Turf Problems
-
Weeds
- Annual Sedge
Scientific name: Cyperus compressus
Unlike many other perennial sedges, this sedge is easier to control because it is a true annual. Annual sedge has a very characteristic seedhead that tends to be relatively large compared to other sedges; the seedhead is flattened with a toothed outline. Annual sedge tends to grow in clumps more often than other sedges, particularly when it occurs in low densities. This sedge tends to emerge later in the spring/summer than most other sedge species; active growth period is in summer and fall. Growth of annual sedge can be rapid and height at full maturity can reach 1 foot.- Anthracnose
Scientific name: Colletotrichum graminicola
Anthracnose of turfgrass is found in many areas and climates. There are two types of anthracnose: basal and foliar. The pattern of symptoms depends largely on weather conditions. Water-soaked stem lesions become dark in color and the leaf blades eventually yellow and die. The central stem can be pulled from the plant quite easily revealing a blackened base. Reddish brown lesions may occur when warm weather, dry soil and increased humidity within the turf canopy occur. Reddish brown irregular patterns on the turf may form as the disease develops. Over time, the patterns turn yellow, tan then brown. Yellowing is stress-related. The fungus, Colletotrichum graminicola, over-winters on living plant material. Stressed turfgrass, specifically annual bluegrass, bentgrass and ryegrass, are most susceptible to infection. The fungus penetrates the root, crown, and/or leaf tissue during high humidity and wet weather conditions.solution
Download an info sheet- Barnyardgrass
-
Scientific name: Echinochloa cruss-galli
Barnyardgrass is a summer annual with thick stems that may reach 5 feet in height. It is one of the few grass weeds in which ligules are absent. Leaves are without hairs, auricles and ligules, and the leaf sheaths are often red- or maroon-tinged at the base. The characteristic absent ligule of barnyardgrass helps to distinguish this weed from most other grasses in both the seeding and mature stage of growth. Leaves range from 4 to 20 inches in length and stems are very erect and coarse; but, when this weed is closely mowed in turf it lies flat on the ground and spreads out growing in a semi-circular pattern. The seedhead is branched and very conspicuous.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Black Medic
-
Scientific name: Medicago lupulina
Black medic is normally a summer annual, but can act as a perennial in some conditions. It has a taproot and spreads low to the ground, but does not root from nodes on the stems. Black medic is more active on soils low in nitrogen fertility. The leaf is similar to clover, having three leaflets with the center leaflet on a separate petiole. The flower of black medic is a compressed cluster of bright yellow flowers in the shape of a globular spike on short branches. The seed pod will turn black at maturity. Black medic produces viable seed under normal mowing conditions. - Broadleaf Signalgrass
-
Scientific name: Brachiaria platyphylla
Broadleaf signalgrass is a spreading summer annual with a fibrous root system. These plants often root at the lower stem nodes and therefore are commonly found growing along the ground but with tips ascending. Broadleaf signalgrass may reach as much as 3 feet in height. Leaf sheaths are often maroon-tinged and hairy throughout. Leaf blades are without hairs, except for those that occur on the margins. They may also be maroon-tinged, with a fringed membranous ligule. Stems are prostrate, branching and bent at the nodes. Leaf blades are overall short and wide in appearance, approximately 1 1/2 to 6 inches long and 6 to 15 mm wide. Leaf blades are widest near the base and taper to a point. Leaves are rolled in the bud and without hairs on either leaf surface except on margins and in the collar region. Spikelets on the seedhead are somewhat flattened in appearance.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Carolina Geranium
-
Scientific name: Geranium carolinianum
Carolina geranium is a semi-erect biennial, but may also occur as a winter or summer annual. A basal rosette is formed in the initial stages of plant growth followed by stem elongation and branching as the plant matures. The erect stems are covered with hair and may reach up to 28 inches in height. The alternate leaves are on long petioles, rounded in appearance and deeply divided into 5 to 9 toothed segments. The flowers of Carolina geranium have 5 white to pink petals and form in clusters at the tips of stems and branches. The fruit of the plant is less than 3 mm long with an elongated shape, tapering to a point. - Carpetweed
-
Scientific name: Mollugo verticillata
Carpetweed is a summer annual forming circular patches several feet in diameter. Leaves are smooth, in whorls of 3 to 8 at each node. Stems, lying on the ground, are smooth and much-branched. Flowers are white and occur in clusters of 2 to 5 with slender stalks. Whorls of leaves at each stem node in addition to the circular, light green, mat-like growth help in identifying carpetweed.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Clover
-
Scientific name: Trifolium spp.
Depending on the species, clovers may have an annual or perennial life cycle. Both annual and perennial clovers begin to germinate in fall when soil temperatures are in the 50 to 60° F range. Germination continues throughout the winter and early spring months. Winter rainfall will sustain the annual clovers, but irrigation is required for survival of the perennial species during the dry summer months.solution
Download an info sheet - Common Chickweed
-
Scientific name: Stellaria media
Common chickweed is a prostrate winter annual with a shallow, fibrous root system. This species prefers shaded, moist sites. Leaves are arranged oppositely and are oval or oblong in shape. They range in size from 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches in length, are light green in color and smooth or possibly hairy toward the base and on the petioles. Upper leaves are without petioles, while lower leaves are long petiolated. Stems usually run prostrate along the ground, rooting at the nodes, with the upper portion erect or ascending and freely branching. Stems are light green in color and have hairs in vertical rows. Flowers occur alone or in small clusters at the ends of stems. Flowers are small (3 to 6 mm wide) and consist of 5 white petals that are deeply lobed, giving the appearance of 10 petals. Plants die back with summer heat, but can survive year-round at cool sites.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Common Purslane
-
Scientific name: Portulaca oleracea
Purslane is a prostrate, fleshy, succulent summer annual that is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought. The reddish stems originate from a central rooting point, radiating out like spokes of a wheel. Leaves are alternate or opposite, thick, succulent and fleshy, with smooth margins. Stems are smooth, prostrate, much-branched, purplish red or green. Flowers are yellow in color with 5 petals and open only when sunny. Flowers are found alone in the leaf axils or clustered at the ends of the branches. Purslane germinates from February to March in the southern desert areas to late spring in cooler areas when soil temperatures reach about 60F. Because of its ability to produce large numbers of seeds, purslane can rapidly colonize any warm, moist site.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Crabgrass
-
Scientific name: Digitaria spp.
