones multiple times to allow for soak time. Then, I give a 5 minute shot every day to try to cool the grass in the late afternoon. Too much?


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Another reason I think it could be an subgrade issue is that even when the lawn was in it's prime this spring, these areas were the weakest. They've always required extra TLC.


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## coreymays22 (Apr 25, 2017)

joerob2211 said:


> If you and your neighbor are both new construction and got new sod this year it is possibly army warms. I moved into a new construction last September and the sod they brought in came with the army warms. The army worms can migrate in from other peoples sod as well. In the first picture that could possibly be one on the concrete sidewalk. Just a guess.


+1. Army worms hit me as well with new sod. Looked the exact same. I just put down fertilizer every 10 day and kept it watered and it came back. Army worms only eat the leaves of the grass, so it looks really bad, but it is still alive and kicking.


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## joerob2211 (Apr 27, 2018)

joerob2211 said:


> If you and your neighbor are both new construction and got new sod this year it is possibly army warms. I moved into a new construction last September and the sod they brought in came with the army warms. The army worms can migrate in from other peoples sod as well. In the first picture that could possibly be one on the concrete sidewalk. Just a guess.


Have you seen any of these guys around in the morning or afternoon?


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

I haven't seen any evidence of bugs in the yard or around on the concrete.

Is there some sort of inspection I can do under the turf?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

You can just poke around in the soil and see if you see anything. You can also mix a teaspoon of dish soap with a gallon of water and pour it into a small spot in your turf at the edge of where it died. Soak it down good and wait 5 minutes to see if anything comes crawling out.


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## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

With the humidity and the rain in Houston, I'd almost think you're watering too much. How damp is the soil?


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

Before you replace the sod that is currently in place you may want to get a soil test done. Buy a soil probe that sticks 2-3 feet in the ground and send soil samples into to your local extension. Bermuda is pretty dang resilient.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Re-growth is coming in, just need more of it.





I will probably plant plugs and stolons and see how it goes.

Thanks for the soil test idea as well. I'll have to figure that out for my area.


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

jbow03 said:


> Re-growth is coming in, just need more of it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Depending on where in Houston you're located you may be able to find a Texas A&M extension local to your area, or any feed store perhaps.


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## p1muserfan (Jul 7, 2019)

Have you done the insect "pull test" on your bad area? I had similar looking spots, albeit much smaller, last month. When I tried the pull test, the sod came right up. I bought grub killer and applied the next morning. Those spots are almost completely recovered now.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

The fact that it is coming back up from the roots makes me think webworms or possibly a fungus. Webworms will go through like a herd of goats but once you take care of the issue, the grass usually comes back. It's like a worm-based hard scalp.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Plugs pulled this weekend while transplanting. Definitely not the best soil underneath.







Any ideas on how can this be improved over time?


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## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

jbow03 said:


> Plugs pulled this weekend while transplanting. Definitely not the best soil underneath.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It actually looks pretty good I see a lot of sand which will be better for soil drainage.


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## p1muserfan (Jul 7, 2019)

+1. Your soil is fine. Bugs or fungus, both fixable


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

I tried the soapy water trick as shown here on YouTube, but didn't see any results. There is a good bit of insect activity in the lawn. I treat for ants and spiders with very good result. But there are lots of gnats, swarms of gnats.

In early June I had what I considered a fungus issue and treated accordingly (brown patch I thought):









But this went away with fresh growth behind it and was in areas completely different.

Let's say it is bugs or fungus, what should I do at this point?


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## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

jbow03 said:


> I tried the soapy water trick as shown here on YouTube, but didn't see any results. There is a good bit of insect activity in the lawn. I treat for ants and spiders with very good result. But there are lots of gnats, swarms of gnats.
> 
> In early June I had what I considered a fungus issue and treated accordingly (brown patch I thought):
> 
> ...




