Take All Root Rot Control: How To Get Rid of Take All Root Rot

Take All Root Rot is a fungal disease that appears in the form of weak, brown, dead patches of turfgrass that becomes very lethargic and suffers from stunted growth. For the last 10 to 15 years or so, Take All Root Rot has become a significant problem in hot and humid southern states such as Texas and other areas around the south.

Take All Root Rot has been known to have a major detrimental effect on both St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass. Take All Root Rot has also been nicknamed "bermudagrass decline" due to the damage it causes to the grass type.

Take All Root Rot takes hold on lawns due to a fungus known as Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis. This fungus lives in the soil and activates itself when the conditions are ideal. Take All Root Rot is commonly found in both disease-stressed lawns as well as lawns which appear to look healthy.

If your lawn is infected with Take All Root Rot, we advise you to act quickly in treating it before it takes over. The DIY treatment guide below was developed by our lawn care team and is designed to completely get rid of Take All Root Rot. By using our recommended products and carefully following our step by step instructions, you will be successful in removing Take All Root Rot from your lawn quickly and affordably.

Identification

Before you can carry out a treatment program, you need to make sure Take-All Root Rot is the disease you are seeing. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment products, which in turn, is a waste of time and money. Below we have shared with you what Take-All Root Rot looks like so you can properly identify it.

• Signs of Take All Root Rot are usually so subtle that most lawn owners won't notice the infection right away. Young leaf blades often begin to yellow or turn a faint colored green. This is often misdiagnosed as being a nutrient deficiency or damage caused by chinch bugs.
• The problem is then realized when they begin to turn very brown and die off in an irregular pattern. At worst, the roots can all die off and kill the entire grass and become replaced on your lawn.
• The clearest symptom of Take All Root Rot is the emergence of yellowed leaf blades which eventually become brown and begin wilting. What follows is the turf begins thinning, and what is left are brown irregular looking patches that range between 1 foot to as much as 20 feet in diameter.

Use the image and description above to determine if you have Take All Root Rot. If you are not entirely sure that you have Take All Root Rot, you can get in touch with us and we will confirm the disease type and suggest products for control.

Inspection

The reason this disease is called Take All Root Rot is due to the disease's tendency to remove the grass from your lawn so you end up with a bare spot; it takes everything so all you are left with is just dirt, hence, the name--Take All Root Rot.

Where to Inspect

Generally, you will find it in the shady areas of the lawn like most lawn disease problems. When conducting an inspection for Take All Root Rot, examine the roots of infected grass closely to properly diagnose the issue.

What to Look For

Take All Root Rot causes rotting of the stolon itself, the actual runner of the grass, as well at the roots. If you pull out a runner you will see that it browns or almost blackens lengthwise down the stolon. If you start to pull the stolon up from the dirt, you will see that the roots themselves are short, blackened and rotting.

Healthy roots are usually a light creamy white color and pulling the plant out from the root would take some effort because it would be planted firmly. A lawn infected with the Take All Root Rot, the plants could be tugged out from the soil with little to no effort, similar to a lawn grub problem.

Treatment

Before using any pesticides, make sure you have on the proper personal protective equipment for the job to prevent chemicals from coming in contact with your eyes or skin. Gloves, safety goggles and long-sleeved clothing are a must.

The fungicide options for Take All Rot Rot are limited due to the broadness of the name. We recommend using Patch Pro which is a broad-spectrum fungicide that works quickly and is cost-effective. However, as mentioned previously Take All Root Rot will not be specifically named on the Patch Pro.

Step 1 - Measure & Mix Patch Pro

To determine how much Patch Pro you need, measure the square footage of the treatment area. If you are not sure how to do this follow the formula length times the width (length X width = square footage). For a general application, use between 0.5 to 4 oz. of Patch Pro per gallon of water per 1,000 sq. ft. 

Mix the Patch Pro in a hand-held sprayer with the appropriate amount of water, close the lid and shake the sprayer to agitate the solution. Now you are ready to treat.

Step 2 - Spray Patch Pro

Apply generously to the affected areas via fan spray setting for even coverage. The water will ensure that the product moves into the grass stolon and root zone rather than drying on the leaves. Re-application may be necessary to ensure the problem has been totally neutralized.

Timing is important when using fungicides; the best time for application is in the springtime or fall.

Prevention

Once Take All Root Rot is no longer on your lawn, you will need to implement preventative measures to prevent it from returning to your yard. Some of the conditions where Take All Root Rot may form are: excessive shade, herbicide injury, soil compaction, temperature extremes, imbalanced soil fertility, inappropriate irrigation scheduling, improper mowing height or frequency or any other condition that weakens the turf. By addressing these conditions, you can ensure that your lawn is healthy and vibrant and Take All Root Rot will be a problem of the past.

• Promote the growth of healthy roots as much as possible. Make sure you address any water drainage issues at and below the soil surface. Areas of your lawn that stay wet are prone to the disease. Improve the drainage, and make sure not to overwater your lawn. It is better to water infrequently but deeply (6 to 8 inches deep) than to give the grass frequent, shallow watering.
• Have the soil tested, then fertilize on the basis of the test results. If excessive thatch has accumulated, this can also make the conditions ripe for Take All Root Rot to take hold. Applying too much nitrogen encourages thatch to accumulate, making the turfgrass more vulnerable to disease outbreak and other environmental stress.

Key Takeaways

What is Take-All Root Rot?

• Take All Root Rot is a fungal disease that occurs in the shade and can spread very quickly and kill your turfgrass if you don't intervene.

How To Get Rid of Take-All Root Rot

• Our top recommendation to treat Take All Root Rot is Patch Pro. The products we carry are stronger and provide more value than what you'll find at big box stores, saving you time and money.

Preventing Take-All Root Rot Reestablishment

• To prevent Take All Root Rot from coming back, you must take proper care of your grass. Address issues of shade, mow at the best height for your grass and put in place a good watering and fertilization routine to strengthen your turf so it can fight off disease.