SDS

16 approach
17 approach

Spring Dead spot is first evident in the spring after the grass starts breaking dormancy and begins to green up. This is one of the fungal diseases that we battle every year and this year it has won. The severity of this disease is dependent on the severity and length of winter dormancy. The longer the grass is dormant and the colder the temperatures, the more severe the disease will be. And this year we have endured a very long, hard winter. We now have to wait until the grass starts actively growing so we can grow these areas over. This is simply because the dead spots you see now all began in the fall of last year. That is why this disease is so hard to control, you have to treat these areas when the grass is green and healthy looking. We do three things to fight this disease: spray the proper fungicides, aerify, and vertical mow our mapped areas. Mississippi State University is researching ways to put a stop to this disease that effects bermudagrass in cool regions. So I think in the near future we will have better methods on controlling this disease.