# Black areas in my zoysia grass.



## Super7 (Oct 7, 2018)

We have had alot of rain in South Carolina this year and recently some of my Zoysia grass has developed black areas. I have cut the water as much as I can, and have aerated and sanded. My hoc is 1 inch with a greens mower. Is there anything else i can do to combat this problem?


----------



## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

Looks like algae. I have some areas with that problem too. Mostly because they are shaded and drain poorly I'm thinking. I put some gcf air8 down on it hoping it will improve. Only time will tell I suppose. Some of the more knowledgeable guys will chime in I'm sure. Good luck and welcome to TLF!


----------



## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

https://www.standardgolf.com/ecommerce/p/magnum-spike-roller-717 - break up algae / moss. Once Nov. rolls around, I keep one in my cart until the middle of March.

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Nylon-Heavy-Aerator-Shoes/dp/B01ER202S6/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1538960668&sr=8-14&keywords=spike+shoes - despite getting a lot of hate, these shoes will help the profile dry out much quicker vs a turf that is left alone following a rain. We vent our greens almost weekly in the winter; it's the same exact concept - small, solid tines to dry out a profile if need be, and increase gas exchange.

https://www.turfnet.com/classifieds/item/31904-2012-brother-oscillating-fan-gk22n-18x/ - if you really want to step your game up, voila. Turn this baby on in the morning and let it run. A canopy that stays moist for an extended period of time is bound to have issues.

Is the water having a hard time infiltrating in these areas? Or is it that the entire lawn is saturated and these areas are the first to show the signs?


----------



## Super7 (Oct 7, 2018)

This is the worst area as it's shady and doesn't drain well. However if I look hard through the canopy I can see some of this algae. Worred this will spread as we are expecting rain all week. Is there any chemical that will reduce this? I did buy some pantera but it has to be soaked in with lots of water and I thought that might make matters worse. Thanks for all the help!


----------



## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

It could possibly help pull water down through the soil and dry out a bit faster. That was my thought about putting air8 down. There's a thread about it here although nothing specific about algae.
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208&start=40


----------



## Zoysiaguy (Apr 26, 2018)

I have that problem in little spots that have a rut or low spot, has shade aswell then it collects water and gets that moist layer of dead grass then before you know it's getting algea. I take it out and level it with sand and let it fill in with time. If drainage is really bad Ill use a hand core aerator after I rake it out then drop the sand and level it.


----------



## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Zerotol kills algae.


----------



## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

Fwiw I really think that the air8 I put down is helping. I wish I took before and after pictures but I wasn't putting it down for this reason. The areas that were growing algae no longer feel like mush and are looking more like bare dirt/moist sand. I have however had 3 days of gray skies and constant misty rain due to hurricane Michael passing by. Not sure if that helped or hurt the situation.


----------

