I live in Atlanta, and we've been in a drought for the last 3-4 years. Things are getting better this year, there's been a lot of rain, but my lawn has definitely been hurting with no rain and the watering restrictions. My front lawn (Bermuda grass) started thinning out two years ago, and sections started dying. Over time, the problem has spread to most of my lawn, in the front, side and back yards. I'm wondering if maybe there's some kind of fungus, infection or pest causing it besides just the water issues, especially since this year has been pretty wet. Linked below are photos of a section of my lawn that at the end of last season and even this spring was beautifully lush and thick - now, just a couple months later, is all thin and dying. Can anyone help me diagnose what could be causing this and what I can do about it?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64581428@N00/3777212764/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64581428@N00/3776406707/
Thanks in advance!
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GeorgiaGirl
- Senior Member
- Posts: 228
- Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: Metro Atlanta, GA (zone 7)
Hi - I'm in metro Atlanta too and I feel your pain! 
I have to say, though, I don't think your situation is just due to the drought... I have never once watered our Bermuda lawn in the four years we've had it and it still looks great... I would guess that you're right about it possibly being a fungus problem.
What I would do (and what I DID do when I saw a few spots of dollar spot fungus show up) is spread corn meal on the lawn (it feeds the beneficial fungi that out-compete the bad ones) and give it weekly spritzing with compost tea for a few weeks. I do organic-only lawn care, so there are probably other approaches that would give you faster results, but I like the corn meal + compost tea approach because once it balances out and the bad fungi are gone, you have a much healthier, much more drought-tolerant lawn.
I have to say, though, I don't think your situation is just due to the drought... I have never once watered our Bermuda lawn in the four years we've had it and it still looks great... I would guess that you're right about it possibly being a fungus problem.What I would do (and what I DID do when I saw a few spots of dollar spot fungus show up) is spread corn meal on the lawn (it feeds the beneficial fungi that out-compete the bad ones) and give it weekly spritzing with compost tea for a few weeks. I do organic-only lawn care, so there are probably other approaches that would give you faster results, but I like the corn meal + compost tea approach because once it balances out and the bad fungi are gone, you have a much healthier, much more drought-tolerant lawn.
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vintagejuls
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 429
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:12 am
- Location: Southern California / USDA Zone 10
From your pics, it appears you may have been mowing too low for spring and summer... maybe???? 
It also looks really dry. When was the last time you received heavy rain or gave it a deep watering. If it's been more than 10 days, on the thinning yellow areas, give it a good deep watering with a bubbler or some type of sprinkler that will concentrate the water to the effected area.
Also, set your mower to mow high for the rest of the summer; then mow low during fall and winter.
Keep us posted.
It also looks really dry. When was the last time you received heavy rain or gave it a deep watering. If it's been more than 10 days, on the thinning yellow areas, give it a good deep watering with a bubbler or some type of sprinkler that will concentrate the water to the effected area.
Also, set your mower to mow high for the rest of the summer; then mow low during fall and winter.
Keep us posted.
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phantomphan
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:45 am
- Location: las vegas
after looking at your pics, it may be a combo of drought and disease. the bluish gray areas show signs of drought while the brownish areas look more like disease. also I noticed a shadow of a tree, bermuda dosen't grow well in the shade. you may want to take a sample to your local golf course and ask the chief greenskeeper, he would definitely know what the problem is. also I don't normally recommend de thatching bermuda grass but you may have to in the spring time, but don't worry to much, bermuda grows pretty fast and will rapidly repair itself once you resolve the problem.