Lawn and fungus

[Mary Straiton]

Back in the winter, we put in a new lawn called Palmetto. It thrived until
recently when first it looked silvery and then there were brown patches. I
have looked on various web sites but am not sure what to think. Some say
that it will get over it. Another suggests that it might be a new disease
for which there is no known cure. I have been growing buffalo lawn for 40
years and have never had trouble with it before. Seems to be a strange time
to get it when we are in a drought. When we first noticed it, we gave it an
extra long watering because we thought that it needed water. My husband
even made alterations to the reticulation system so that it would get more
water.

One suggestion is that it is spread by walking on it or a pet running across
it. We call it our laundry lawn because it is a small patch beneath the
extended line.

Any ideas?

Cheers Mary
Wanneroo
north of Perth in WA

[S. McLaren]

Is the buffalo grass? I have buffalo grass in the front lawn section - they
like it hot. And they are very very tolerant of dry conditions which kill
the other sorts of grass.

Its green all Summer long - it turns a little drab in Winter but the other
grasses take over then and its not too bad.

Best of all I NEVER water the grass.