# Celebration in Distress



## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Need some help. I live in a community of over 5,000 individual homes, and am the only one that does not have St. Aug. I was written up this week for my lawn looking "distressed". I had just verticut, scarified, and pretty much scalped the lawn, due to having a bad spell of spotted spurge, which has now been eliminated. Take a look at the pics, and let me know your thoughts. I have 15 days to get back to these folks with either proof of green grass, or a plan to have it done.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

I remember your lawn from last season. Hard to believe its been declining like that on it's own with the weather we've had. With the spurge growing so well you may have a nematode problem.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

Try to water daily or every other day and see if it improves.


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## CarolinaCuttin (Sep 6, 2019)

Let it grow a little longer to look more dense, give it bunches of nitrogen and water. Mow every other day skipping weak areas until they are tall enough to have grass removed.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Ugh, i feel your pain. Mine isn't that bad except in one area, the side yard that doesn't show as much...but I have a bad feeling it is heading that way. 
Maybe grab some individual sod pieces for the worst areas to shut the HOA up?


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

I've been fitting mole crickets this year, but hadn't thought about nematodes. What do I look for, or should I just treat with an insecticide? I'm watering every third day, (HOA guidelines) so I think the watering has been fine. I was wondering about maybe a boost of iron to at least help what grass is there look greener?


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Fighting, not fitting mole crickets


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

bbbdkc79 said:


> I've been fitting mole crickets this year, but hadn't thought about nematodes. What do I look for, or should I just treat with an insecticide? I'm watering every third day, (HOA guidelines) so I think the watering has been fine. I was wondering about maybe a boost of iron to at least help what grass is there look greener?


I'd hit those bare spots with a hose, as the bare ground tends to dry out quick in this weather. For nematodes, you can send a soil sample to UF, they charge 25 bucks, and have the form on the website.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

bbbdkc79 said:


> I've been fitting mole crickets this year, but hadn't thought about nematodes. What do I look for, or should I just treat with an insecticide? I'm watering every third day, (HOA guidelines) so I think the watering has been fine. I was wondering about maybe a boost of iron to at least help what grass is there look greener?


HOA guidelines????????. Same guidelines that are killing your grass. Here is what I would do to your grass in this order. Water. Every other day for a total of 0.3 inches per watering. Fertilizer. NPK Not just N. Never mind the trendy and hyped "lawn fertilizers". 1-1-1 ratio fertilizer.

Nematodes are indicated by grass that wilts in hot weather, always seems to need water, dries out in spots and patches that are not explained by differences in soil texture or buried objects. When looking at the roots of the grass, you will notice an absence of root hairs and a sparse root system compared to non affected grass. Infestation of the lawn by Spurges and no other weed other than Nutsedge is also suggestive.

Regular insecticides do nothing for nematodes. There are a couple of products that are effective but not explicitly labeled for it. What you are seeing is the result of the residues of the pre 2000 lawn insecticides breaking down and leaving the grass unprotected.


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

You have all been very helpful, and I will take all of your advice into consideration. I had a lost weekend due to grandbabies in town, so I plan to hit it hard this Friday, as I am off. Cut, fertilize and water. Soil sample to follow.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Most regulations don't prohibit kids playing in the yard with water...got any kids to "play in the sprinklers" for you, lol?
But seriously, run the sprinklers at night/pre dawn and no one will know. If they complain, tell them you are doing it because they demanded green grass


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## acegator (May 31, 2018)

Had never heard of nematodes until this thread now another thing to worry about 

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/coverstreet/articles/page1480693329691


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Got the spurge, nutsedge and crabgrass in remission, and now have these 2 other pests to contend with.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

First pic is Virginia Buttonweed. I believe the second one is dallisgrass. Most broadleaf herbicides will take care of the buttonweed. Pull the dallisgrass if possible.


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

I'll start tomorrow on the dallisgrass. This first chunk I pulled out came out pretty easy.


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Got the HOA to give me a reprieve on my lawn. I smoked the weeds, and prepping the areas for plugs, but based on timing, they won't be cutting again for a few weeks. What's the best way to keep the weeds from coming back while I'm waiting on plugs, and during the grow in?


