Pests & Diseases

Q: In recent days, members have been asking questions about Fusarium patch in turf, it seems to be quite prevalent at the moment.

A: This is partly because the weather has been wet recently after a period of frost. This particular disease runs riot in damp conditions. It can survive temperatures as low as -20C. This disease seems to be coming more persistent in fine turf situations.

Fusarium Patch

Microdochium nivale (Commonly known as Pink Snow Mould)
Fusarium patch disease is becoming very widespread on amenity sports turf facilities particularly during the winter months. Its symptoms are more easily seen on fine turf situations of bowling and golf greens. The disease appears as small orange / brown colour circular dead patches / spots up to 25-50mm in diameter.

The disease is always present in the soil and will attack the sward overnight if the condidtions are right. Its spores are spread by wind, water and traffic. Whilst the grass is in its dormant state in the winter months the only control is to remove the dew and spray with a contact fungicide (very expensive). As it is a contact fungicide it only kills disease that it touches and any further desease forming will not be controlled. (05/01/2008)

Q: There seems to be quite a lot of moss appearing in the fairways. Can we not treat it?

A: We could, however the cost would be very high, in excess of £7400 per chemical treatment! It is quite normal for moss to show at the start of spring. Grass growth has been weak or non existent during the winter months giving the moss little competition. As soon as the grass starts growing in earnest and the dryer months come along it will rapidly disappear. Interestingly enough there is less moss present this year than there has been in previous years.

Moss, like heather, hates being trodden on so a little trick used on the greens is to place the pin in or near a moss patch and then the players feet wear it away. The mainly organic fertilisers used on the greens in the spring contain iron which rapidly kills off any moss. The green approach! (27/03/07)

Q: I have noticed that there has been a lot of yellowing of the grass in some places. What causes this?

A: It is caused by the cranefly larvae eating the roots of the grass. There were a lot of craneflies last autumn and the conditions for their eggs to hatch were perfect. Each cranefly can lay over 300 eggs into the surface of the turf. This has been the worst infestation we have ever seen here, with literally hundreds to a square metre.

Fortunately there is a very effective chemical control and all greens and other infected areas have been treated. If left unchecked, some areas would be left completely bare, devoid of all grass cover. However there is also another pest at work within the soil which is the larvae of the fever fly or St. Marks fly as it is sometimes known. This again is a small grub that eats the grass roots causing the yellowing symptoms.

These particular bugs are normally only found in small quantities, but because of the conditions this winter they have survived in large numbers. The bad news is there is no chemical control for this pest and we have to hope that the damage will not be too great. Fortunately it is limited to a few areas and an acidic fertiliser will be applied today to make conditions as unpleasant as possible for the grubs. (08/03/07)