Augustine grass and often cause significant damage or death during the hot summer. Avoid using nitrogen rich fertilizer in early spring and late fall. I have some dead areas of dead st augestine with new growth but it is yellow,i also have yellowing in in other areas. Seeing a lot of brown, dead patches in a lawn that is properly taken care of is a sign that chinch bugs are attacking your st. How to identify and control chinch bugs in the lawn brown.
Augustine and bermuda are relatively unaffected by diseases and insects. Thatch is the spongy, brown layer of organic material that forms between grass blades and soil. Brown patch fungus proliferates in cool wet conditions. It is the least cold tolerant of the warmseason turfgrasses. Chinch bugs are small insects that feed on grass, destroying it in the process. Grass attacked by chinch bugs looks like grass suffering from drought. Crocker t he southern chinch bug, blissus insularis, is one of the most important insect pests of st. They suck the sap out of your grass and brown it out. These pests are not easy to spot, as they are only about a fifth of an inch long, but. The southern chinch bug, blissus insularis, is one of the most important insect pests of st. How to detect and kill chinch bugs in the lawn youtube. Like other cultivars of st augustine grass it is susceptible to chinch bugs and large patch disease. As the name implies, the damage from this fungus manifests as browned patches in your yard with circleshaped tan or brown spots on the individual blades of grass, as well. Both the nymph and adult chinch bugs possess suckingstyle mouths.
Augustine lawns in south texas that normally never turn brown from the cold did so this year. These pests are not easy to spot, as they are only about a fifth of an inch long, but you can use dishwashing detergent to get them moving. Recognize chinch bug damage grass attacked by chinch bugs looks like grass suffering from drought. Augustine grass how to prevent chinch bugs, where they typically attack your grass, and how to treat chinch bugs. This is a coolweather disease that doesnt show up until late september or october, and mainly after the first fall rains. Nov 15, 2017 brown patch affects all types of grass, but is most common with st. Chinch bugs are common pests and they can cause a serious damage to this type of grass. Sep 04, 2008 chinch bugs or fungus in st augustine grass. Captiva is also a relatively new cultivar developed by the florida agricultural experiment station. However, it is a high maintenance turfgrass, requiring monthly fertilizer during the growing season on. Maintaining your yard properly can prevent this type of fungus from destroying.
It should be too hot for brown patch so look for chinch bugs in the good grass just out side the circle. Brown patch symptoms, however, usually occur in a circular or semicircular pattern, as opposed. Chinch bug damage can be confused with certain lawn diseases or other physiological disorders. Just when you think youve done everything right, suddenly theres a patch of grass thats dead or dying. Covering many different lawn care topics relating to most aspects of lawn care practices for st augustine grass lawns. Dark green color, thick uniform growth, easy to establish and more. For information on preventing, identifying, and controlling large patch and other common turfgrass diseases, see warmseason turfgrass disease management in urban landscapes. One sign of chinch bug damage is grass that looks drought stressed when it has actually had plenty of water. To prevent takeall root rot, the most effective approach is to take proper care of the. Augustine grass is susceptible to fungal problems, especially in the warm seasons when the weather is wet. This creative name describes the general symptoms caused by various ailments, whether it is chinch bugs, nematodes or the other numerous diseases that attack st. Augustine, have taken a pounding over the summer from dry weather, chinch bugs, and white grubs. These hardtospot pests dont just feed on your grassthey actually remove the fluids from the plant and inject it with a toxin.
Our lawn experts find that the raleigh variety seems to be the most susceptible to the disease. They tend to aggregate, which initially results in localized dead patches. The major pest of st augustine grass is the chinch bug. Augustine lawn grass in texas because of its cold tolerance, but. Apr 20, 2017 because january 2017 found extremely low temperatures plunging deeply into texas, st. Augustine grass spreads rapidly and aggressively via aboveground stolons, or runners. Although most damaging in gulf coast regions and in the southern half of the state, chinch bugs can be a problem anywhere st.
When the baby chinch bugs hatch, they continue the grass destruction cycle. Brown patch usually occurs in the spring or fall and occurs in lawns that are over watered or in areas of the lawn that dont drain properly. Here is how to detect chinch bugs, and how to effectively kill them. Augustine lawn grass in texas because of its cold tolerance, but is still prone to chinch bugs and brown patch attacks. After a busy season of chinch bugs and crabgrass, the next problem will be a common fungal disease called brown patch. Were entering prime time for chinch bugs, which prefer the st.
Once theyre in your yard, chinch bugs stay on the move, eating the base of grass stems and destroying one patch of grass before heading for another spot. Augustine grass close to where the plant contacts the dirt. Brown patch fungus unsurprisingly causes large brown patched in the lawn. Augustine grass is readily established from sod since the species is vigorous and spreads rapidly by creeping stolons. Thanks for visiting, i hope some of these lawn care tips may be of use on your own home lawns. It is susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms and brown patch disease and is cold sensitive. How to identify the cause of brown spots in your lawn brown spots in lawns are frustrating to deal with. St augustine grass is susceptible to leaf spot and brown patch, as well as root rot. Augustine grass production 300 to 500 square yards bushels of sod are planted per acre. Chinch bugs feed on many kinds of lawn grasses, but st. Augustine grass is infested with chinch bugs, try this trick. Treating brown patch disease in saint augustine grass. How to identify chinch bugs and chinch bug damage in st.
