Fungicides, in conjunction with a proper cut height of at least 3 inches, and deep and infrequent watering during the months of May through August are the most critical components of Fescue turf health and sustainability. Properly timed applications of fungicides will protect Fescue lawns in the South from Brown Patch Disease. Each fungicide application will effectively protect the plant from the disease for about 30 days. Any lapse in fungicide applications must be avoided as this disease can spread quickly through an unprotected lawn in a short period of time under the right environmental conditions.
Often times, customers decide to skip or hold off on a fungicide application–this disrupts the timing of their program and can lead to major damage to the lawn. Other times customers will get properly sequenced fungicide applications, but neglect to water the turf adequately which can lead to die out from heat stress and drought. We recommend 1 inch of water 1-2 times per week in the morning hours.
Customers who follow this regimen often do not need to reseed the lawn in the fall, effectively creating a cost trade off while keeping a nice looking lawn through the summer.
