Johnson's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2007 
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/advice.html#lawn

Control Brown Patch in Fescue Lawns 

    If patches of your lawn are beginning to turn brown or discolored
... your lawn probably has a fungus known as brown patch. Most fescue
lawns experience some brown patch during periods of high humidity and
warm night time temperatures (65-70+ degrees). Symptoms develop rapidly 
(24-48 hours) during these conditions. Brown patch may look like roughly
circular patches of blighted turf or may be a more diffuse pattern of
off-color turf.

    The severity of the damage depends on how long the weather remains
hot and humid. Mild to moderate cases of brown patch will recover 2-3
weeks after weather conditions cool down. Unfortunately, the turf looks
terrible when the disease is active and during the recovery period.
Severe cases of brown patch attack the crowns, rhizomes and roots and
large portions of the turf may be killed.

    There are steps you can take to control the spread of brown patch,
but first let's go over some things you can do to prevent this disease
from getting started in your lawn.


STEPS TO PREVENT BROWN PATCH 
    Apply a preventative systemic fungicide on a regular basis
during the summer. (This is similar to putting down a preventative
grubworm control.) Make your first application just as soon as weather
conditions are favorable. Keep in mind that the preventative application
rate is usually HALF that of the curative application rate. For example,
a bag may cover 3,000 sq. ft. as a preventative but only 1,500 sq. ft.
as a curative. (Thus, it's less expensive to prevent brown patch with
fungicides than it is to control with fungicides.)

    Water your lawn early in the morning, allowing grass blades to
dry before night. When nights are hot (65-70+ degrees) and humid, 
and grass blades are wet, the fungus spreads rapidly.
    
    Do not fertilize when conditions are right for the spread of
brown patch.

    Make sure your mower blade is sharp. Nothing injures grass more
than a dull blade which tears the grass instead of cutting it cleanly.
Ragged grass blades increase the susceptibility of disease.

    When seeding in the spring or fall, don't be fooled into thinking
"more seed is better." Lawns that are too thick are a breeding ground
for disease.

STEPS TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF BROWN PATCH 
    ÊAs soon as you start to see symptoms, apply a curative fungicide to
suppress further disease development. Use either a fungicide spray to
spot treat the brown areas and the adjacent healthy grass or apply a
granular fungicide to the entire yard to prevent spreading of the
disease. Keep in mind that the curative application rate is usually
TWICE that of a preventative application rate. For example, a bag may
cover 3,000 sq. ft. as a preventative but only 1,500 sq. ft. as a
curative application.

    Rake seriously affected areas to remove brown, dead grass. This will
help increase air circulation and improve available light for the
surviving grass plants.

GRANULES FOR LARGE AREAS 
    When deciding how much product you need to apply, remember that the
term CURATIVE does not mean that your lawn will green up after
treatment. Diseased areas will stay brown until weather changes in the
fall. A CURATIVE application prevents brown patch from getting worse and
from spreading to other areas of your lawn.

ferti-lome F-STOP - containing Eagle Fungicide provides systemic 
    (absorbed by the grass blades and won't wash off) protection and 
    curative fungicide to control turfgrass diseases in establishedÊ
    lawns. Available in 8 lb. bags. 

    PREVENTATIVE - Apply every 2-4 weeks depending on weather 
            conditions. One bag covers 2,000 sq. ft. 

    CURATIVE - Apply every 2-4 weeks depending on weather 
            conditions. One bag covers 1,000 sq. ft. 

Bayer Fungus Control for Lawns with Bayleton - systemic lawn fungicide 
    formulated to be rapidly absorbed and retained by the turf grass. 
    Available in 6 lb. bags. 

    PREVENTATIVE - Apply at 15-day to 30-day intervals until cooler, 
            drier weather arrives. One bag covers 4,000 sq. ft. 

    CURATIVE - Apply at 14-day intervals until control is achieved, 
            then reduce to the preventative rate and timing. One bag    
            covers 2,000 sq. ft. 

LIQUID CONCENTRATE AND READY TO SPRAY 

ferti-lome Liquid Systemic Fungicide containing Banner condentrate and RTS  

    PREVENTATIVE - Apply 10 tablespoons in one gallon of water per 
            250 sq. ft. of lawn. If needed, repeat treatment every 
            10 days. First application should be in May or June 
            before disease is present. This product is highly 
            effective when used to prevent diseases or applied at 
            the first sign of disease. This product will not eliminate
            disease already present. 

 Bonide Fung-onil - systemic fungicide in a convenient 
    hose-end sprayer 

    PREVENTATIVE - Spray 2 oz. per 100 sq. ft. (at this rate a 
            bottle covers 1600 sq. ft.) starting in May or June before disease occurs. Apply every 14 days.