Topic: Lawn problem

[robbo]

I have a problem with my new lawn which was grown from seed earlier this year. Having read about problems with lawns, I am 99% certain the problem is 'Dollar Spot'. It is basically a fungus that, as well as certain things I need to do with the lawn, has to be treated with either Benomyl, Carbendazim or Thiophanate-methyl. The problem I have is that I can't find any of these products about and am not sure where to find them. Does anybody know where I could get any of these products.

  Thanks Dave.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Why have you got the fungus? Three things which seem to encourage it are cutting too short, lack of nitrogen, and large quantities of thatch. If you can find the cause and deal with it, that would get you further than pouring chemicals on.

[robbo]

You are partly correct Robert, other causes are compacted soil and a fine grass and as I said in my original post the causes are being dealt with to prevent further problems. However, to get rid of the fungus that is already there, it also needs to be treated with one of the chemicals mentioned.



  Dave.

[ceres]

According to the CRD Pesticides Register, in the UK there are no products approved for use in the garden (amateur use) that contain these substances.  There are professional use products containing Carbendazim for use on cereal and related crops and managed amenity turf.  So you won't be able to buy any of the products you're looking for.  I suspect you got the info from US websites where the regulation is different.

The UK websites I found don't mention fungicide treatment for Dollar Spot, they just talk about the physical measures to be taken to improve the lawn.

There is one amateur use fungicide treatment for lawns listed in the Pesticides Register - Lawn Disease Control by Bayer.  The active ingredient is trifloxystrobin.  I have no idea if it is effectve against Dollar Spot.  You could call Bayer and ask:

http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/products/product.aspx?productid=180&categoryid=17

[Heartysoup]

It's getting harder to find what used to be common chemicals. Growers are still very much divided about that.

If it were my lawn I'd treat the causes first, after all you're going to do that anyway and then sit tight for a bit longer. As with a lot of things, it may look worse before it looks better. Then if it's showing no signs of improvement by mid autumn I'd use something chemical.

I realise this doesn't answer your question, but it might delay the need for one !!

[robbo]

Thanks for the replies everyone, apparently all the chemicals I wanted are all banned now. I am doing as suggested and treating the causes and see what happens.

  Dave.

[tonybloke]

It's getting harder to find what used to be common chemicals. Growers are still very much divided about that.

yep, most of the stuff that's hazardous to human health has been banned !! why have folk got such an addiction to using poisons?

[robbo]

It's getting harder to find what used to be common chemicals. Growers are still very much divided about that.

yep, most of the stuff that's hazardous to human health has been banned !! why have folk got such an addiction to using poisons?

Well first of all I checked various scources to try and find the problem with my lawn and the suggested chemicals to cure it came from the RHS Gardening Encyclopedia. This book is quite a few years old and apparently all the chemicals have now been banned because they are harmful one way or the other. I was not looking to 'using poisons' I was looking for something that would cure my lawn problem, if I had known they were toxic, I would not even have considered them. I was looking for a 'medicine' not a poison.

  Dave.

[Unwashed]

I was looking for a 'medicine' not a poison.

I think you were looking for something to kill the fungus, but it's not that simple.  I suggest as gardeners, and particularly as leisure gardeners, we need to think about the environmental impact of our hobby, and that means questioning the need for a lawn, or at least a pristine lawn.  Mowing longer and scarifying are pretty low-impact, but there's still the environmental cost of the machines, so push mowers and hand rakes are better.  Watering lawns is increasingly unsustainable.  There's an environmental cost to producing lawn feed, and a cost in its run-off, and there's certainly a cost in any selective weed killers.  Legislating to ban the worst chemicals is one approach, but we need to take responsibility too.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I should rake the thatch out, let the grass grow a bit, and see if the grass can overcome it when it's given a chance.

[robbo]

That's what I am doing Robert, as well as aerating it. I think I have been part of the problem as well, I fed the lawn when it should not be fed for at least six months.

Unwashed there is an 'environmental cost' to some degree by most of our actions every day of our lives and as for 'questioning the need for a lawn', well I want a lawn to as part of my quality of life needs.

  Robbo.

[simon404]

Personally I can't get exited about lawns but you could try using one of the professional lawn companies like Green Thumb. They'll do a free report for you even if you decide not to use their services.