Crabgrass includes any of several grass species of the genera Digitaria, Eleusine and Panicum, and especially the species D. sanguinalis. Crabgrass is a warm-season, annual grass, which grows best in the heat of mid-summer. It over-winters as seed and comes up about mid-May or later. Crabgrass tends to be an open or prostrate plant that shades and smothers nearby turf plants. It is killed by fall frosts. Crabgrass is not shade tolerant, and grows best in full, hot sun. Crabgrass is likely to be more of a problem weed in warmer areas adjacent to curbs, driveways and sidewalks. Crabgrass starts germinating when soil temperatures are 50 to 55F for ten or more days; germination can take place over 6 weeks. Once crabgrass germinates, it rapidly dominates a turf. Crabgrass is a vigorous plant that grows faster than the most desirable turfgrasses. It grows under stress conditions such as drought, heat and low fertility where turfgrasses suffer. Crabgrass thrives under low mowing heights because of its prostrate growth habit.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Cudweed
-
Scientific name: Gnaphalium spp.
Cudweed is a sparsely branching annual. Some plants will survive into the second year to mature, behaving as a biennial. The cotyledon leaves, as well as the first true leaves, are covered with whitish to light gray woolly hairs. The first true leaves are smooth and taper gradually toward the base. The mature plant is sparsely branched, mostly erect, and 8 to 20 inches tall. The flower heads are crowded, spike-like, and densely arranged on the stem or at the base of leaf stalks. The fruit bears bristly, tuft-like projections that shed at maturity.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Cutleaf Evening Primrose
-
Scientific name: Oenothera laciniata
Cutleaf evening primrose is most often a biennial or winter annual, but may rarely occur as a summer annual. It has leaves with deeply toothed margins and produces many bright yellow or red flowers. Leaves initially develop as a basal rosette. Mature leaves may have hairs on the upper leaf surfaces but are without hairs below. Leaf shapes are primarily lanceolate, relatively narrow and have deeply toothed margins. Leaves also have a distinctive white midvein. Stems can be either prostrate or erect, hairy and usually reddish in color. Erect stems may grow to be 32 inches in height. Flowers occur in the upper leaf axils and are without flower stems. The flowers of cutleaf evening primrose occur at the end of a long tube and are either red or yellow in color.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Dandelion
-
Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale
Dandelion is a perennial that grows best in moist areas in full sun; however, it can survive some shade and dry conditions once established. When dandelion infests turfgrass and ornamental plantings, it forms dense circular mats of leaves that crowd out desirable species and reduce the vigor of those plants that survive. Buds grow from the uppermost area of the root, producing a crown that can regenerate even though the plant is cut off at or below the soil surface. Leaves vary in length from 2 to 14 inches and from 1/2 to 3 inches wide. Margins of the leaves are deeply serrated. Flowering stalks are 6 to 24 inches in length with heads that contain 100 to 300 ray flowers. Seed germination occurs when soil is moist and at least 50F; however, germination is more rapid when soil temperatures are closer to 77F. Dandelion plants can survive for many years, developing massive thickened crowns 6 to 10 inches across. These perennial plants are well adapted to irrigated areas such as turfgrass where frequent mowing is practiced. - Dayflower
-
Scientific name: Commelina diffusa
Freely branched and a mat-spreading annual. The leaves are lanced shaped and broad on smooth stems. The species reproduces by seed or stem fragments that root. Solitary three petal blue flowers form in the leaf-like structures. The plant can be confused with doveweed which is in the same plant family Commelinaceae.solution
Download an info sheet - Dollarweed
-
Scientific name: Hydrocotyle umbellata
Dollarweed is a perennial weed found in most wet sites. Stems are capable of rooting at the nodes but also may be floating. Once dollarweed gets established in an area, it spreads vegetatively by underground runners called rhizomes. The leaves of dollarweed are round in shape and approximately 1 inch in diameter. The dark green, fleshy leaves are glossy with scalloped edges and are on long, slender petioles. Flowers have 5 white petals and form in clusters on the end of long stems. The small flowers grow in a distinctive umbrella-like shape. - Eclipta
-
Scientific name: Eclipta prostrata
Eclipta is a prostrate or erect summer annual that can root at the nodes. It has a shallow taproot with a fibrous root system. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to lanceolate, either without petioles or with a short petiole. Leaf margins have widely spaced teeth. Stems initially green, becoming reddish brown, freely branched. Flowers are white, and occur alone or in clusters of 2 to 3 on small stalks at the end of stems or in leaf axils.solution
Download an info sheet - Fiddleneck
-
Scientific name: Amsinckia spp.
