Lawn problem

My lawn is 150 sq yds. 20 ys ago I stripped it,rotovated raked and levelled it. After seeding it it was OK for 2yrs but gradually died. I had it relayed with turf but after 5yrs brown patches appeared and died and had to be replaced. The lawn now has to be stripped and relayed. I have always cut weekly at 35cm,scarified and fed in April and a winter feed in October.I have no dogs or cats and trees are not a problem. My tilth is a good 6" of heavy slightly clay soil and I do not have a water-logging problem. Can anybody suggest an answer to my dilemma?

 

Sounds like you've thought of pretty well everything! Is it a dry patch, or a bit slimy? If it was my garden, I'd be looking to see if there was an animal visiting. It doesn't sound likely that you've got a variation in the soil underneath, or that the areas underneath could be contaminated somehow, given the history of it all - a bit of a mystery all right. :rolleyes:

 

Suggestions that have been made in the past for this sort of problem are 'fusarium' and 'yellow jackets'- try looking for these in this section with the 'search' facility to see what you think.

 

I've just been doing as you said, Liz - fascinating!! I'd never heard of fusarium - and I've seen patches very like some of the pics in a link from one thread - really useful info! Thanks! Here's a technical description of fusarium too that I found on googling - looks a good description to me http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/fusarium.html

 

Liz,Nixon22 many thanks for your replies which gives me some ideas to try when my new lawn is laid in May. A further thought, in some areas the grass dies after being killed by a wiry grass like weed which grows the same height as the grass and is killed when I apply a winter fertiliser containing moss killer. Any ideas?

 

The only thing that comes to mind is knotgrass - but looking at the pics, I'm not so sure - it just came to mind when reading the description - have a look and see what you think- I couldn't find a good pic, but I'll keep looking
http://weedman.horsham.net.au/weeds/polygonum_aviculare/Polygonum_aviculare.htm

 

it's not a great pic, but best I can find. http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/polygonum_aviculare.htm

 

Thank you nixonf23. Somebody has suggested 'Upright Moss'. Does that mean anything? Anybody able to recomend a treatment for 'fusarium'

 

Have a look under "control" on this site. Came up on googling

 

Sorry, this site!!!!http://www.csl.gov.uk/science/organ/environ/entom/fusarium/

 

Hi, I found this in a very long winded site about establishing bowling greens:-

"Fusarium Patch. Occurs at any time of year, appearing as small brown or orange spots which grow in size and number, leaving the grass dead. Favoured by high humidity and moist turf. Lime and Nitrogen applications favour the disease. Can be controlled by spraying systemic fungicide such as Carbendazim, Benomyl, nyophanate-Methyl or Thiabendazole.
* Red Thread. Very Common. Damaged grass has red or pink appearance. Fungicides listed above are effective.
* Dollar Spot. Patches of dead grass in spots 50mm in diameter. Dead grass is dry and bleached. Fungicides listed above are effective."

 

makes you wonder why you bother with grass!!

 

Liz and Nixonf23,many thanks for your comments. I will follow up 'Fasarium Patch' This does seem to be relevant to my problem