Brought to you in cooperation with the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.   Each week we feature the most popular questions received on their "Hotline".

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Week of 5/17/04

In last week’s “What’s Hot”, we mentioned the number of calls we had received concerning fungus appearing on the leaves of trees and shrubs.

Another concern of callers to our Hotline volunteers is the appearance of a variety of fungi on turfgrasses during the early spring. These may appear as a rusty brown or as a white powdery growth on the surface of the cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass or to a lesser degree on the tall fescues.

Several diseases attack Bluegrass, but they are relatively easy to handle with good turf culture practices, and they normally lessen and disappear entirely as cool damp weather goes away, leaving behind no permanent damage to blades of grass or the root structure of the plant.

The exception to this happy outcome is the Bluegrass disease called Summer Patch which may be the cause of severe and recurring damage. Unfortunately, Summer Patch is difficult to control with fungicides. Again, proper cultural practices with regard to watering, mowing, and fertilizing are important, but the most effective practice of all is to avoid planting cultivars that appear to be more susceptible to Summer Patch.

In a 2000 publication, Kentucky Bluegrass Lawns , turfgrass researchers at Kansas State University identified the following cultivars among those that should be avoided:

• Greenley
• Ronde
• Park
• Ginger
• Argyle
• Donna
• South Dakota Certified
• Miranda
• Chelsea
• Cardiff
• Kenblue
• Noblesse
• Chateau.

By comparison, Tall Fescue is relatively free of disease and fungus attack. The most common disease problem is Brown Patch. Prevention of disease relies mainly on cultivar selection, and following good cultural practices such as avoiding planting seed too thickly, heavy early spring fertilizing and shallow, frequent watering. Contact your County Extension or Outreach service for more information on control and good cultural practices.

We hope to see you at the Johnson County K-State Extension Master Gardeners biennial public garden tour on May 21 and 22. Call the K-State Research and Extension office at (913) 764-6300 for ticket information.

Articles submitted by Bill Latimer, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Assistant and Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent.

Previous Weeks' Hotline Tips

* The "Hotline" is an information service of the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.  Research-based responses are provided by Extension Master Gardener volunteers weekdays from March 1 through October 31, from 9:00 am to 4:30pm .  To telephone, call (913) 764-6306 or visit the Extension Office at 13480 South Arapaho Drive, Olathe, Kansas.  Visit their website at www.oznet.ksu.edu/Johnson 

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