With the storm that blanketed the East Coast with heavy snow and ice it is sometimes hard to think of spring.  However, with spring approaching this is the time to evaluate whether an early spring fungicide treatment for dollar spot is warranted.  A relatively new concept in dollar spot control has been proposed by a number of turfgrass pathologists.  If dollar spot is a chronic summertime problem, an early fungicide application can delay the onset of disease.

The dollar spot fungus overwinters as dormant mycelium or sclerotial flakes.  The amount present during the winter influences the arrival and severity of the disease in spring or summer.  Research (Boehm, et al., 2005) has shown that a fungicide treatment at approximately the second true mowing of the season (not counting removal of winter growth) has been effective in delaying the initiation and severity of dollar spot during the growing season.  A systemic fungicide that controls dollar spot or a combination of a systemic and contact fungicide at this time would be recommended.

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