Spring Dead Spot

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Spring Dead Spot is a root killing disease that is found in Bermuda grass lawns during the spring. The damage to the turf occurs during the fall and winter. The disease then becomes apparent in the spring when dead spots appear in your lawn. These dead spots can grow over from the margins and may look better by summer’s end but the grass does not develop a healthy root system. The cycle repeats as soil temperature cools and the disease once again becomes active. Without treatment the spots almost always reoccur in the spring larger in size especially after harsh winters.

The recommendation to help control Spring Dead Spot is to treat the turf in the fall with a fungicide when the disease is active. The goal is to decrease the presence of disease with fall fungicide applications. Two treatments are required during the fall season and timing is determined by soil temperature. We have seen the disease disappear after several seasons of treatment. There is no quick fix for Spring Dead Spot. Aeration, as many as three times during the growing season, has proven to be beneficial.

The first application of fungicide to treat Spring Dead Spot needs to be applied during September and the second should follow later in the fall. Turf grass researchers emphasize not to expect control in the first year but fungicide treatments in combination with proper cultural practices will gradually decrease disease and complete control may eventually be achieved.