Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Sunday - November 16, 2014
From: Dallas, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Thunderturf turning brown in Dallas
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
Thunder Turf turning brown in Dallas, TX: Hi there. I planted new Thunder Turf seed in my entire back yard this past spring. It grew incredibly strong and abundant all summer until about September when I noticed it starting to grow slower and brown in areas. Is this caused by normal dormancy? over watering? too much shade? and will it return in the spring to it's lush green self? Thank you.ANSWER:
It is difficult to diagnose a plant problem from a written description. You could probably add chinch bugs or a fungal disease to your list of possible causes. What you need is for a knowledgeable person to take a look at your lawn to get a proper diagnosis of the situation. I would suggest that you contact the Dallas County office of Texas Agrilife Extension to find such a person.
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