While we encounter most turf diseases in home lawns during the spring when temperatures are moderating along with afternoon spring showers our summer days can also present some turf disease problems. Gray Leaf Spot of St. Augustinegrass can cause severe thinning of home lawns during the heat of summer. This disease is more common during extended periods of hot, humid weather. Although primarily a disease of St. Augustinegrass, it is also found on crabgrass and occasionally on centipedegrass. Infected turf will have irregular gray, dirty-yellow or ash-colored spots with brown, purple, or water-soaked borders on leaf blades. The disease is usually noticed first in shaded areas that remain damp longer. Under heavy disease development, the grass may have a burned or scorched appearance resulting in death or severe spotting of the leaf blades. Fungus spores are carried by the wind, splashed rain, irrigation water, and mowers to sites of new infection. Seldom will this disease kill an entire lawn but can thin it severely enough to be unsightly and encourage weed infestations.
Control is best accomplished by avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization. Water during the day so foliage will not remain wet overnight. Mow with a sharp mower when the turf is dry. There are several fungicides that are effective on this disease when applied at 10-day intervals during periods of favorable infection.
Dollar Spot is a common summer diseases found on many turf species but is most common on Bermudagrass. This disease is found more prevalent on neglected turf or areas that are under moisture or nutritional stress caused by the lack of nitrogen. Warm humid weather with heavy dew promotes the disease, which begins as small (2-3 inch) circular dead spots throughout the lawn. These small spots can then grow together to form much larger blighted turf. Fungicides are effective in controlling dollar spot but a good fertilization and watering program will also help in the management of this disease.
Daylilies - Daylilies are blooming now and it is time to examine and label the clumps for division later. It will be frustrating next fall or winter to be standing over the place where the flowers were and not be able to remember which clump produced which color flower. A small garden stake or metal strip identifying the variety, if you know, or the color will allow you to distribute your palate over wider areas in the landscape next year.
Vegetables - Most vegetables have responded well to the abundant light and warm temperatures of the last few weeks. Temperatures are starting to consistently be above ninety five degrees and some plants are not adapted to grow well in those conditions. Anyone growing butter peas or butter beans should be very conscious of water amounts in the soil and should strive to keep the plants from being stressed by lack of moisture. These plant tend to shed blooms and pods when stressed.
