Hello, I'm new to the forum but recognize many of the names. I've posted this with no response on LS, I figured someone here could help me out.

MY KGB lawn, which is a mix of Bedazzled, Midnight II, Moonlight, NuDestiny, Freedom III, & Blue Velvet and is about 1.5 years old (renovated fall 2007) is showing some brown at the tips of the blades as well as down at the soil level. I mow @ 3.5 inches, blade has only had about 4 cuts so its pretty sharp. We've had about 4 straight days of rain (today is the first sun we've had in a while). My lawn had a ton of seedheads over the past 5-6 weeks which are finally going into remission (or whatever they do).

Here is a close-up shot:


Here is a shot along the tips:


Here is a shot from higher up:


Here is a shot to the other side of the driveway:

Hi Jon and welcome.

This picture here,

http://gallery.me.com/jongoldman/100408 ... 6340430001

[Your images may only be up to 640 pixels wide. ]


to me sure looks like a dull mower blade, or going to fast with the mower and tearing and then the sun scorched the remaining blade.

Hi Jon,

Welcome to the site!

I'm running out at the moment. So hopefully someone else can give you the answers you seek.

But here's a quick primer on why we've tried to get folks to post photos using one of our two thumbnail generator options.

If you look in the quick reply area below, you'll see two image icons. The one on the left lets you post a larger photo (limited to 640 pixels wide). The one on the right will automatically create a smaller thumbnail version of your image which will be displayed on the left or right side of the page (depending on which you prefer). If you click on that image, it will take you to the full size image.

The other option, and the one most people seem to like, is found when you click on the Post Reply button below.

Below the text box, you'll see a link that reads, " * Add image to post."

If you click on that, you'll see a popup window that will allow you to do a couple of different things.

1) You can post a photo directly from your desktop (without having to upload it anywhere else). It will upload it to a server and display the thumbnail here on the site. If you click on the thumbnail, you'll see the full size.

1a) You can do everything mentioned in 1, plus upload additional photos at the same time. You ought to see a tab at the top of the popup providing for that option.

2) If you already have your photos uploaded to picasa or photobucket, you can choose the 2nd tab in the popup and then just specify the url to your photo. Click submit and you are done. it will generate a thumbnail which links to the full size image.

Another thing I should point out is that after clicking through these images, you should see below the photo a couple of options that might be useful to you.

If you post on other phpbb-based lawncare forums, like All about Lawns, you can select the stuff in the "Forum BBCode:" field and just paste that code in the other phpbb forum. Your photos, the ones you uploaded here, will be displayed on that other forum.

If you post to someplace that is html based, like GW, you can use the stuff found in the "HTML:" field. Just copy that code and paste it over at GW and it will display there too. So, we've essentially made it so you don't need a photobucket account to post photos, either here or at any other lawncare forum. Once you've posted here, you have everything you need to post at those other sites too.





The reason we suggest this method is that our site has a cell phone compatible version. Large photos will not display on these devices. So really this is the best of both worlds. These thumbnails click through to the full size version. So you can see everything you need here on the standard forum. But you are also allowing those folks reading your posts here on their cell phones (iphone, blackberry, android, etc) or ipod touch to see what it is that you are posting and contribute to the thread.

I hope this helps.

Again, welcome to the site!

Hi Jon. Not to scare you, but the last time I saw something like that, the whole lawn went from being wiped out by an application of dehydrated manure. Don't know if he smothered it or not, but that stuff can be pretty strong even if he didn't smother it.

Man your lawn is great and I hope your tips being brown is not a sign the lawn will soon wipe out, but I need you to remember what you have applied recently. Also need you to rememer if you mowed while the grass was wet. I think sometimes we just don't realize some things we do can be damaging. If you give the grass plants more than they can handle, they will surely shut down on you. There is a reason the grass did not repair the tips and the tips are brown now. So try to remember.

Also, gotta ask what made you sow 6 different cultivars? Three of them are Midnight Types. If there is a disease that hit, there isn't enough of a resistent variety to fight it. Even though I don't know of any besides powdery mildew that the Midnight Types are particularly susceptible to, there easily could be another and you have issued cordial invitation. That sounds preachy but I don't mean to fuss.

I can't help thinking my last paragraph sounds familiar. Did we have a similar conversation at LS last year? I know I did with someone.

To ease your mind a little, new blades very often need sharpening.

I've got to go with the mower blade theory - I loaded the picture onto a very-high resolution 24" monitor and looked for grass blades that hadn't been mowed. Every one that I found was fine, making me think that disease isn't the reason. If there were a disease or nutrient deficiency at play (certain nutrient deficiencies can cause blade-tip yellowing or browning), the uncut blades should be showing it too.

If you're not "guilty" of any of the proposed crimes that the others have thought of, then I have one more thing to check. The cut width makes me think that you're using a lawn tractor. If the front-to-back leveling isn't right (front is higher than back), then the front of the blade misses and the lawn can get "whacked" by the (lower) inside of the blade toward the back-end of the blade first, before the cutting edge cuts it. I worked on lawn mowers and tractors years ago and saw that occasionally.

Pardon me if I'm off-topic, but what are the "dark pockets" in the hillside picture? Are they just areas free of this problem, or something else?