Could be fungus. I would guess fungus is common in Houston with the high heat, high humidity. Pic is fungus on the grass. If yard is treated it will not damage the grass but kill the fungus.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

So, the warm winter is bringing the Bermuda back to life.

Aerated and top dressed with leafmold compost in September hence the dark black material still holding moisture in the pics.

Sand for next dressing is my plan in March.







I'm still a little worried about getting the old areas that died off last year re-established.

What's the best option for propagation of new turf:

1. New sod in the select areas
2. Plugs from hearty areas of the lawn
3. Runner transplants over time
4. Nothing, let nature run it's course and reestablish


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I recommend springs or plugs from the healthy areas.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I think you have a major lot drainage issue. Two other people have also commented this looks like overwatering - I agree....

In the picture directly above this post, you have two gutter downspouts routed underground that discharge directly into your front yard every time it rains, which is absolutely flooding your lawn in those areas - the builder's contractor messed that up.

All that water is drowning your grass - and the other pictures you posted show that you have green algae, black mold and mud, and a very wet lawn in almost all of your other pictures. Everywhere I look at your pictures shows sopping wet soil....

Look at how the grass is dying out all along the area where the corrugated plastic pipes are dumping water onto your lawn.

I think you need to redirect the water coming off your roof so all the gutters drain to the concrete areas like your driveway and sidewalk areas, so that water has a place to drain off. Right now it is all just flowing onto your yard and not draining.

I would recommend you completely reroute the drainage piping and see if the grass recovers - I think you have root rot....


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Thanks @FlowRider, I appreciate the feedback! Haven't had the sprinklers on in months, but we do get a decent amount of rain weekly and the gutters DUMP water here.

I'll reroute that water over to the driveway this weekend. I also plan on reworking the shape of the beds to possibly include this part of the lawn in the bed and take it out of play all together.

Is root rot the same as take all patch? Looks like I have some research to do!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

jbow03 said:


> Thanks @FlowRider, I appreciate the feedback! Haven't had the sprinklers on in months, but we do get a decent amount of rain weekly and the gutters DUMP water here.
> 
> I'll reroute that water over to the driveway this weekend. I also plan on reworking the shape of the beds to possibly include this part of the lawn in the bed and take it out of play all together.
> 
> *Is root rot the same as take all patch? Looks like I have some research to do!*


Root rot is the same as take all patch. It is a very common problem. Here is an article that will help you out, I believe:

https://www.solutionsstores.com/take-all-root-rot-control

Once you get the soil dried out some (dewatered, would be another word) you should see improvement, but you have some significant turf damage, so it will take awhile for the Bermuda to recover and fill back in. It will recover, though....

The good news is once you fix the soil drainage problems, Bermuda will recover and begin to fill in by spreading through its rhizomes and stolons, but it will take awhile, so you need to be patient - think in terms of growing seasons, not days.

Your soil plugs look saturated, and the grass is dying because of it, based on what your pictures are showing, at least.

Once you get it dried out, the turf will recover, but you may also have to irrigate more often in the heat of the Summer.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Thanks @FlowRider !

Been working on fixing it! Okay, so the drains have been re-routed and I've brought in a mixture of top-soil and sand and leveled the area up. I used a straight-edge to make sure there would be fall toward the street. Added landscape stones in the process as well.

Reading the article it mentioned application of fungicide. Does that need to be done at this point?

I've also considered re-soding this entire area. It's only 350 SF and with the re-routed pipes and the additional grade it may be a viable option. Could bring plugs from other parts of the yard.

My concern is that if I don't do something, this soil will wash out over time.

Thoughts?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

That looks good with the added top dress. Is there any grass or roots left under the dirt? If so, it may come back strong now that you have the drainage taken care of.


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## kg70041 (Aug 22, 2019)

@jbow03 did you re-route the drainage to the right in that first pic? I feel like gravity might cause some issues when you get a good rain and that water will just end up bubbling out of the corrugated pipe working its way back into the area, either from the driveway back into the yard or within the landscaping.