Fiddlenecks are hairy winter annuals that form distinctive flowering heads curled like the neck of a fiddle. They are toxic to animals. Early leaves have coarse, sharp hairs and are 4 to 6 times as long as wide. Mature plants may reach 3 1/2 feet. Leaves are lance-shaped, coarse to the touch, hairy, and alternate on the stem. The plant produces yellow, funnel-shaped, five-lobed flowers on one side of a curled flower spike. At maturity, the four-lobed fruit breaks apart into four one-seeded nutlets. Coast fiddleneck and common fiddleneck are very similar, but coast fiddleneck has gray nutlets while common fiddleneck has brown or black nutlets. - Field Bindweed
-
Scientific name: Convolvulus arvenis
Field bindweed is a summer perennial member of the morningglory family. The leaves are arrowhead-shaped and appear alternately on long creeping stems. Field bindweed has an extensive root system which may extend up to 15 feet underground. The flowers are white to pink, funnel-shaped and approximately 1 inch across. Field bindweed spreads by either seed or rhizomes. It is found throughout the United States, but tends to be more of a problem in the western states. Growth is generally in rich and sandy or gravelly soils.solution
Download an info sheet - Field Sandbur
-
Scientific name: Cenchrus incertus
Field sandbur is a warm-season annual grass. It poses a problem since it grows in all locations but favors sandy or well drained gravelly soils. Young plants, often purplish, usually grow horizontally, spreading across the ground. There are 10 to 30 burs per cluster and 8 to 40 spines per bur, with a rough leaf surface. Blades measure 10 to 25 cm long, with a smooth surface. It generally consists of dense, bushy growth.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Foxtail
-
Scientific name: Setaria
Yellow foxtail is a summer annual grass that reproduces by seeds. Seeds germinate at temperatures between 68 and 95F. Yellow foxtail forms a coarse, upright or prostrate, bunch-type grass. It usually branches at the base and may root at lower nodes. Growing up to 4 feet tall, yellow foxtail emerges from a shallow, fibrous root system and normally has flattened stems that are reddish near the base. Leaf blades are 4 to 15 inches long, and most have a spiral twist. The flowers are cylindrical, dense, bristly and erect. They are 2 to 5 inches long, yellow, spike-like and appear from June to September. Yellow foxtail occurs in moist, fertile soils during the mid to late growing season and is often found in new seedings, open turf or bare spots.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Goosegrass
-
Scientific name: Eleusine indica
Goosegrass is a summer annual that grows as a compressed plant in turf with stems radiating outwards from a central, distinctive white center. It appears as a whitish silvery mat, forming a pale green clump with flattened stems in a low rosette. Leaf blades are folded along the midvein, are 2-14 inches long and 3-8 mm wide, and have little to no hair. Sheaths are flattened, whitish at the base, and sparsely hairy in the collar region. Short, stiff seedheads, composed of 2-13 spikes each, occur in clusters at the top of stems. Two rows of flattened spikelets occur along each spike. Each spikelet contains 3-6 light brown to black seeds that are 1-2 mm long. Goosegrass is normally found in compacted areas or areas of heavy wear; it can produce seed even when closely mowed. The distinctive white center of goosegrass distinguishes it from most other grass weeds. - Green Kyllinga
-
Scientific name: Kyllinga brevifolia
Green kyllinga is a perennial sedge that grows in continuously enlarging patches. Kyllinga grows well in warm weather and is usually found in damp or wet areas. It grows in a prostrate manner, reaching a height of 15 inches, and produces a network of numerous underground rhizomes. It roots and sends out leaves at each stem node. Leaves are long and narrow, tapering to a point and ranging from 1 to 6 inches in length. Leaves have a distinct ridge along the midvein and no hairs, auricles or ligules are present. Flowering usually occurs from May to October, producing flower stalks that are triangular in cross section and 2 to 8 inches in length. Flowers are round, green and about 3/8 inch in diameter. Directly below the flower is a group of three leaves that radiate out from the stalk. There are 30 to 75 spikelets within each flower and each one is capable of producing one seed. Once a few plants become established in turfgrass or ornamental areas, spread can be rapid. In warm weather, rhizomes can grow more than 1 inch per day, forming thick mats in just a few weeks.solution
Download an info sheet - Hairy Bittercress
-
Scientific name: Cardamine hirsuta
Hairy bittercress is primarily a summer annual but occasionally a winter annual weed. Flowers occur in clusters and are usually small (2 to 3 mm) with 4 white petals. Distinct characteristics of hairy bittercress are the siliques that can explosively spread the seed up to 10 feet from the parent plant. Stems are erect, branched at the base, and can reach 12 inches in height. Leaves consist of 2 to 4 pairs of round leaflets that are arranged alternately along the central leaf stem. Upper leaves are smaller and have more hair than lower basal leaves.solution
Download an info sheet - Henbit
-
Scientific name: Lamium amplexicaule
Henbit is a winter annual that reproduces by seed and rooting stems. Stems of henbit droop and then turn upright to grow up to 16 inches tall. Stems may root where they touch the ground. They are square, green to purplish, and smooth or hairy. The roots are fibrous. The 1/2 to 1 inch long leaves of henbit are opposite and have dark green coloring above the lighter green below. The leaves are ovate to circular and leaf edges have rounded teeth with crinkled edges. The henbit flowers are tubular, pink to red or purple, and are up to 3/4 inch long. Henbit normally flowers April to June and occasionally in September. It is often found growing in moist, fertile soils.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Hop Clover
-
Scientific name: Trifolium campestre
Hop clover is classified as an annual herbaceous plant which is also a stipulate. The plant is three-leaved and can be found between April and October. The terminal leaflet is distinctly stalked, unlike other clovers. Petioles are usually shorter than the toothed leaflets. The shape of the leaves range from circular to oval. Stems are erect and measure 10 to 30 cm long. The plant has many branched stems with a hairy texture. Hop clover produces 20 to 40 flowers per head and each flower is stalked. The species thrives in temperate regions and does not do as well in dry or hot humid climates.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Kikuyugrass
-
Scientific name: Pennisetum clandestinum
Kikuyugrass is a prostrate perennial grass that grows best under cool to warm temperatures (60 to 90F) and moist conditions. It grows rapidly during periods of high light intensity and warm temperatures but also maintains steady growth at cooler temperatures. When growing rapidly, kikuyugrass is capable of exceeding 1 inch per day. Flowering begins in late spring and is stimulated by mowing. Seed production continues throughout summer and fall. Kikuyugrass spreads by producing a network of thick, fleshy stems. These stems often form a thick mat or thatch above the soil surface or a network of underground stems from 1 to 4 inches deep in the soil. If the stems are chopped into small pieces, each section is capable of producing new shoots and roots from its nodes. Thus, kikuyugrass can easily be moved from one area to another on mowing or renovation equipment. Leaves of kikuyugrass are light green in color and range in length from 1 to 10 inches. Pointed leaf tips and flat leaf blades are approximately 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.solution
Download an info sheet - Knawel
-
Scientific name: Scleranthus annuus
Knawel is usually a winter annual but occasionally a summer annual. The species has a taproot and a fibrous root system. Cotyledons are linear in outline and less than 1 mm wide with a sharp tip. Stems grow prostrate along the ground, are branched and form dense mats outward from a central plant. Flowers are inconspicuous, green in color, and somewhat spiny. Flowers also occur in clusters that arise from the position between the leaf bases and the stem. Knawel's identifying characteristics include small, linear leaves and a lack of hair on the leaves and stems.solution
Download an info sheet - Large Crabgrass
Scientific name: Digitaria sanguinalis
Large crabgrass is a summer annual that reproduces primarily by seeds, but can also reproduce by long, rooting tillers. It is normally mat forming, often has purple stems, and can grow to more than 3 feet in height. The leaves are pale bluish green with margins that may be rough. They are flat, sharply pointed, 1/4 to 2/5 inch wide, and 2 to 6 inches long. Large crabgrass flowers have 3 to 13 purplish finger-like spikes up to 6 inches long. They occur in spirals at the end of stout stalks during August and September. The species can be found in most warm, moist, fertile lawns in sun where turf is thin or mowed too short. It will tolerate hot, dry, compacted soils after establishment and may spread aggressively to crowd out desirable grasses.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet- Lawn Burweed
-
Scientific name: Soliva pterosperma
Lawn burweed is a low-growing, freely branched winter annual. Leaves are opposite, sparsely hairy and twice divided into narrow segments or lobes. Flowers are small and inconspicuous. Lawn burweed fruits are primarily clustered in leaf axils and have sharp spines. The species reproduces by seed.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Mouseear Chickweed
-
Scientific name: Cerastium vulgatum
Mouseear chickweed is a prostrate perennial broadleaf weed with stems that root at the nodes to form dense patches. It grows prostrate but will have several upright stems, and can tolerate close mowing. Small leaves are 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long, about 1/2 inch wide, and shaped like a narrow triangle. The leaves are dark green and hairs are prominent on the upper leaf surface and on stems. The flowers of mouseear chickweed are white and contain 5 petals which are notched at the tip.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Nutgrass
-
Scientific name: Cyperus spp.
Sedges are annual or mostly perennial grass-like plants with aerial flower-bearing stems. In annual forms, the stem can be alone, or more often grouped, with basal leaves. Perennial forms have a thick rootstock or an erect to horizontal underground rhizome usually with shortened internodes. Sedges usually have triangular stems with leaves arranged in groups of three and are similar to grasses in many attributes. Sedge species may be found in a wide range of conditions, ranging from very wet to dry and in many soil types. In sedges, as well as grasses, the seedhead will be produced at the end of an aerial, erect stem. This three-sided stem is usually solitary and will be tufted with basal leaves. Root systems are fibrous, including species such as yellow and purple nutsedge which produce rhizomes and tubers. Flowers are extremely small and numerous and arranged in spikelets atop the stem. - Overseeded Ryegrass
-
Scientific name: Lolium spp.
Ryegrasses are annuals or perennials with hairless, flat leaf blades. Spikelets are widely spaced and alternate on the flowering spike. Perennial ryegrass is a permanent lawn choice in cooler climate areas, and annual ryegrass is seeded yearly and lives for one season. Both perennial and annual ryegrass can provide a green winter lawn when overseeded on warm-season grasses that go dormant in the fall or winter. Used on newly sown lawns of cool- and warm-season grasses, it acts as an erosion barrier while the permanent lawn develops and gives any area a green coverage. Turf managers often overseed bermudagrass with perennial ryegrass to provide a dense green turf during winter months. Depending on the climate, overseeded perennial ryegrass persists anywhere from 3 to 9 months. Although overseeding provides benefits, the spring transition from perennial ryegrass to bermudagrass can be troublesome and inconsistent due to heat-tolerant perennial ryegrass varieties and variable weather conditions in spring and early summer. Perennial ryegrass may survive longer into spring than is desired due to cool and wet conditions, and delay the transition of bermudagrass out of dormancy. High temperatures can result in perennial ryegrass transitioning out before bermudagrass can fill in. This may lead to poor playability and poor usability of the turf.solution
Download an info sheet - Oxalis
-
Scientific name: Oxalis stricta
Oxalis is a summer annual that can be perennial in some areas. It grows on weak stems that branch at the base and may root at the nodes. Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, long-petiolated, and divided into 3 heart-shaped leaflets. Leaf margins are smooth but fringed with hairs. Stems are green to pink and grow more prostrate than erect, although they can reach up to 20 inches in height. The oxalis flower grows in clusters and is small and yellow with five petals. Cylindrical seed pods resembling a capsule range from 1/2 to 1 inch in length and have flat sides. These pods burst at maturity and may spread seeds several feet. - Parsley-piert
-
Scientific name: Alchemilla arvensis
Parsley-piert is a small and inconspicuous annual plant. The stem is sometimes prostrate, but usually erect, and much branched from the base. It is rarely more than 4 inches high. The leaves are of a dusky green color and wedge-shaped with deeply cut lobes. The whole leaf is less than 1/2 inch wide, narrowed into a short foot-stalk with leafy stipules, sheathing and cleaving to the footstalk. Slender, scattered hairs cover the entire plant. The pale green, small and stalkless flowers are crowded together in tufts. The plant is in bloom from May to August.solution
Download an info sheet - Pennsylvania Smartweed
-
Scientific name: Polygonum pensylvanicum
Pennsylvania smartweed is a summer annual. The stems are smooth and reddish purple with large nodes and alternating leaves. The leaves are lanceolate with a red water mark. Growth is primarily erect with multiple branchings. The flowers of Pennsylvania smartweed are bright pink and bloom from July to October. The individual flowers are small and form dense spike-like clusters on hairy stems.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Prostrate Spurge
-
Scientific name: Euphorbia humistrata
Prostrate spurge is a summer annual broadleaf weed of lawns and turfgrass sites; it is mainly found in poor, drought-stressed areas. It germinates and grows well during hot, dry weather on thin soils and is often found on closely mowed sites. It reproduces by seed, which are abundantly produced throughout the summer. Germination occurs when soil temperatures warm to 60 to 65F and can continue as soil temperatures climb to more than 90F. Prostrate spurge develops a central taproot from which prostrate stems form a flat, extensively branched mat up to 2 feet in diameter. Leaves are opposite, ovate to oblong, slightly serrated, with a tinge of red or purple in the center. A milky sap drips from cut leaves, stems or roots. Spurge begins to germinate in late spring and continues to emerge throughout the summer.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Puncturevine
-
Scientific name: Tribulus terrestris
Puncturevine is a warm-season, mat-forming annual weed with an extensive root system. It spreads by seed and is most often found on sandy, dry, or gravelly sites. Puncturevine produces clusters of sharply pointed burs that break apart at maturity. Leaves are finely divided into 4 to 8 pairs of leaflets, and are covered with hairs. Slender, hairy stems branch from the base and from leaf axils. Yellow flowers have 5 petals, are 1/2 inch wide, and are borne singly in leaf axils from midsummer until frost. - Purple Deadnettle
-
Scientific name: Lamium pupureum
Purple (or red) deadnettle is a winter annual with square stems and purple or red flowers. It spreads by seeds and belongs to the mint family. All leaves occur on short petioles, are sparsely hairy and are circular in outline with scalloped margins. Leaves are 8 to 12 mm long and dark green in color. The upper leaves of purple deadnettle are relatively triangular in outline and red to purple in color. The flowers are light purple to red in color and arranged in spirals 1 to 2 cm long. Stems branch from the base of the plant and may reach 16 to 18 inches in height.solution
Download an info sheet - Red Sorrel
-
Scientific name: Rumex acetosella
Red sorrel, also referred to as sheep sorrel, is a summer perennial. The leaves alternate and form a basal rosette. Older leaves are arrowhead shaped with two basal lobes attached to a petiole. Leaves formed along the stem are more elongated and usually lack the basal lobes. The margins of the leaf are smooth. The leaves become thick and fleshy over the summer months. The root of red sorrel is a shallow yellow taproot, combined with multiple rhizomes. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants and flourish from May to September. The male flowers are yellowish green while the female flowers are reddish brown. The flowering stems of red sorrel can be one or many developing from a crown or rhizome. Red sorrel spreads by seed and rhizomes.solution
Download an info sheet - Redstem Filaree
-
Scientific name: Erodium cicutarium
Redstem filaree is a prostrate broadleaf winter annual or biennial weed that ranges from 4 to 20 inches in height. A member of the geranium family, it has fern-like, or feathery, foliage in a rosette. The stems are reddish and there is a large, white taproot. (There is a "white stem filaree" that is very similar to the "red-stem".) Plants develop as a basal rosette. Rosette leaves occur on petioles and are hairy. Individual leaves are divided into 3 to 9 individual leaflets arranged opposite from one another. Leaflets are lanceolate in outline, deeply lobed and range from 1 1/4 to 8 inches long. Stems are often reddish in color, grow along the ground or may be ascending. Clusters of 2 to 8 flowers occur, with each individual flower occurring on a relatively long flower stalk. Individual flowers are approximately 1/2 inch wide and consist of 5 bright pink to purple petals. - Rice Flatsedge
-
Scientific name: Cyperus iria
Rice flatsedge is an erect annual sedge with a fibrous root system. Important identifying characteristics of the sedge include shiny, green ridged leaves and a lack of ligule, auricles, tubers and rhizomes. Seedlings are shiny, without hairs, and distinctly ridged and tougher than most grass seedlings. Leaves may be 3 to 8 mm wide and are dark green and shiny with rough margins toward the leaf tips. A membranous sheath occurs at the leaf base. Triangular stems occur in bunches and can be anywhere from 8 to 24 inches tall. Seedheads may reach 8 inches in length, are open, and are composed of several dense spikes. Individual spikes are, in turn, made up of many goldish brown spikelets that are approximately 5 to 13 mm long and 1 1/2 to 2 mm wide.solution
Download an info sheet - Shepherdspurse
-
Scientific name: Capsella bursa-pastoris
Shepherdspurse is a winter annual, but may grow all year in cool, coastal areas. It forms a rosette with toothed or lobed leaves with few stems or basal leaves. It is part of the Mustard Family and can reach 3 inches to 3 feet in height. The heart-shaped seed pods make this species easy to recognize when mature. It has white four-parted flowers that are arranged at the end. It is capable of producing over 33,000 seeds per plant.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Smooth Crabgrass
-
Scientific name: Digitaria ischaemum
Smooth crabgrassa tufted, spreading summer annual plant with a fibrous root system. When unmowed, it will grow to a height of 6 inches, but it will tolerate mowing in turf at 1/4 inch and will still produce seed at this height. Stems are prostrate or lying on the ground with tips ascending up to 24 inches long, branching at lower nodes but not rooting. Leaves are smooth on both surfaces, with few hairs at the collar. Crabgrass often forms patches in lawns, and plants can grow together to form large clumps. The ligule is small and inconspicuous without prominent auricles. The seedhead has two to six branches.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Speedwell
-
Scientific name: Veronica spp.
There are several species of speedwell; some annuals and some perennials. Speedwell is a serious problem in turf, pastures, and alfafa. Speedwell is an aquatic plant with light blue flowers that are usually partly in and partly out of the water. Speedwell can be found in swamps or along the banks of streams and ponds. Stems grow prostrate along the ground with the flowering tips upright. They may reach as much as 2 feet in length and are capable of rooting at the nodes. Leaves are generally oval to elliptic in outline, widest at the base and pointed at the tip. Leaves are shallow-toothed and approximately 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches long, and 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. The flowers of speedwell occur in clusters, range from 2 to 6 inches in length and contain many 4-petaled, small, light purple to light blue flowers.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Tall Buttercup
-
Scientific name: Ranunculus acris
Tall buttercup is a perennial weed characterized by erect stems and deeply lobed leaves. This species reproduces only by seeds. Tall buttercup produces a short, thick rootstalk with many fibrous, coarse, spreading roots. Young plants form a rosette. The first true leaves are hairy, round to heart-shaped in general outline, and shallowly lobed and toothed. Stems are erect, hairy, branched in the upper portion, and 1 to 3 1/2 feet tall. A single root crown generally produces several stems in a cluster. 1 inch wide flowers occur on long stalks in branched clusters at the tops of stems. The 5 to 7 petals are yellow or cream, and about 1/2 inch long. Directly below the petals are 5 hairy, green leaves. Tall buttercup contains a bitter, irritating oil called protoanemonin that is toxic to grazing livestock and other animals. The toxic oil is released when fresh leaves and stems are grazed, causing irritation and blistering of the skin and the lining of the mouth and digestive tract.solution
Download an info sheet - Tall Fescue
-
Scientific name: Festuca arundinacea
