Question
Hello,

I live in Southern California. I have a 2 1/2 year old fescule lawn in my front yard. It is watered daily this time of year for ten minutes, fertilizer about every three months.  Recently though it has developed large brown spots in areas and is getting worse. Could it be a fungus? If so , how do I treat it?

Thank you,

Wayne

Answer
Sounds like your Grass is on a feeding/watering schedule, rather than eating and drinking when it needs to.  True or False?

Fertilizing every 3 months is probably wiping out any beneficial microbes that keep Fungus diseases at bay.  This is great if you make Fungicides and want to build up business.  Can I assume this Grass is growing in full Sun?  Are you watering it at night?

I'm inclined to agree with you that all signs seem to point to a Fungus problem.  First order of business would be to water ONLY when the Grass needs it.  Next order: Stop fertilizing.  You push the envelope on soft new tissue without building a root system that can support it.

University of California/Davis posts a whole page on Turfgrass Diseases in California:

www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7497.html

and identification of pests:

www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7497-t2.html

You'll be pleased to know that they maintain that incorrect watering practices are the most common reason for discolored lawns.

Please review the diagnostics page and let me know if there is something there that looks familiar.  Then we can go over it, and figure out a cure.  This is easy -- the cause is common, the cure is a piece of cake, but only if we know what we're dealing with.  Know thy enemy.  Thanks for writing.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER