Spring dead spot in turf typically occurs during which timeframe?

• A. After winter dormancy
• B. In mid-summer
• C. In early spring before growth
• D. In late fall after dormancy

Answer: (A)

Spring dead spot becomes noticeable as the turf greens up after winter dormancy because the fungus that causes it takes advantage of the tender new growth. It’s during this spring recovery that infected tissue is killed, creating the characteristic dead patches that expand as growth resumes. If you look in mid-summer, the symptoms aren’t typically appearing in the same way, since the grass is already actively growing and the disease patterns differ. Before growth begins in early spring, there’s nothing for the pathogen to attack, so patches aren’t yet visible. And after dormancy in late fall, the grass isn’t actively growing again, so the disease isn’t presenting as dead spots in the same way.