Filtering by tag: Turfgrass ✕

Tan lesions on tall fescue leaves due to brown patch.

Updates on Turfgrass Disease Management in NC

Tall Fescue LawnsRain has finally returned to NC, yet most tall fescue samples submitted to our lab (48% of all submissions since 2008) are not diseased. Most issues stem from poor growing…

NC State logo painted on a grassy hill at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Lab in Raleigh, NC.

Diagnostic Lab Fee Increase

Beginning September 1, 2026, we will implement a new fee schedule for golf course sample submissions—our first adjustment in 11 years. The fee for in-state golf course samples will increase from $60…

Slime mold fruiting bodies on the leaves of a zoysiagrass lawn

Slime Mold Outbreak (Hint: Don't Panic!)

The NC State Turf Diagnostics Lab is currently inundated with samples, phone calls, text messages, emails, smoke signals, and carrier pigeons, all showing symptoms of slime mold. The good news is…

Soil Temperatures in Raleigh since March 1, 2026

Environmental Stress and Turfgrass Performance This Spring

Warm-Season LawnsThis spring has been odd indeed, as we are experiencing a record drought that began in September 2025. That has continued into spring, and even though we have had some warm…

US map showing 2025 turfgrass sample origins; 71% SE, 41% NC, 13% SW; Top5 NC, FL, SC, TX, CA

2025 Turf Diagnostics Lab Review

Overall, total turfgrass samples submitted in 2025 to the NC State Turf Diagnostics Lab were 6% higher than samples submitted in 2024 and 13% above our 18-year running average (2008-2025). As…

Grass field with large irregular brown and bare patches across the turf

Record Heat for Most of NC = Ugly Creeping Bentgrass and Tall Fescue

This summer has been extremely tough, to say the least. Raleigh, New Bern, and Wilmington are on pace for the hottest summer ever recorded, while Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Boone are…

NC STATE UNIVERSITY banner; turf disease examples labeled Brown patch, Gray Leaf Spot, Pythium blight

Gray Leaf Spot Development in Tall Fescue

Gray leaf spot has appeared in NC. This disease is difficult to control because the fungus thrives when nighttime temperatures stay above 72°F and produces many spores. We typically see about 28 days…

US map: 2024 turfgrass sample origins — 65% SE, 15% SW, 37% NC; Top 5: NC, FL, TX, CA, AL

2024 Turf Diagnostics Lab Review

Overall, total turfgrass samples submitted in 2024 to the NC State Turf Diagnostics Lab were 6% lower than samples submitted in 2023 and 7% above our 15-year running average. As expected, most (74%)…

Golf tee box and fairway framed by trees, mountains visible in the distance.

Sample Fees Waived for Western NC Turf Managers

For the remainder of 2024, the NC State Turf Diagnostics Lab will waive all fees associated with turfgrass disease diagnosis for anyone managing turfgrass in the Western portions of our state…

Red stylized hurricane symbol: circular eye with two curved pointed spiral arms

What to Consider After a Tropical System for Turf Disease Management

With Debby lurking off the SC and NC coasts, discussing what should be done in the aftermath is essential. Current rain totals vary from 4 to 20 inches, depending on where you are in the Carolinas.…