An idea: You wouldn't happen to have a manual reel mower at your disposal to mow a smaller section with for three weeks, would you? The scissor-cut of the reel mower would prove it or disprove it for sure.

My real concern is the grass down low in the shot where you can see my hand. There are some blades where the entire blade is brown. Is that normal for KBG?

The blade was kitchen blade sharp 3 weeks ago, but I do cut 2x a week. I'll check it; I have to get my other set of blades sharpened this week.

It had rained the morning I mowed, but the grass seemed dry by 3:30 when I cut. We had so much rain that I was taking off more than I normally do (probably about an inch). I took the pictures within 30 minutes of mowing, so its hard to believe that the tips browned so fast after cutting.

Last application was Milorganite on 5/16/09. Before that was Ringer on 4/18/09.

Those darker areas are RU's poa that I had topdressed with BumperCrop pH neutral compost so I wouldn't have to stare at the dead grass. They are closing nicely.

I'm using an HRX 217, wheels are definitely even. I think the issue with the tips is the grass getting cut while too long, to reiterate, my primary concern was the grass down "low".

Bestlawn, its a long story how I picked those cultivars, but basically I saw Turftoes pictures and wanted his lawn, then I figured I'd mix in some other cultivars from the KBG mix at Seed Super Store. I've learned a lot in the last 2 years or so. Bedazzled is the largest component (about 37%).

Turftoes, I'll use the image tool, I didn't think it would work that easily.

"We had so much rain that I was taking off more than I normally do"
"I'm using an HRX 217"

3 speed transmission.

Grass was taller than usual - how fast were you cutting?
With the grass is taller than normal, did you take full passes like usual or half passes because it was taller?

Even with razor blades, grass will tear if one goes too fast or the mower is worked harder.

The brown on the lower part of the blade is from all the moisture. Needs to dry out for now.

I was taking about 2/3 cuts and bagged about 75% versus normal mulching. Is three speed transmission good or bad? I always keep the engine on the highest setting and the speed pretty slow.

Good to see that you think the grass down low is from all the rain. I was thinking of putting corn meal down (its hard to find; have to get it from a restaurant supply place if you want 50 lb bags).

I figured I'd mix in some other cultivars from the KBG mix at Seed Super Store

Damn!!! I knew I had seen a picture of that hillside front lawn before - you're the famous 50-Day Lawn on SSS, aren't you?

I'm placing your pics in the showcase. Let me know if you prefer I didn't, and I will quickly remove them.

I think the issue with the tips is the grass getting cut while too long, to reiterate, my primary concern was the grass down "low".
Danger, danger, Will Robinson!

Also, are you sure you didn't remove more than one third?

I probably took off just about 1/3. Hopefully the grass down low is just too wet. I may put GreenCure down today (its basically the official version of of the Cornell baking soda fungicide).

jglongisland wrote:I was taking about 2/3 cuts Is three speed transmission good or bad? I always keep the engine on the highest setting and the speed pretty slow.

All sounds perfect to me.

Just picked up 150 lbs of Cornmeal and Sugar. Cornmeal first, Sugar a few days later. I figure the sugar will help the dead blades break down (by giving a kickstart to all the mircoorganisms).

Sugar is good, molasses is even better. Be conservative with the sugar, as it can cause the soil microbes to lock up the Nitrogen for a few weeks if overdone (long biochemical reasons not explained here).

BTW, I'm getting reports of the "yellow/brown blades mixed in" from as far away as NC and Kansas City. I haven't seen anyone identifying it as a fungus or disease yet, and it seems to have a way of coming and going with the rains.

Separately (and not related), there are lots of reports of Red Thread outbreaks moving north.

I have molasses as well in the garage. Sugar is easier . Anybody have a suggestion for the rate of application per thousand sq. ft. for sugar (I have 150 lbs in the garage).

I just put down 150 lbs of Cornmeal on those two sections of front lawn. Not much else I can do between that and the GreenCure other than hope this perfect weather dries things out.

A good rate for liquid molasses is 3 ounces per gallon per 1,000 square feet. I'd use the same for sugar and see how it works. So 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet.

what do you use to apply sugar?

do I dilute it with water first?

I think you just put it in your spreader (the sugar)

For the purpose that Jon is planning to use it for, it is best to mix it with water in a hose-end sprayer. That helps it to soak into thatch or dead grass and accelerates the microbial action to break down the material. Too much can cause the microbes to go crazy multiplying in the soil, and cause a situation where Nitrogen gets "tied up".

For soil microbes, you can just mix it dry into something like Milorganite (let's say a 2500 sq ft bag) and then spread it over the specified 2500 sq ft.

While sugar works, I prefer mixing molasses syrup into "skunked" (ruined) beer and spraying it onto the lawn. Many people also use dry molasses. You can find several postings here if you search "molasses treatment".

I find the regular use of this to be very successful at controlling thatch buildups.

3 days after I took those pictures everything is looking a lot better. The GreenCure does work pretty fast (if that was the issue); the dry warm weather probably did the most. My backup blade is being sharpened, I'll take some new pics after I mow tomorrow afternoon with the new blade.