Turf Diseases - Take All Patch

Take-all patch causes circular patches in affected turf

​Take-all patch disease is caused by a root-infecting, soil-borne fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis f.sp. avenae. Take-all patch appears as a brown, circular patch in the turf. It can ruin the appearance of large areas of turf in a fairly short amount of time, if it is left untreated. On sports fields take-all patch can ruin the playability of the turf as well. This is especially true for golf courses. A small case of take-all patch on the greens can quickly become an out-of-control nightmare across the entire course. It can cover great distances, spreading rapidly on shoes, golf cart tires, golf balls, and other equipment as golfers play-through the course.

Sports fields aren't the only turf areas where take-all patch causes problems and creates an eyesore though. It's also a common and very frustrating issue that many homeowners deal with in their own yard. Understanding take-all patch is an important step in learning how to reduce the chances of your lawn becoming a victim.

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Causes and Prevention

​Take-all patch thrives in the following conditions: 

• Wet/Over watered soil
• Compacted soil
• Low oxygenated soil
• Low or unbalanced fertility of the soil (e.g. excess nitrogen)
• Cool soil temperatures

​How can you prevent take all patch?
You should be watering deep and infrequent. Run your irrigation system 30-45 minutes every other day (except when it rains). It is recommended that you run it before the morning dew dries. This will let the grass dry naturally. Shady and naturally wet areas may need watering less often.

Keep your soil aerated. If your lawn is overdue for an aeration, give us a call to set one up! This will help loosen the soil and allow oxygen to reach the roots. Be careful when fertilizing. It is best to allow a trained professional to fertilize your turf areas. If you do it yourself, be sure you read and understand all label rates and requirements of the products.

​If you cut your own grass, clean off the mower after cutting areas of your lawn which may have take-all patch or other diseases. Weeds and diseases can be transferred from one turf area to another on mowers, shoes, and other equipment. Cut your lawn at the proper height for your type of grass. Cutting it too low causes stress to the turf and makes it more susceptible to disease. See the table below for the proper cutting heights of the four primary varieties of turf grass found in the state of Georgia.

Turf Grass	Cutting Height (inches)
​Centipede	​1½” – 2½”
​Bermuda	​½” – 1½”
​St. Augustine	​2” – 4”
​Zoysia	½” – 1½”

Treatment of Take-All Patch

Seek Professional Help 

Even with the best precautions and lawn care practices, trouble sometimes still finds its way into your yard. Inspect your turf areas regularly. If you encounter a possible case of take-all patch developing in your lawn, contact us ASAP! Our turf management division will formulate a plan to get your lawn healthy again.

​You don't need to wait until you are certain it is take-all patch; get in touch with us at the first sign of trouble. One of our experts will come out, free of charge, to identify the problem in your turf. You can even just take a picture of a spot that has you worried and email it to us. You can submit a turf issue for identification here.

​Getting professional help early-on to properly diagnose and treat a turf problem such as take-all patch can save your lawn and your wallet. Paying to treat a small problem now prevents it from becoming a small fortune on an invoice for re-sodding your entire yard later! ​