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Take-all Patch in St. Augustine
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Author:  Dabbler [ Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Take-all Patch in St. Augustine

I've been organic for 10 yrs. Got take-all patch 2 yrs ago in St. Augustine (in Houston) when I was totally bagging clippings for compost and missed a feeding of Microlife. I cured it with broadcasts of compost, cornmeal, molasses and Microlife. I've recently contracted this disease in another area of lawn. No irrigation system and I don't overwater. This area was so lush and tall (6 - 7 inches) I had to mow with a battery string trimmer. I spread cornmeal, molasses and Microlife after last mowing, but noticed a serious "thatch" problem. I know grass clippings do not cause thatch, but my grass clippings have not broken down. What is keeping them from breaking down? What is easiest way to aerate (15' x 70') ? What else to do for take-all patch? This is soooooo embarrassing because I'm trying to persuade my neighbors to go organic.

Author:  user_48634 [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Take-all Patch in St. Augustine

Corn meal at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet should do it for you. Have you checked for grubs in your problem spot? Dig up 1 square foot of sod and count the grubs you see. If you have 12 or more, then your problem is grubs and the organic solution is beneficial nematodes. If you don't see enough grubs to be a problem, it could possibly be another bug and, again, beneficial nematodes is the solution.

Time is of the essence to get this fixed before the end of the season. I would order the beneficial nematodes immediately and then go digging around. The brand of BN I like is the Guardian Lawn Patrol out of Colorado. They come as a smear on a damp sponge. You wring the sponge out into 5 gallons of water and then spray the water onto the soil. They have to be kept moist so they work best in pretty damp soil (think a week of rain).

Author:  Mitchell J [ Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Take-all Patch in St. Augustine

David Hall,

Sorry to barge in, but have you tried "Actinovate" yet?

The brown patches came in force to the Dallas area about three weeks ago. This was the first season I tried it instead of corn meal. We've done about 25 or so yards with it, and after the first week, both the growth of the patch and the yellowing disappears.

I would wonder with y'all's water level in San Antonio if there is any St Augustine left! My mom lives in Wimberley, so I get to your neck of the woods about once a season. Man, it was horribly dry last month.

Author:  user_48634 [ Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Take-all Patch in St. Augustine

I have not tried Actinovate because the only thing I ever heard good about it was that it controlled cottony root rot in fruit trees. I've not heard of it being used in lawns, so this is a first.

Our rain has returned. We've had more rain in the past 6 weeks than we have had in all the months since Sept 2007. Blessed relief, but now the weeds are coming in with a vengeance. For those that abandoned their St Augustine lawns, I'm seeing a lot of nutgrass and rain lilies.

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