Identifying & Treating Common Lawn Problems

Below is a list of descriptions and photos of a few common issues in a lawn. If you have any problem or questions, feel free to bring in a sealed sample and pictures and we'll do our best to help you diagnose any issues!

I'm seeing signs of damage to my lawn, and I think it's an insect problem, but I'm not sure.

Try a soap flush:

Mix 4-5 Tablespoons Dish Soap in 2 Gallons Water
Pour onto an area of your lawn 4-6 square feet big.
Within 5 minutes, any insects should come out of your soil.
Rinse area well with hose after performing test to prevent dead patches in your lawn.

Seeing some insects is normal, but when a huge number of insects emerge you can assume there is a significant insect problem that needs to be addressed.

Moles vs Voles

MOLES

"M"eat eaters - (grubs/worms/insects)
large tunnels in your lawn with large exits

Treat with repellent or attack their food source.

Mole & Vole Repellent

Bayer Grub Killer Plus

Bayer Dylox

1/1

Repellant Grub Killer+ Dylox

VOLES

"V"egetarians - (roots of plants)
small tunnels/exit holes

Treat with repellent.

Repellant

Mole & Vole Repellent

1/1

Grubs

GRUBS

If you have dead spots and think there are grubs, do a soil test first. Mole activity is also usually an indicator of a grub presence.

Take a shovel and dig through the root base of the grass, then slide the shovel horizontally under the roots and rotate the shovel upwards to lift the grass. You will be able to see if grubs are present.

Most grubs are a larvae stage Japanese Beatle. Treating for grubs can reduce Japanese Beatle problems later in the year.

You can either treat the immediate problem, or try to prevent it from happening.

Milky spore can take up to 3 yrs to work, but is a long lasting treatment

Milky Spore Powder

Bayer Grub Killer Plus

Bayer Dylox

1/1

Milky Spore Grub Killer+ Dylox

Army Worms

ARMY WORMS

Armyworms are destructive pests that consume turf grasses. They eventually become moths, but it's the worm-like larvae stage that cause the most damage.

When large numbers are present in your lawn, armyworms may seem to march side-by-side across your lawn causing brown spots. Heavy infestations can destroy lawn grasses in just a few days.

You can treat with liquid or granular, but both at the same time is the MOST effective treatment.

Bifen Pint

Bayer Grub Killer Plus

Bayer Dylox

1/1

Bifen I/T Grub Killer+ Dylox

I'm seeing signs of damage to my lawn, and I think it's an fungus problem, but I'm not sure.

Most of the time, the following all have to be true to have a fungus problem:

Your species of grass is prone to disease.
The fungus pathogen is present.
The weather is humid, providing the perfect environment for fungus.

You can control your lawn's environment - to an extent - through proper mowing and watering techniques to keep lawn disease at bay.

Evening watering leaves moisture on the grass overnight, which makes the lawn more prone to fungal growth.

BROWN PATCH

Irregular rings or patches of brown/tan grass.
Gray/tan lesions on blades with dark borders.
Grayish "smoke ring" around margins of patches may be evident in the morning.
Can also be a good indicator of having aphids.

Brown Patch

1/3

Strobe Pro G

Strobe Pro 1lb

Propiconazole

1/1

Treat with
Azoxystrobin or Propiconazole

RED THREAD

Extended periods of cool wet weather.
Reddish brown patches, usually a few inches wide.
Gelatinous masses of pink fungus on water soaked leaves.

red-thread-2

f58b1c7f6ee18cd55fe64fb5113f2f7c52d1559a-601x603

red-thread-11399-redthread-signs-myceliumandsclerotia-ltc

red-thread-2

1/3

Strobe Pro G

Strobe Pro 1lb

Propiconazole

1/1

Treat with
Azoxystrobin or Propiconazole

PYTHIUM BLIGHT

Hot humid weather.
Rapidly growing, brown, greasy, circular spots.
Cotton like masses of fungus.

Pythium Blight

1/3

Subdue Maxx

Subdue GR

Mefenoxam

1/1

Treat with
Subdue or Mefenoxam

PINK SNOW MOLD

Usually around March-April
Large patches with pink margins with reddish brown centers.

Pink Snow Mold 3_1

Pink Snow Mold 2_1

pink_snow_mold_giese2_fmt

Pink Snow Mold 3_1

1/3

Strobe Pro G

Strobe Pro 1lb

1/1

Treat with
Azoxystrobin or Propiconazole

I have weeds in my lawn, but I'm not sure what they are. Can you help?

There are a lot of different weeds you might find in your lawn. The most complete weed database is from NC State's Turf Files, linked below. We have listed just a few most common weeds below.

You can also bring a clipping in and we'll do our best to help identify the weed and find a solution to the problem.

NC State Turf Files

Please follow all label use instructions for any chemicals.

BERMUDA GRASS

Hard to treat selectively within another turf grass.
Spray with non-selective then re-seed fescue.

Bermuda Grass

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PLANTAIN

There are several different varieties of plantain.
Typically grows in neglected laws with compact soil.
Spray with selective broadleaf herbicide.

Blackseed Plantain

Buckhorn Plantain 1

Blackseed Plantain

1/6

COMMON DANDELION

Apply pre-emergent broadleaf control to prevent.
Apply selective broadleaf herbicide to treat.

Common Dandelion

1/2

HENBIT

Apply pre-emergent broadleaf control to prevent.
Apply selective broadleaf herbicide to treat.

Henbit

Henbit (2)

Henbit

1/2

WHITE CLOVER

Apply pre-emergent broadleaf control to prevent.
Apply selective broadleaf herbicide to treat.

Common Dandelion

1/2

Reading Soil Test

2410 Northside Dr. Statesville

(704) 253-7010

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Identifying & Treating Common Lawn Problems

Moles vs Voles