I already have the catch cup test ready to perform. I will make any adjustments to the sprinklers if needed. This area just went bad in the past year due to improper watering by myself before the Iro. What are some watering strategies to get this area back up and going like the rest of my lawn? Should I hosed it down on days where I am not watering the entire lawn? The temperature is now reaching 100. FYI overnight temperatures just started exceeding 65 so the Bermuda will start to come in pretty good everywhere
That looks like grub damage and not a watering issue. You might want to google grub lawn damage and see for yourself.
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Where are you located? What kind of Bermuda, regular or some form of hyrid? The round patches either look like urine damage from a dog, or possibly something like pearl scale if you have hybrid bermuda in a desert area. I live in Phoenix and some forms of hybrid are much more sensitive than others, but regular bermuda doesnāt seem to be affected.
Iāve never thought about an infestation but I did look up grubs and 2 things I notice.
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The affected area looks similar to infested areas
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Iāve never given it much thought, but my dogās pool many times has those grub-looking worms. He poops in a different, healthy part of the lawn. I never gave it much thought to that because I just assumed some bug comes along and lays larva in the poop and no big deal, I just pick it up. Coincidence?[quote=āgarmanmd, post:3, topic:4109ā]
Where are you located? What kind of Bermuda, regular or some form of hyrid?
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Iām in Phoenix. Its been years since my grass was put it, but it was a hybrid bermudaā¦ tifway sounds familiar. There are definitely dog urine damages from the winter Rye. I gave up on the rye this past winter but I was still watering here and there so the dead area seemed a bit extreme for the rye to burn out like that, especially since it didnāt in other areas. It just became a dull green in other areas.
Pearl scale loves the various hybrids. Here is an experiment. Take one of the circular dead spots, and dig down about 6 inches. If itās pearl scale you will see little pearl like white nodules on the roots. That is the clue. Itās almost impossible to get rid of. Many people have just pulled their grass rather than fight it. Although it is generally a little later in the season showing up in my experience. The lawn would often look pretty good in the spring and then when it got hot the spots would show up, and we are just really now getting hot. Anyway dig down and see what you see.
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@Modawg2k I had pearl scale years ago. Mine showed up as more of a circular dead patch. The description by @garmanmdof how to diagnose them is exactly what I did. My landscaper also told me that itād be unlikely to get rid of them. I dug out a huge hole (larger than the affected area), replaced the soil and sod and they never came back. I think I was fortunate to have caught it early.
So, you,have creds, and Iām lazy, is pearl scale a fungus, baterial colony or parasite?
Pearl scale is a scale insect, so a parasite.
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Thanx homie,I,have zero experience with this and would fall into the āgrubā category.
@Modawg2k. When I had Pearl Scale I was told there was no way to get rid of them other than physical extraction. That was about 8 or so years ago. Youāll know once you check the soil.
I was always told grubs are best treated in the fall. Iāve had good luck with nematodes for grub treatment.
Yikesā¦I think I would sooner opt for a complete dig out and repair then adding antsā¦ there are definitely some ants in that grass, they need to pick up the pace
I dug up a good 6-8" of dead area right next to a growing area and Iām happy that I did not find any pearl looking balls or grubs for that matter. The soil looked moist and healthyā¦ just missing some roots. Iām really hoping the area was just in need of some proper wateringā¦ something Iām guilty of not providing before my Iro. There is already more growth in the area from this past weekend.
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Other possibilities are cinch bugs or take all root rot fungus (but Iām not sure how common they are in AZ).
Do you have a dog? Could be salts in the soil.
Yup, and heās a huge burden every winter when I attempt to grow rye.