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Well, the reprieve lasted until today when I received a certified piece of mail stating I have until the 10th of July to correct the problem. Since I'm not one of those individuals who enjoys confrontations, and the fact that I'm the only one in the whole HOA (over 5000 homes) that has Bermuda, I'm thinking of taking up the problem area, and lay new sod to keep the letters from coming (along with the daily fine). The way I look at it is, I'll let them win this battle, but I'll win the war.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

July 10th is a month away. Plenty of time to fix up Bermuda with some fertilizer and water.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> bbbdkc79 said:
> 
> 
> > I've been fitting mole crickets this year, but hadn't thought about nematodes. What do I look for, or should I just treat with an insecticide? I'm watering every third day, (HOA guidelines) so I think the watering has been fine. I was wondering about maybe a boost of iron to at least help what grass is there look greener?
> ...


I've heard thru the grapevine that Abamectin is effective for Nematodes....Cough cough I mean Bermuda Mites.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Abamectin has been used for Nematode and Bermuda mite control in Australia for years now. The formulation they use was designed to not bind to thatch and go straight into the soil. It is composed of microencapsulated Abamectin. Follow the money, but Abamectin was only allowed for Nematode control after Nemacur was pulled off the market.

When AVID got temporary labeling for Nematode control on golf greens, it was applied at 1.4 oz per 1000 sq ft with instructions to water in immediately after application.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> Abamectin has been used for Nematode and Bermuda mite control in Australia for years now. The formulation they use was designed to not bind to thatch and go straight into the soil. It is composed of microencapsulated Abamectin. Follow the money, but Abamectin was only allowed for Nematode control after Nemacur was pulled off the market.
> 
> When AVID got temporary labeling for Nematode control on golf greens, it was applied at 1.4 oz per 1000 sq ft with instructions to water in immediately after application.


It's ridiculous what they charge now for a labeled nematodes treatment like Divanem. Not everyone has golf course budgets. 
https://www.greencastonline.com/product/divanem-insecticide/overview/turf


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

By now you know what a bottle of Indemnify(Fluopyram) goes for. 
A long time ago, my fertilizer vendor told me about Exteris Stressguard. Same AI with Trifloxystrobin added. Isn't interesting how Syngenta suggests applying their nematode treatment with Heritage? Trifloxystrobin covers the same diseases that Heritage does. I also find that Zoysia turf with a Nematode problem gets Large Patch infections so easily.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Oh yeah...$1700 not. The golf course I live on mentioned Indemnify last season when I thought I was having a nematode issue. Thank God I had UGA do a nematode test. Come to find out it was a heavy preM root stunt Issue. I fired the lawn company and took everything over.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I do not screw myself up with misuse of pre, so when turf has root issues, it is Nematodes. If you are not lucky, a lawn company misuses Pendimethalin and Specticle.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> By now you know what a bottle of Indemnify(Fluopyram) goes for.
> A long time ago, my fertilizer vendor told me about Exteris Stressguard. Same AI with Trifloxystrobin added. Isn't interesting how Syngenta suggests applying their nematode treatment with Heritage? Trifloxystrobin covers the same diseases that Heritage does. I also find that Zoysia turf with a Nematode problem gets Large Patch infections so easily.


So on the Exteris Stressguard, is the reason it's only for commercial applicators because it has off label Nemocidal properties that poses a danger?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

No, that is boilerplate CYA that Bayer puts on all of their products.


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

Here's my soil sample results. Site One has 0-0-18 for the Potassium, and we're supposedly under the "no nitrogen" for our area. Any other suggestion to bring the N up?


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## bbbdkc79 (Oct 16, 2018)

So, I ended up removing the problem sod, and installed 2 new pallets. Now I'm wondering how I'm going to get this new grass down to my current height of .625. This grass could be used for the US Open rough!!!! It's got to be 4+ inches. What's the best way to get this down to a manageable level that my Swardman can handle? Rent a Rotary for a few cuts?


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Do you have rotary scissors or a string trimmer? I had that problem when mine got overgrown and had to take my rotary scissors to the parts that the swardman couldn't get. I know they sell a high grass kit for $20.


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## Meximusprime (Jun 21, 2019)

My new celebration back in early May 2020 came in high as well. Once rooted (6 days) I took my rotary (bagged) and cut it down to 1.25 and then 3/4 a few days later. I was hesitant to take it down to 3/4 on first pass due to being so new. It has been reel cut since then. Good luck!


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