Tall fescue is a deep-rooted, cool-season perennial grass that grows vigorously in the spring and fall. It can adapt to a wide variety of growing conditions and its extensive root system helps it withstand drought or flooding. Stems have broad, dark green basal leaves. Leaf blades are glossy on the underside and serrated on the margins, measuring 1/2 inch wide and 4 to 24 inches long. Depending on the soil nitrogen level, leaves can be yellowish to dark green in color. Tall fescue can grow to heights of 3 to 4 feet. The endophyte fungus is closely associated with tall fescue and can cause major health problems in animals that consume the grass.solution
Download an info sheet - Torpedograss
-
Scientific name: Panicum repens
Torpedograss is a perennial grass that may first be encountered as a dense colony dominant along a shoreline. It is a sod-forming grass with creeping rhizomes and upright stems reaching 2 to 3 feet in height. Leaves are long, flat and slender. Leaf blades can be 10 inches long, 1/4 inch wide and grayish green with thin hairs on upper surface. It thrives on coarse sands and wet soils and grows so aggressively that it may become a serious weed. It is used to a limited extent for pasture and erosion control along the Gulf Coast.solution
Download an info sheet - Velvetleaf
-
Scientific name: Abutilon theophrasti
Velvetleaf is an erect summer annual with leaves and stems that are covered with hairs. The first true leaves are alternate, heart-shaped, covered with hairs on both surfaces, and have toothed margins. Leaves gradually taper to a point and are approximately 2 to 6 inches long and wide. Leaf veins originate from a common point, and leaves emit an unpleasant odor when crushed. Stems are erect, mostly unbranched, and can reach up to 7 feet in height. Flowers are produced on short flower stalks, approximately 1/2 to 1 inch wide, and consist of 5 orange or yellow petals. Fruit capsules have 9 to 15 segments, each containing gray-brown seeds. - Virginia Buttonweed
-
Scientific name: Diodia virginiana
Virginia buttonweed is a prostrate-growing perennial with branching hairy stems. It often has a yellowish mottling due to the presence of a virus that grows in close association with this weed. The leaves are elongated, lance-shaped and grow opposite one another on the stems, joined by a membrane. Virginia buttonweed prefers moist, wet conditions and can tolerate close mowing. The tubular flowers are white to purplish, and grow in the leaf axis along the stem. Flowers resemble four-pointed stars. Virginia buttonweed spreads by seed and plant segments.solution
Download an info sheet - White Clover
-
Scientific name: Trifolium repens
White clover is a shallow-rooted winter perennial legume which spreads by stolons or above-ground runners. The white clover plant has compound leaves divided into three leaflets which are all joined at a central point and originate at the nodes along the stems. White clover is adapted to many soils but tends to grow best in soils that are moist and low in nitrogen. The flowers are an aggregate of 20 to 40 individual flowers. They are white in color, although some have a light pink tint. White clover flowers from May through September. - Wild Garlic
-
Scientific name: Allium vineale L.
Wild garlic is a winter perennial that grows from underground bulbs. The leaves are waxy, upright and needle-shaped, growing 8 to 12 inches long. Wild garlic leaves are also hollow, round and have a strong odor. The membrane-coated bulbs of wild garlic are flattened on one side and have bulblets. The white to light green flowers develop on short stems above aerial bulbs. Wild garlic spreads by bulb, seed or bulblets and flowers from April through June. - Wild Onion
-
Scientific name: Allium canadense L.
Wild onion is a bulbous herb of the Amaryllis family and has a distinct onion odor. It has slender grass-like leaves and reaches about 2 feet in height. Leaves are narrow, long, and have parallel edges arising from the small underground bulb. Flowers, varying in color from white to pink, appear at the top of a leafless stem and eventually become bulblets which drop to the ground and propagate. Flowers appear in late summer. - Wild Violet
-
Scientific name: Viola pratincola
Wild violet is a winter perennial, growing 2 to 5 inches tall. It can have a taproot or a fibrous root system, and also can produce rooting stolons and rhizomes. The leaves can vary but are usually heart shaped on long petioles with scalloped to shallow rounded margins. The flowers of wild violet range from white to blue to purple and appear from March to June. Flowers are pansy-like with three lower petals and two lateral petals on long single flower stalks. - Woolly Cupgrass
-
Scientific name: Eriochloa villosa
Woolly cupgrass is an annual grass weed. The first true leaf of the seedling has a short, wide, pointed leaf blade that lies flat to the ground. The adult plant is dark green in color. The collar lacks auricles and the ligule is a fringe of fine hairs. The leaf blade surface is covered with short dense hairs; one edge of the leaf blade is typically crinkled. Woolly cupgrass begins to emerge in late April to early May, depending on soil temperature and moisture. It is usually the first annual grass weed to emerge in the spring. The woolly cupgrass seedhead has 2 to 8 racemes that branch from one side of the main stem. Seeds hang in two rows from the raceme. A "woolly" tuft of hair exists where the seed attaches to the raceme. Seeds shatter from mid-August through September. - Yellow Nutsedge
-
Scientific name: Cyprus esculentus
Yellow nutsedge is a perennial from rhizomes and tubers that may reach 2 1/2 feet in height. The stems are erect, unbranched, 3-sided and triangular in cross section. Most plants arise from rhizomes and/or tubers. Leaves are 5 to 8 mm wide and do not have ligules or auricles. They are yellow to green in color with a shiny appearance and a distinct ridge along the midvein. Leaves are also produced in groups of 3 from the base of the plant and taper gradually to a sharp point. Spikelets occur at the ends of the solitary stems in a cluster where the flower stalks arise from a common point. Individual spikelets are yellow to brown in color.
