Hey guys, first post here but major lurker on lawn forumns!

I have been organic for the last 4 or 5 years and it really seems like my lawn is more prone to fungus than any of my neighbors (who aren't organic).

I live in Eastern Iowa, zone 5, new construction (5 years ago) with garbage, clay soil (they remove the topsoil here and sell it before they build). My grass is the usual mix of KBG, fescue and rye in mostly full sun (builder's sod).

Every year I have major fungus problems that seem to get worse as the year goes on. My fertilizers are usually corn meal, alfalfa meal and soybean meal. I've probably put down more SBM than anything else.

This spring I put down 20 lb / 1000 sq ft of corn meal in mid April, 15 lb/1000sq ft SBM in mid May and yesterday I put another 20lb/1000 corn meal. The reason I did the corn meal again is because my lawn has a lot of fungal / disease problems. The usual leaf spot and now lots of patches of grass with bright yellow / dead blades. It's the same thing every year.

My lawn looks very good at times but I think it's because the new, good grass just grows fast enough to cover up the bad / diseased grass. Once the strong growth slows / stops the lawn takes on its usual diseased look.

Part of me wonders - could the SBM be helping / causing any of the disease problems?

It drives me nuts that my neighbors, who all use chemicals, don't seem to have the same problems!

I mulch mow at 4 1/4 inches and don't water very often (usually don't need to around here, anymore!)

Each fall I leave my grass long (at that point it's usually diseased) and I'm wondering if the disease overwinters each year only to start up again in the spring? I've sprayed milk in the past, with no real results and I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do. It doesn't appear that the disease will ever totally kill my lawn, just thin it a little.

Any thoughts / suggestions as to what to do next?

thanks, Steve

Doubtful if the soybean is the cause. But some lawn disease thrives in low-fertility environments (think Dollarspot disease). Can you describe the diseased area? Do you see cobweb like areas on your lawn in the early morning dew? (But they go away later in the day?)

That's a classic sign of Dollar Spot.

I'm wondering if the disease overwinters each year only to start up again in the spring?

Absolutely! Dollar Spot overwinters in thatch. Some fungus/molds can wait a very long time for conditions to be right again. Snow Mold can wait up to 12 years - dormant and just waiting...

Some older grass cultivars are a lot more susceptible to fungal disease. Classic rye grasses are very likely to show red or brown fungus infections although they usually recover and thrive when dryer conditions prevail. The Northeast has been especially wet the last couple weeks and therefore many if not most lawns are showing some red thread or other fungal disease. I'm betting that your cornmeal and organic practices will help your lawn overcome the fungal disease that you described. Lawn fungus exists in the soil just about everywhere. Given the right moisture and temperatures they become more evident. Be patient. I think you are doing the right things for your lawn. Experiment by cutting shorter going into next winter. That is said to help with snow mold fungi.

while I am fairly computer savvy I seem to be incapable of figuring out how to post pics to forumns.

The FAQ said to simply click the 'Insert Image' button and I could add a pic from my computer. I click the insert image button and I only get this - (it won't even show up in my post, it's brackets around the letters img, twice)??? I don't see a browse pop up or any way to click on the pic in 'my pictures'?

I have a pic of my grass I'd like to post if I can figurre out how.

thanks

To post pics, do not use the quick reply instead use the red postreply button. Below the bottom of the text window is a green line that says "add image to post" click on that and upload your picture from your computer.

Thank you, Bill! Here is a pic of a sample of my lawn. Every year it looks like this. When I get larger areas with this it gives the area a yellowish tint.

When viewed from afar my lawn looks green and pretty good but look closely and this is what you see.

I get that every year despite organic feeding and cracked corn applications. Upon close examination, my lawn has some of that now. I am sure it's related to excessive rain and moisture. It always goes away when things dry up a bit. Me, I just live with it assuming that the good fungus is keeping it at bay.

Morph - you think a blast of high N is worth a try? I've always been a little hesitant to do that because I assumed that most disease probs were made worse with high N.

FYI - my 2008 fertilizer regimen was mid April 10lb/1000 corn meal, late April 20 lb/1000 SBM, late May 10lb/1000 Alfalfa , late June 10 lb/1000 Alfalfa, August 4 oz/gal/1000 milk, late August 15lb/1000 SBM, late Sept 15lb/1000 SBM and finally late Oct 20lb/1000 cracked corn.

