I just laid down about 150 sqft of Bermuda sod 2 weeks ago. I have been watering it every night since then at nighttime (mostly). Things were looking great and everywhere it was greening up nicely until about 4 or five days ago. I started noticing it thinning out in small areas and turning a gray color. The issue is only on the new sod and not on my established Bermuda grass in other parts of the yard.
I am thinking that this is either fungus or bugs, but how can I tell. I haven’t noticed any bugs recently and the soil I put down was top soil purchased from a local nursery. Could I just be watering at the wrong time? What products can I buy to fix this (assuming I find out what the cause is)?

TIA

Is the grass itself turning grey or does the grey wash off with a blast of water?

Water in the morning so the sun can take the excess off the leaves. Don't want warm water sitting on leaves all night. Recipe for disease. I'm no expert, so look for additional advice, but I do know that you want to water in morning.

give it some oxygen, that's what they do for people who turn gray!

Give it some foliar iron.

And don't water at night. Early morning is better.

Okay, upon further examination in the day, the gray I say was really just the color of the green slowly turning to yellow. A few days later what was once discolored is now just yellow. I assumed that my watering was enough, but our north Texas heat has been insane. Hopefully I just need to water more (and during the day just in case).

Thanks for all the responses.

Have the roots pegged down into the soil?
You may not have thrown enough water at it.

[This message has been edited by Agsuper1 (edited 7/30/2012 12:29p).]

If the grass is turning yellow rather than brown and dry, I would say that it is being over-watered, not under-watered. I would water it less frequently and/or for shorter durations and see if it improves.

I have grown in a couple of golf courses. People tend to underestimate the amount of water needed to get the turf to peg down

How thick was the sod cut?

you do NOT need to water MORE.

Hard to give advice sight unseen. Just giving my 25 years of growing turf experience. No need to be a *****

It maybe drowning. I put down sod months ago and did not water daily, but a good soaking and waited a day or two then rewatered.

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man," Psalm 118:8.

Water it in the morning and try to provide some sunlight, do not water it more than it need.

Interestingly enough, the grass is lined green still around the boarders of the sod. The sod was cut with approx. 1" of soil under it. I will try to post pics soon for a visual.

Watering sod - less is more.

You are wanting the sod to spring roots into your ground. Why would sod spring roots into your ground? When those roots go looking for water. Why would sod roots look for water below if you are giving it enough water from above?

This is true for all bermudagrass lawns. Anyone with a high weed content yard is likely watering too much as the bermuda roots never got very dense looking for water.

Bonfire. You have to apply water to keep it from drying out and to encourage rooting.obviously you don't want the sod swimming in water. I have been growing grass on golf courses for 25 years.

Have the roots pegged?

quote:

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Watering sod - less is more.

You are wanting the sod to spring roots into your ground. Why would sod spring roots into your ground? When those roots go looking for water. Why would sod roots look for water below if you are giving it enough water from above?

This is true for all bermudagrass lawns. Anyone with a high weed content yard is likely watering too much as the bermuda roots never got very dense looking for water.

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Roots don't have the ability to reason.

Mine does