-
Diseases, Molds, Fungi
- Bentgrass Dead Spot
-
Scientific name: Ophiosphaerella agrostis
Dead spot is a fairly new disease caused by a fungus, Ophiosphaerella agrostis. The disease appears to be more severe on newly established golf course greens under 4 years of age. Initial symptoms appear as small reddish spots about 1 to 2 cm in diameter. Spots gradually enlarge to a maximum of approximately 6 cm and have a characteristic tan center with a reddish brown margin. Open, exposed areas also appear to be affected more severely. The fungus invades the roots and crowns of susceptible species and affects the plant's ability to transport water. Wilting occurs as a result of severe infection, especially during the heat of the summer. Reproductive structures known as pseudothecia may be found in infected leaf tissues and in dead tissues. These structures are black, flask-shaped, and embedded in the plant tissue. They release spores that cause new infections. Symptoms are more severe in hot and dry weather, but the fungus can remain active until a hard frost. - Bermudagrass Decline
-
Scientific name: Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis
Bermudagrass decline is a root rot disease. Because the roots are affected, they will not be able to efficiently obtain water or nutrients from the soil, nor will they be able to store the products from photosynthesis. Symptoms observed on the leaves are the result of pathogen activity on the root system. The fungus does not attack leaves. Prolonged periods of rainfall are most conducive to this disease. Any stress placed on the turfgrass will encourage or worsen the disease. All warm-season turfgrasses can be affected. Initial symptoms of bermudagrass decline include yellow or light green chlorotic patches, 8 to 24 inches in diameter. Chlorotic leaf blades may develop next to green shoots at the margins of the diseased area. Roots will initially be thin and off-white in color with isolated black lesions. Entire plants may eventually die, resulting in irregular patches of thinning grass and, if not controlled, bare patches may develop.solution
Download an info sheet - Brown Patch
Scientific name: Rhizoctonia solani
Brown patch is a fungal disease caused by Rhizoctonia spp. This disease is favored by hot, humid and cloudy weather. Under conditions favorable to the disease, leaves can be killed in 12 to 24 hours. The disease is generally seen in summer and early autumn, although there are strains of this fungus that cause disease at other times of the year. Round or irregularly shaped patches can appear very quickly on turf that is cut closely, such as golf greens, or on turf that is very wet. At first the patches are purplish green in color, but they soon fade to light brown. If the weather is warm and humid, the fungus continues to invade new grass on the edges of the patch, so that there may be a dark purplish to grayish brown border or ring surrounding the spots. This is usually noticeable only in the early morning while the grass is still moist from dew. Dense stands of well-fertilized turf are generally most susceptible to this disease.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet- Dollar Spot
Scientific name: Sclerotinia homoeocarpa
The disease name of dollar spot is derived from the dead straw-colored spots about the size of a silver dollar. It occurs on bluegrasses, bentgrasses, fescues, zoysia, and seashore paspalum. Under close mowing conditions the circular straw-colored spots are distinctly outlined; however, with higher cutting heights, the bleached turf spots are irregularly shaped. In the early morning, when dew is still on the grass, a white web-like growth of the fungus may be seen over the spot. If the spots coalesce, a more general blight may be observed. On individual grass blades the damaged tissues are first watersoaked and dark colored. As they dry, the lesions turn light tan to straw-colored with a reddish brown border. Dollar spot is most common in early summer, late summer and early fall in humid weather with warm days and cool nights. Dollar spot is less prominent in very hot weather.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet- Fairy Ring
Scientific name: Basidiomycete fungi
During the spring or summer a circle or arc of stimulated grass or toadstools may appear in lawns. These are turf abnormalities called fairy rings. The rings can be up to 20 meters in diameter, but most are between 1/2 meter and 5 meters across. A fungus that plagues many courses and lawns, fairy ring is caused by mushroom fungi that live in the soil and thatch layer. Early symptoms include circular rings of overly green grass. The fungus has three types: Type I rings include a center section of dead grass surrounded by a ring of dark green grass; Type II rings do not have dead grass - only a band of dark green turf, sometimes with mushrooms; Type III rings have only a ring of mushrooms without affecting the grass color. Fairy rings usually do not present a lethal threat to a lawn or other turf, but sometimes a ring of dead grass occurs in addition to the ring of stimulated grass growth. Fairy rings normally recur each year, and their diameter slowly increases.solution
Download an info sheet- Fusarium Patch
-
Scientific name: Microdochium nivale
Fusarium patch is a fungal disease which attacks lawns. Infection occurs most often at temperatures between 32 and 50° F, conditions which are present under snow, therefore giving it the common name of snow mold. However, snow cover is not required under conditions of extended leaf wetness. Severe outbreaks can occur at 65° F during anytime of the year in some regions. Symptoms appear later as irregular patches of yellow then brown grass up to 30 cm in diameter when there is high humidity and temperatures of up to 65° F. This usually occurs between May and September. When damp conditions prevail, the dead blades of grass become slimy and are covered in a light pink bloom.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Gray Leaf Spot
Scientific name: Pyricularia grisea
Gray leaf spot, caused by the fungus Pyricularia grisea, is a disease that affects mainly annual and perennial ryegrasses and tall fescue; St. Augustinegrass and kikuyugrass are also susceptible. Areas with extended leaf wetness and high nitrogen concentration are more susceptible to severe outbreak and infection. Although it is common in the southern states, infections have been found as far north as Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley of New York State, and Pennsylvania. Infections and diseased tissue can appear quite quickly. Damage is usually noticed during the warmer months of late summer. If weather conditions are hot, humid and dry for extended periods, the damaged spots may grow up to 40 cm in diameter. The disease progresses so quickly that large areas of turf can be lost within a few days. The pathogen can produce large amounts of infectious spores in a very short period of time causing symptomatic tissue to become evident and decline very quickly. Spores land on a susceptible host and germinate within a few hours. The pathogen then invades the leaf tissue through the cut leaf tips. Symptoms can appear within hours of infection. Infected leaves may have water-soaked lesions and appear chlorotic. The youngest leaves often take on a characteristic fishhook shape. The disease is most severe on young seedlings. Damaged spots of turf first appear reddish-brown in color and 2 to 5 cm in diameter. A yellow margin may surround the damaged spot and the leaf blades may have dark brown borders.solution
Download an info sheet- Gray Snow Mold
-
Scientific name: Typhula incarnata, T. ishikariensis
Gray snow mold is caused by Typhula incarnata and related species. It is a true snow mold and appears as roughly circular bleached patches up to 60 cm in diameter. Severe outbreaks develop in areas of prolonged, persistent snow cover. Soon after the snow melts, the infected grass may be matted and surrounded by a white to gray halo of fluffy fungal growth. Tiny tan or brown pea-like structures are on or imbedded in infected leaves. The severity of the disease will vary. It is particularly severe when turf has been subjected to prolonged, deep, compacted snow cover. Bentgrass is most susceptible. Although the disease is unsightly, it rarely kills the grass. This fungus produces sclerotia to help it survive the summer months and in late fall; when conditions are favorable, these sclerotia may produce mycelium that produce spores. Mycelium from the spores or sclerotia grow out and infect new plants under cover of deep snow during the winter. Where gray snow mold has occurred once, it is likely to recur if left unmanaged.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Helminthosporium Leaf Spot
-
Scientific name: Bipolaris spp.
