My Florida Pest Control

Gray Leaf Spot on St. Augustine grass. Courtesy of Flickr user Lane Tredway.

Gray Leaf Spot disease is caused by a fungus and requires special fungicides for treatment. You’re most likely to notice Gray Leaf Spot disease during the wettest months of the year. The rain and high humidity create the perfect environment for this fungus to flourish.

This is the ninth of 11 Tricks to Make Sure Your Grass Is Always Greener, a free eBook. We’ll be posting a new trick on this blog every other week.

Gray Leaf Spot is a perfect name for this disease because it describes exactly what you should look for. If affected, you’ll notice your blades of grass will have a discoloration of a gray circle, often surrounded by a dark green ring. Usually the spot is circular or oval. As the fungus spreads through the grass, the entire blade changes color as the spots merge together.

The best way to avoid Gray Leaf Spot disease is to water your lawn at the appropriate time of day. Set your sprinkler system for the early morning, so the grass will dry quickly. Evening waterings often leave the grass wet for too long and invite the fungus to take root.

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This is the eighth of 11 Tricks to Make Sure Your Grass Is Always Greener, a free eBook. We’ll be posting a new trick on this blog every other week.

Do you have thin grass that turns yellow? Is the grass too soft and spongy? Can you pull it out easily without the roots clinging to the soil?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it could be a sign of a grub worm problem. Here’s how to test for these lawn pests:

1. Cut a square-foot piece of sod on 3 sides, so you can lift it up like a flap (your cut should be about two inches down.)
2. Lift the grass for a look at the bugs underneath.

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