DISEASE ID · FUNGAL DISEASE
Take-all root rot
Also called Take-all patch, bermudagrass decline
A soil fungus that rots roots and runners and leaves weak, brown patches. It hits St. Augustine hardest, and bermudagrass too.
How to spot it
- Yellowing grass that turns brown, wilts and thins out
- Irregular brown patches, from about a foot to more than 20 feet across
- Roots are short, black and rotten
- Runners (stolons) lift out of the soil easily
- Blades do not pull out of the plant easily, unlike large patch
Why it shows up
The fungus lives in the soil and thatch, and it is often there even in healthy-looking grass. It becomes a problem when the lawn is stressed by heat, drought, shade, compacted soil, poor drainage or heavy nitrogen. It spreads mostly through roots and runners.
How we treat it
We'll identify it on a visit and rule out look-alikes like large patch and chinch bugs. The main fix is lawn care: water deep and less often, fix drainage, aerate, and feed moderately instead of heavy. If it's bad, a treatment might make sense, and we'll talk through it with you.
What you can do
- Water deep and less often, not a little every day.
- Fix spots that stay wet, and aerate compacted soil.
- Go easy on nitrogen. Too much builds thatch and stresses the grass.
WANT IT HANDLED?
Let a licensed applicator take it from here.
Tell us about your lawn. We’ll get back to you with a free quote.
Prefer to talk? 817-382-1722Licensed applicator, Texas Department of Agriculture · License #0984138