[kur1j]

So over the last week or so I'm noticing my grass to start looking more and more sickly.

I got down close and started examining different areas and noticed that the leaves are browning and yellowing.

Would disease be the cause of this?

 

[Tellycoleman]

I believe it's fungus but I have issues identifying diseases

 

[Greendoc]

In the old days, that disease was called Helminthosporium melting out. Hits when there is just way too much water and temperatures are high.

 

[kur1j]

@Greendoc

Dang. We have had thst....2.8" of rain in last 7 days or so with temps reaching in the 90s.

Will the Zerotol take care of it?

 

[Greendoc]

Zerotol is the rapid response. I would follow up with Azoxystrobin or something else along those lines. A fungicide that has served me very well is Armada. Yes, the bottle costs $120 or so, but it covers most diseases and goes a long way. You have enough grass to make it worth it. I remember fighting this disease in the 1990's. No EPA restrictions back then. So I would be applying Daconil or Mancozeb every 14 days.

 

[kur1j]

@Greendoc So hit it with the Zerotol and then follow up with Azoxystrobin? Not quite sure what you meant by rapid response for the Zerotol.

Will beemuda eventually just outgrow it and it go away or will I have to use a fungicide to cure it?

I know that they aren't labeled for turf anymore but why is Daconil or Mancozeb preferred over Azoxystrobin? Is it just the lack of resistance or because it works better in a broader treatment? It seems like the daconil and mancozeb are the MSMA of the fungicide world.

 

[Greendoc]

Zerotol will literally burn out and blacken the fungal lesions due to the oxidizing nature of the product. However, it does nothing to prevent re infection. Azoxystrobin or Armada are more systemic/residual in nature. They actually do better in preventing infection. Bermuda can outgrow disease, but the weather has to drastically improve and stay that way.

Daconil and Mancozeb have an extremely low risk of resistance by fungal diseases. That is because they are general cellular toxins. The new fungicides work on metabolic pathways in the fungus that are extremely specific. Once the fungus develops a mutation to overcome that, the fungicide no longer works.

 

[kur1j]

Thanks, i'll give the Azoxystrobin or Armada a shot.

Ah, So i'm taking a guess that it was restricted because it kills aquatics, birds or something?

 

[Greendoc]

Mancozeb is also a carcinogen, in additions to killing fish. Daconil is just nasty to everything it touches and does not go away. Common property of a chlorinated hydrocarbn. Environmentally persistent.

 

[kur1j]

After reading more about these fungicides, is it just me or do the fungicides have more dangers and people seem to take more precautions than say herbicides/insecticides?

 

[Greendoc]

The old school fungicides made before 1990 were just nasty. The first fungicide bans involved Mercuric Chloride and Phenylmercuric Acetate. Next was Cadmium Chloride. Imagine that, Cadmium and Mercury were sold to to control Snow Mold, Melting out and Brown Patch. Daconil and Mancozeb are the last products from that generation. I know of a lot of Golf guys that are not around any more. Cancer. Back then, with no such thing as the EPA, warnings other that "thischitwillkillya if swallowed" were non existent.

 

[kur1j]

I was actually reading up on Daconil and Mancozeb after you mentioned them and interestingly enough I saw that Daconil is labeled for "Fruit and Vegetables, Trees and Ornamentals" which really surprised me. Where is the biggest threat coming from with something like Daconil causing cancer? I assuming during spraying and getting high concentrations on your skin repeatedly? I'm assuming that chemicals like Azoxystrobin are substantially less toxic?

What chemicals herbicides/fungicides/insecticides would you consider the most dangerous to applicators?

 

[Greendoc]

People do not normally touch trees and shrubs or fruits and vegetables like how they do grass. Worst chemicals I have had to handle. Diquat, Paraquat, anything organophosphate or carbamate, Daconil and Mancozeb. I am still around because I was never careless or stupid about it.

 

[kur1j]

What were those guys doing that you weren't? Or better yet what were you doing that they weren't? Were you in full PPE like the label calls for those chemicals? When I spray I'm in long pants, nitrile gloves, and shoes which is what the labels call for on what I spray. I don't think any of the chemicals I have call for a respirator like Daconil and Mancozeb do.

 

[Greendoc]

PPE and no alcohol or tobacco. All of them, in addition to being careless were heavy smokers and drinkers. On the shoes: Moment I am dealing with pesticides of any kind, I am in rubber boots. Shoes can become a source of chemical transfer to the feet through the fabric or leather. Prior to the 2000s, PPE was not really specified. But full coverage, gloves and boots were standard for me. Anytime a mist was going to be generated such as spraying trees or spraying Daconil for coverage, I used the Organic Vapor+Mists respirator. That is what saved me from being poisoned by the organophosphate and carbamate fungicides. Add 2,4-D to the list of things to be careful of unless you want to end up with cancer later.

I remember meeting the greenskeeper at the bowling green a few years before I inherited his job. Imagine this: No shirt, shorts, no gloves or boots. He was spraying a combination of MSMA and 2,4-D on some weeds at the green with a 1 gallon sprayer. In 2016, I got a call from the club saying he was dying and if I could take over. Pancreatic/liver cancer dead in less than 6 months.

 

[kur1j]

@Greendoc
Sounds like I need to get me some rubber boots :-/. Labels for stuff I have just say "Shoes plus socks". Probably better be safe than sorry. I've got a P100 rated respirator that I use when I'm applying sealers/paints/anything with fumes on my woodworking projects or doing sanding or where small particles are around.

I know that there isn't a consistent predictor for getting cancer but it always seems scary to me to think about those types of situations. I might as well try and do what I can and use what I can that is relatively safe.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Greendoc]

Please do not wear regular shoes for spraying. Every time you put those shoes on, chemicals are released. Wherever you walk with those shoes may be contaminated as well. My rubber boots live in the back of the truck next to the 100 gallon spray rig. Those boots are never in the cab of my truck, in my house, in stores, or anywhere besides a sprayed lawn.

 

[kur1j]

@Greendoc Sorry! So between Azoxystrobin or Armada which would you recommend for this particular issue or both? I see Armada has a MoA of 3 and 11 where as the Azoxy https://www.domyown.com/prime-source-azoxy-50-wdg-fungicide-p-12184.html kills everything that Armada does but only one MoA. Do you think it would be a big enough issue to get something else as well with a different MOA to supplement the Azoxy?

 

[kur1j]

Please do not wear regular shoes for spraying. Every time you put those shoes on, chemicals are released. Wherever you walk with those shoes may be contaminated as well. My rubber boots live in the back of the truck next to the 100 gallon spray rig. Those boots are never in the cab of my truck, in my house, in stores, or anywhere besides a sprayed lawn.

That is the plan going forward. Plan on getting me some boots to spray with. I was just following the label of shoes and socks. I didn't think about the issues of it contaminating the shoes.

 

[Greendoc]

You are better with the Armada. Azoxystrobin does nothing for Dollar Spot. It is bad if you get that and all you have is Azoxy.