Types of fungal invaders include gray leaf spot disease, takeall root rot, brown patch lawn disease and dollar spot disease. Augustine is a vigorous, mediumgreen, mediumtextured lawn grass. Brown patch symptoms, however, usually occur in a circular or semicircular pattern, as opposed to the irregularshaped areas of dead and dying. Oct 28, 2014 how to prevent and treat chinch bugs in st. These dead areas are brown, irregular sunken patches, which can coalesce into larger dead areas. It will turn brown with fall freezes and will be slow to green in the spring. Discussion in turf renovation started by dew80, sep 4, 2008. Typical damage looks like drought stress, but it doesnt respond to watering. Brown patch affects all types of grass, but is most common with st. Chinch bug saliva is toxic to the grass and will only accelerate the damage. Augustinegrass stenotaphrum secundatum, sometimes referred to as charleston grass, is a coarsetextured, spreading grass that is popular throughout warmer regions of the southern united states. I have an area on one of my properties where the grass is dying. Most homeowners first notice a problem when they spot a circular brown patch in the midst of their lawn in middle or late summer.
How to control chinch bugs in the lawn pests scotts. Maintaining your yard properly can prevent this type of fungus from destroying your lawn. Augustine, but usually occurs in a circular or semicircular pattern, as opposed to the irregularshaped areas of dead and dying grass that from chinch bugs. If you have a st augustine lawn in florida you will get chinch bug its not a mater of if but how often. The last 3 years i sprayed regularly for chinch bugs, but never treated for fungus. Classic is available for jacksonville sod installation and st. To treat chinch bugs without chemicals, start by raking your lawn, then vacuuming it to try and catch the.
The best time of year to treat for chinch bugs in st. Jun 08, 2004 it should be too hot for brown patch so look for chinch bugs in the good grass just out side the circle. To test for this fungal disease, pull on a leaf blade. The most widely used turf species in pinellas county is st augustine grass. Call 2814317441 for more information about chinch bugs. Chinch bugs or fungus in st augustine grass lawnsite. Augustine grass thats so prominent in northeast florida. Augustine grass stenotaphrum secundatum, which grows in u. It is total stupidity to post it on the world wide web and expect people to approve.
Brown patch is a common disease affecting the leaf blades of st. Augustine grass is susceptible to a type of fungus aptly called brown patch fungus. Brown patch symptoms, however, usually occur in a circular or semicircular pattern, as opposed to the irregularshaped areas of dead and dying grass that result from chinch bug feeding. An adult female chinch bug can deposit over 250 eggs on average in her lifecycle, she may lay as little as 4 eggs per day, but she will oviposit for many continuous weeks. Johnson galveston county extension agent horticulture. Jan 27, 2016 it is susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms and brown patch disease and is cold sensitive. Augustine grass, the southern chinch bugs favorite food, has excellent shade tolerance. These sun and heatloving insects seldom attack shady lawns.
Treatment and prevention before you start to treat your grass for fungus or other problems, make sure that chinch bugs havent gotten to your yard. Mar 30, 2015 2 steps to control chinch bugs florida first is to correctly identify you have chinch bugs and second is to select the right insecticide to control it. Chinch bug adults and nymphs beside damaged st augustine grass leaves. Saint augustine grass, saint augustine lawn care tips, saint augustine grass types. What may begin as a small patch of dead grass will quickly grow into a large area of dead grass, constantly expanding outward. Discussion in turf renovation started by dew80, sep 4. Jul 05, 2017 learn how to identify and control brown spots in the lawn caused by chinch bugs. Augustine grass is the only turfgrass to suffer severe damage from chinch bugs, they can also feed on. However, heres how to identify the most common problems and correct them. Augustine lawns chinch bugresistant grass varieties make it possible to confidently install chinch bugfree lawns, but full replacement of an. That means that the blades were turned brown by the cold, so there is very little chance of brown patch showing up this spring. Brown patch disease in st augustine lawn saint augustine.
How to identify the cause of brown spots in your lawn today. Prevention is the key to stopping all lawn diseases in a saint augustine lawn, and many of the same preventative measures which stop brown patch from taking hold in a lawn will also be the cure. Mercedes mercedes st augustine grass is a fine textured and medium green in color. This is a tiny insect that pierces through the grass with needlelike mouth parts and sucks out the juices. For example, brown patch is a common disease affecting the leaf blades of st. Chinch bug control is described in chinch bugs in st. Learn how to identify and control brown spots in the lawn caused by chinch bugs. Augustine grass, which widely grows in southern states such as texas and florida. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, but according to the university of nebraskas department of entomology, chinch bugs will also eat other grasses such as buffalograss bouteloua dactyloides, hardy in usda zones 5. The four most likely causes are brown patch, takeall patch and chinch bugs. Augustine grass doesnt attract a whole lot of pests, but homeowners should be on the lookout for chinch bugs.
Chinch bugs are generally found in hot, sunny areas of a lawn. Lawn grasses in the texas upper gulf coast region, especially st. How to treat chinch bugs without chemicals with pictures. In the video, houston grass south owner michael romine talks about chinch bugs in st. Despite these downsides, st augustine is a great grass and will make a beautiful lawn if you give it proper care, so its not.
This is why the problem is often confused with the brown patch fungal disease. The chinch bug damage will leave fibrous tears in the crown to stem area, cutting off the plants ability to circulate water. Augustinegrass cultivars having a darkgreen color with short, narrow leaf blades. If youve checked for chinch bugs and are still not sure you have them, call a professional.