Helminthosporium leaf spot is caused by several fungi in the genus Bipolaris. The pathogens are favored by cool to moderate temperatures (60 to 70°F) during wet or humid weather. The pathogen is likely spread by splashing rain, irrigation water, and wind. It affects mainly Kentucky bluegrass, bentgrass, ryegrass, tall fescue and creeping red fescue. Lesions may be in the form of small brown flecks, linear streaks, or oval or irregularly shaped spots. The number and size of lesions may increase, coalesce and form long streaks. Lesions are initially dark brown but become tan or gray-brown with a faint dark brown border. During wet weather, lesions develop a dense gray-brown appearance. Black conidial and mycelial growth may be apparent on individual grains in the head. Warm wet weather is ideal for development. It is most common when temperatures are ranging from 80 to 90 and there are extended periods of rain.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Leaf Spot
-
Scientific name: Bipolaris, Drechslera, Exserohilum spp.
Leaf spots on turfgrass leaf blades begin as small red to purplish ovals that later develop tan centers of dead tissue with darker borders. The fungi that cause leaf spots directly penetrate leaf sheaths and blades at random or enter through mowing wounds. After recent nitrogen fertilization, when there is abundant moisture on the leaf blades, numerous leaf spot infections per blade can occur. The leaf spots may then coalesce and cause extensive blighting. The fungus may even invade the crowns and roots, leaving the plants weakened and rotted. This severe stage is called "melting out." Large areas of dead or badly weakened turfgrass may result. Leaf spot fungi may be active at a variety of temperatures. All are associated with frequent moisture on the leaf blades and high relative humidity.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Melting Out
-
Scientific name: Drechslera poae
Typically found on bluegrass, melting out causes circular to elongated purplish or brown spots with straw-colored centers on leaf blades, leaf sheaths, and stems; symptoms first appear on shaded plants. The leaf spots may be widespread throughout the lawn, indicating spread by windborne spores. Crowns and roots are frequently affected with a dark brown rot. The crown-infected plants are weakened and may die in hot, windy weather, resulting in a thinning out of the turf in scattered areas. The fungus survives on infected bluegrass plants or grass debris and may be seedborne. Melting out thrives in cool (50 to 75° F), moist conditions. It is most severe on closely mowed turf and on turf with high nitrogen fertilization.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet - Pink Patch
Scientific name: Limonomyces roseipellis
Pink patch, formerly thought to be a form of red thread and caused by the fungus Limonomyces roseipellis, is a minor disease of frequently mowed grass. Pink patch is much more severe on either unmowed or infrequently mowed grasses that are grown under low nitrogen fertilization than it is on highly maintained turfgrasses. Although patches generally remain green, diseased turf may have a tannish cast. Affected areas in above-ground portions of coarse-textured turfgrass are irregularly shaped blotches, but distinct pinkish patches, two to six inches across, occur in creeping bentgrass. The disease occurs primarily in spring and autumn during prolonged periods of heavy dews, light rains and fog, although it may occur during the summer months between 60 and 70 F. Small, irregularly shaped areas of turf become covered with a pink to reddish film of mycelium that tends to form first along the leaf margins. Later, the entire width of the leaf blade is covered. Only leaves and sheaths are infected, and diseased leaves die from the tip downward.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet- Pink Snow Mold
Scientific name: Microdochium nivale
The fungus that causes pink snow mold produces roughly circular bleached patches up to 60 cm in diameter. Often, the mycelium of the fungus is readily visible. In contrast to gray snow mold, however, a pinkish cast to the symptomatic area might be observed under wet conditions. This disease can become severe when turf is subjected to prolong periods of cool, wet weather from early autumn to late spring, and does not require snow cover to develop. The fungus Microdochium nivale survives unfavorable periods as dormant mycelium in infected plants and plant debris. As conditions improve for fungal growth, the fungus may begin to infect plants with little symptom development. Wet weather conditions with temperatures around 60° F will promote rapid spread of the disease. Dry, warm weather causes the fungus to revert to its dormant state. The fungus can be transmitted throughout the year on equipment, people, animals, wind or water.solution
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet
Download an info sheet- Powdery Mildew
Scientific name: Blumeria graminis
Powdery mildews are common on many kinds of plants. Although they may look the same, each kind of plant is infected by a different species of powdery mildew fungus. Powdery mildew fungi on grasses will not infect lilacs, phlox, roses or other garden plants. Powdery mildew may appear quite suddenly, usually in shaded areas, and most commonly on Kentucky bluegrass. The grass blades may look as if they were dusted with flour. The white to gray powder is a combination of the mycelium and spores of the powdery mildew fungus. The mycelium grows over the surface of the leaf, absorbing nutrients from the plant. Later, the leaf may turn yellowish and begin to dry up and die, but the leaves often support the presence of the powdery mildew fungus for some time without significant injury. Powdery mildew is most common in turf from July to September, and occasionally in the spring. It occurs mainly during overcast periods of cool, moist weather. Spores can infect leaves in less than two hours, and new spores can be produced in abundance in less than a week. Air currents carry the spores to new grass plants. Disease development can be so rapid that powdery mildew may seem to appear very suddenly.solution
Download an info sheet- Pythium Blight
Scientific name: Pythium aphanidermatum
This disease begins in mature lawns as small slimy or greasy looking spots. The spots may assume a reddish color if weather conditions become cooler and drier. When the turfgrass is wet or where air circulation is poor, the cottony, white, web-like mycelium of the fungus may be observed. This disease can develop rapidly and extensively in poorly drained areas and is especially prone to following surface drainage channels. Pythium fungi are "water molds" which produce microscopic swimming spores. These spores are attracted to living plants. Plants that have undergone recent nitrogen fertilization are more susceptible to infection. The fungi grow well in soil and thatch in wet weather and survive as thick-walled resting spores during adverse conditions. Pythium species are present in every soil and will grow rapidly under conducive conditions. The disease occurs most commonly in perenni