"Jason Walter" wrote in message
. com...
I think my yard has some type of fungus or dieses. I have a very large
tree
that has something on the leaves. Some type of fungus/discoloration. I
have
tried to lay sod 2 times, but each time it dies. First was centipede and
the
second was St Augustine. The backyard is mostly covered by the tree and
the
grass dies within a few weeks. The front is not covered, but it dies after
a
season. In the back I even tried spreading that seed mix that has
everything
including rye grass and that didn't even take. I had some real thin blade
grass sprout then die.

I want to try a soil testing company, but it looks like they only test for
PH and Nitrogen. Is there any that test for dieses as well ?

Thanks
Jason


Most good soil labs will test for a huge range of diseases. But it is on a
individual basis, expensive and not diagnostic in nature - you must ask them
to test for specific disease. So you have to pretty much know what's wrong
before you test for it - the test is more or less just a confirmation one
way or the other.

The first thing I would do is contact the local extension office and have
them recommend a soil pathologist - they could possibly have one on staff.
You need someone who specializes in problem soils and diseases examine your
yard and look closely at the soil. They will then be able to narrow down the
problem considerably, resulting in perhaps only one or two tests to request.

I'm not convinced you have a soil disease. There are few, if any, diseases I
am aware of that would cause both trees and turf to fail. It may be some
other soil issue - poor drainage, lack of nutrients, chemical contamination,
etc. A well trained soil specialist should be able to tell you.

Lack of light or insufficient watering may be all that's wrong with your
lawn.


pam - gardengal