‘Tis the time of year I and others start getting those homeowner questions about lawns! Dead spots, insect damage, fungus and other oddities are being observed and stressed over right now. But don’t make a mad dash to the nursery or big box store just yet.

Thank Mother Nature for the rise of turfgrass diseases this time of year. Generally, favorable conditions under which fungal diseases thrive are warm temperatures and foliar wetness, be it from repeated rains, dew, over irrigation, or high humidity.

To properly treat the issue, a correct diagnosis needs to be made. Bring a sample to a county extension agent, who will be happy to take a closer look with a microscope! Also, UGA Extension has a publication for the identification and control of turfgrass diseases. Great pictures and descriptions accompany it here. And if these don’t match the symptoms, it could perhaps be insect damage or poor fertility and/or maintenance.

For anyone investing in healthy turf at home, a soil test should be taken and submitted to UGA’s Soil, Plant & Water Laboratory. This cheap and easy test reveals everything about the soil’s nutrient value. Then planning, planting and fertilizing become much easier to do!

Here are some basic habits to keep in mind this summer when tending to turf.

- All turfgrasses like sun! Give up the ghost of trying to grow a lawn in a shaded area. However, Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz reminds us there are some grass species that handle limited light (’shaded’ if you like) environments better than others. Visit UGA’s Georgia Turf for more information. Compare and shop for different varieties produced by NG Turf.

- Established lawns generally prefer one inch of water per week.

- Water deeply and in the early morning, to avoid evaporation and to allow the grass blades to dry out.

- Pay attention to irrigation system settings. Don’t let them run when large amounts of rainfall are in the forecast. And ensure they’re delivering enough water to be beneficial.

- Mowing frequency and height in important. Proper frequency is timed such that no more than one-third of the grass blade height is cut in one mowing. Tall fescue is generally kept at 2-3″ tall, and bermuda and zoysia are best growing to 1-2″ high.

- Keep up with chores like

• Aeration, when the grass is in active growth
• Fertilizing when necessary
• Applying preemergence herbicide at least twice per year (by mid-March to prevent summer weeds and early September to prevent winter weeds)
• Monitoring your lawn calendar for when to be doing what

When it comes to summer sod installation, Jutt Howard with NG Turf recently shared these tips on my show.

- Do your best to install sod the day it’s delivered. Jutt recommends to take the first 6 pieces of sod off the top and water them deeply. They’re the most likely to be desiccated from transport.

- Find a local, fresh supplier of sod. It’s best if it’s harvested late in the afternoon for next day delivery.

- Don’t wait until you’re finished installing it to water. Irrigate as it’s going down on the ground.

- Cool the dirt before you put the sod down. Lightly hit dusty areas of dirt with the hose. Jutt says this ensures that the sods’ roots make contact with the ground when it’s much cooler.

**Listen back to the entire show with NG Turf HERE. Scroll to “On Demand” and look for “Hours 2 and 3″ of show 6/15/24.

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