Like Redtwin said, if you've still got grass/roots underneath that top dress then you'll just need to hit it with N and keep it watered and it'll grow in quick. Might be able to pull a few plugs to help supplement if/when you see any thin spots.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@jbow03

I see where you re-routed the pipes, but I think you still have the issues with having the roof gutters discharging onto the lawn. The amount of water shedding off a roof is voluminous in heavy rains, and people often do not realize how many gallons run off.

I would have routed the corrugated piping out to the sidewalk and the driveway, so the water hits the concrete and drains into the street. That gets it away from the foundation, and does not deluge the yard. But that is if it was my yard. Since it is your yard, and you are done, you may want to see how your new layout works to see if you have solved the problem.

As to sod versus waiting for the grass to grow back, again if it was my yard, I would just go buy a pallet of sod and lay it down on the bare areas. That way the soil prep work you did won't erode away, and you have the lawn covered with fresh sod. The main benefit of grass is erosion control.

So, my opinion only, I would kick the pipes out to drain onto the concrete and get the storm water to drain off, and I would pop sod down to dress up the yard, have instant gratification it's done, and see how things go. I like to get such work done in the spring before the summer heat tries to kill me....

However, since the work you did is now done, I would sod the bare areas and see what happens when it starts raining again. If the lawn dies off again, then I would re-route the drain pipes.

And I think the yard does look much better. Sod it and see if your problem is solved=my best advice.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

@kg70041 - sorry for the two confusing pictures, they were taken at different times. I HAVE rerouted the 2 pipes - 1 to the sidewalk and the other to the driveway. Just need to finalize the reroute this weekend. You can see the driveway pipe in the first picture on the right side.

@FlowRider - thanks for the sod encouragement. I really want to get the area looking good ASAP and I'm not known for my patience.

Would you do the bare area only or the entire box inside that portion of the yard. Any chance the TIF 419 I pick up from the farm today will stick out for years to come against the old?


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## kg70041 (Aug 22, 2019)

@jbow03 
I would sod the whole area if it's not a budget-breaker. I've had rolls of 419 that are just SLIGHTLY different colors, and some that look like they aren't even the same grass. All depends on the growing conditions and genetics at the sod farm.

I'd get the sod down and get it growing/rooted and hopefully the drainage issues don't come back. If they do then at least you'll know how to attack it quickly.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

jbow03 said:


> @FlowRider
> 
> Would you do the bare area only or the entire box inside that portion of the yard. Any chance the TIF 419 I pick up from the farm today will stick out for years to come against the old?


If you can afford it, I would definitely re-sod with a new layer in the entire area, just because the height will be uniform, and the grass will all be, and look, the same, being from the same source.

It is not necessary to do that, but you will need to consider keeping the lawn level, so you won't have ridge lines between old lawn and new sod. Just blend the soil levels by gently sloping to the street.


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## jbow03 (Sep 19, 2019)

Wanted to update the thread now that we are well into the growing season.

This was my first season with a reel mower and I've worked hard to maintain a .50"-.75" height throughout the season. Spoon fed with nitrogen at around .25 lb/k per week or so and control the water applied with all the rains we've had.

I opted not to do the re-sod just to see what I could get to come back with some plugs and natural spreading.







As you can see, I'm still fighting the standing water for an hour or so after the sprinklers cut off due to how deep the belly was in the yard. I've raised it twice so far, but didn't want to go too thick at one time as it seemed easy to wash away.

While it's better, it's still not where I'd like it to be. Will probably re-sod in september/october the front.


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## MatthewinGA (May 21, 2018)

If it's new construction, maybe you have a warranty and can have some recourse with the builder.


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## cldrunner (May 14, 2019)

@jbow03 Are you sure you did not have a fungus like TARR/Bermuda decline? Have you checked the roots in that area? I already see yellow grass on the fringes of the spots. Have you put down a fungicide?


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