Brown Patch is a disease that routinely attacks Centipede and St. Augustine grass lawns. It is caused by “Riczoctonia Sp”. which is a soil-borne fungus. This disease causes brown circles to appear in the lawn in mid-October and is considered active when the “golden halo” of about 2 inches in diameter is present on the outside edge of the circle. These spots occur year after year. In mild winters this disease will remain active and can actually kill the grass. If it gets real cold, this disease activity will become dormant and will reactivate in the same spot in the spring. Since Brown Patch is spread and aggravated by water, please do not water these areas in Winter. Improving drainage, increasing light and air circulation, removal of leaf litter, and thatch removal will help decrease the severity of the disease. We offer fungicide applications (at an additional charge) which will generally keep the grass from dying and the “golden halo” will disappear, rendering the disease inactive. However, these spots, even after treatment, will remain brown until about one month after “Spring Green Up”.

Brown Patch Fungus is most severe on St. Augustine grass lawns.