If the other experts here think a big SBM app might work I'll sure give it a try.

(and to answer a previous question, yes, in the summer I do have the 'spider web' appearance all over the lawn in the morning, apparently confirming a dollar spot problem?)

The flip side of all this (organic approach, with fungus) is I have the most birds in my lawn and i don't worry about my 2 year old or my newly pregnant wife being out in the yard! I still send them inside when I see a chemlawn truck pull up and bring out their fire hose to blase a neighbor's lawn with agent orange.

Steve

Morphp - you are the man! It actually sounds like fun - loading up the grass with SBM or Milorganite. I actually enjoy pushing my Earthway spreader around the lawn. Whatever happens I'm sure the lawnn will look pretty good!

I'll try to do it Monday afternoon and I'll post what and how much I used.

I'll then follow up in 2 weeks with the heavy duty corn meal app and will also post results.

Nothing else has worked for me so I'm kind of excited to give this a shot.

I also have 4 neighbors who have all questioned me about my organic practices at our neighborhood parties. It's funny - they approach me quietly while making sure no one else sees or overhears us, saying "I heard it through the grapevine that you fertilize...organically.....can you tell me a littlle more about that?" If this heavy duty app makes my lawn look great I'm sure they'll start asking me again, and maybe they'll even start, themselves!

OK, first an admission, I've never had red thread, and so will defer to those who have experience with it.

But, when I read through this thread, my thoughts were just the opposite of "more fertilizer". From my own experiences, I run in to fungal problems when I do two things wrong. Put out too much fertilizer and water too much, or at the wrong times (afternoon and evening.)

I haven't had much problem with any fungal issues once I started putting down most of my fertilizer in the fall. I only put down (usually) one 20 lb application of an organic fertilizer in the spring. Late April or May. Then I put out an application around Sept 1, Oct 1 - 15 and then a final application of urea after the first hard freeze, usually about Thanksgiving here.

I water only when the yard tells me its dry and then run the system starting about 2 am.

OK, I was all set to fertilize tomorrow but I kept thhinking about the 'red thread' diagnosis. I googled the image and it does not look like red thread. Even the description (I'm paraphrasing) 'red thread like fungus, usually in distinct circular patterns on the lawn'...that doesn't accurately describe it. I've always thought it was 'leaf spot' and I googled that (the image) and it looks exactly like what I have.

My problem isn't in any defined area at all, it's everywhere.

If it is red thread I'm very ready to blast it with some N...but if it isn't, I don't want to create more problems!

I'll reattach my pic (taken with older digital camera, not the best quality, sorry).

Any final diagnosis, or do I need to take more pics?

Do you think you could post a picture of the roots, and the whole lawn? Hard to tell what you got if you are not looking at everything as a whole.

Golf course managers are always worried about air circulation but the rest of us never consider it. It takes just enough morning wind to dry the dew off the grass, and without it you might get leaf spot. Even plants/trees just on the windward side of the yard can slow the circulation. Could it be that you have an air circulation problem that your neighbors don't have? Is your lawn surrounded by hedges, tiered plants, fences, or buildings that slow the normal flow of air or wind?

Maybe I missed it but do we know what time of day you water...that is when you water?

I will take some more pics tomorrow and post them.

To answer a few of the questions - my air circulation is pretty good. I live in a newer subdivision on the far NW edge of town and the wind seems to always be blowing here. There aren't any big trees, yet, and there aren't any hedges or walls or anything that would really impede air flow. I also rarely water. I have not watered this year at all. The rain has been sufficient so far.

Last year we had massive flooding around here,in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, IA. No flooding near my neighborhood but a whole lotta rain! I'm sure that didn't help the disease problems.

I am in Iowa, with corn and soybean fields within sight of my house. I wonder if there are any diseases that easily ttransfer between the row crops and lawns? I also seem to get rust each year, too.

I'll post some pics (tommorrow) of the lawn and of the grass with roots to see if that helps. I sure appreciate the dialogue with everyone.

" I wonder if there are any diseases that easily ttransfer between the row crops and lawns?"

I suppose it's theoretically possible, since corn is a grass, but I think it's unlikely. The farmers are watching pretty closely and dealing with any diseases pretty quickly or they'd lose their crops.

I think this has just been a wetter than normal spring in may parts of the US (even here) and that can lead to more fungal diseases.