Grass and other problems in the yard

Grass going from green to brown was one of many yard problems discussed with callers at the Extension office in recent days. Here are a few of the questions raised by concerned gardeners.

Q. My lawn is fairly new, about four years old. I keep having to reseed it every year. I had a really good-looking lawn earlier this spring and now it is sort of like turning brown, and I don’t understand why because it has plenty of water. I have an irrigation system. I have fertilized it early in the spring. I’m getting concerned that maybe something is happening to it, and it is getting worse. And I don’t know what to do. L.M., Lynchburg
A. Your lawn probably has some kind of disease caused by a fungus. This is a common situation in hot weather, especially when the grass has had fertilizer in spring coupled with an abundance of rain. Spraying with a fungicide is an option, though it is not likely to do any good. A better choice is to let the disease run its course and then use cultural practices to prevent more disease in the future. This includes seeding in the late summer, fertilizing monthly in autumn and watering only when absolutely necessary. Whenever possible, avoid giving your lawn nitrogen fertilizer in spring.

Q. I have a question. I have two weeping cherry trees and all of a sudden (during) the last two weeks, the leaves are turning brown and falling off and there is sap oozing out of the side of the tree. I read some information on the Internet that indicates this is a combination of a fungus perhaps and some insects and I should spray the tree with a fruit tree spray. I would like to get your opinion on this. D.G., Forest
A. It sounds like your trees are infested with peachtree borer, lesser peachtree borer or both. Wood borers like these are the main reason why cherries are short-lived trees. Fruit spray is not going to control these pests. Products containing permethrin are more effective.

Q. Okay I just want to ask a question about slugs. How you get rid of ’em? How they seem to proliferate at everything? They won’t eat slug bait, and Sevin dust won’t stop ’em. W.H.S., Lynchburg
A. Slugs are particularly troublesome this year due to the cloudy weather and abundant rain. The poison bait made for controlling slugs and snails normally gives visible results a day or two after you sprinkle it on the ground. Maybe you do not see it working because there are huge numbers of slugs in your garden.

Q. If I put wood mulch in my yard, is there a chance termites will be in it? G.B., Amherst
A. Much of the mulch sold these days is shredded wood made from waste materials such as pallets and tree stumps. It contains plenty of cellulose, the basic food of termites. When you spread it on the ground in your yard, the mulch could serve as food for termites. Although this does not happen very often, the possibility does exist.