Gray Leaf Spot in St. Augustine Grass: Jacksonville Treatment Guide

There's a moment familiar to many Jacksonville homeowners who've installed new St. Augustine sod during summer: you walk outside one morning in July or August to check on your beautiful new lawn, and instead of the lush green you saw yesterday, you find grass blades covered in small gray spots. Within days, those spots expand, multiply, and turn your entire lawn a sickly brown color. Welcome to gray leaf spot, St. Augustine grass's most devastating disease in Jacksonville.

Gray leaf spot isn't just another lawn disease—it's the disease that keeps sod companies and lawn care professionals awake at night during Jacksonville's summer months. We've seen it destroy 5,000 square feet of newly installed St. Augustine sod in under a week. We've watched homeowners lose thousands of dollars worth of grass because they didn't recognize symptoms until damage was severe and irreversible.

At Jax Sod, we've installed St. Augustine sod throughout Northeast Florida for 37+ years, and we've developed prevention and treatment protocols that protect lawns during Jacksonville's brutal July-September gray leaf spot season. The key is understanding that gray leaf spot is fundamentally a disease of new sod during hot, humid, rainy weather—and taking preventive action before you see symptoms, because once visible damage appears, you're already behind the curve.

This guide provides everything Jacksonville homeowners need to identify gray leaf spot early, understand why it's so devastating to new St. Augustine sod, implement effective treatment protocols, and most importantly, prevent this disease from destroying your lawn investment.

What Gray Leaf Spot Looks Like

Early identification is absolutely critical with gray leaf spot because the disease progresses rapidly. Understanding what to look for—and when to look—can save your lawn.

Initial Symptoms

Gray leaf spot begins as tiny spots on individual leaf blades. These initial lesions are small (1-2mm), round to oval, and appear gray-green or water-soaked. At this early stage, they're easy to miss unless you're specifically looking for them. You might notice a few affected blades while walking through the lawn, but the overall appearance seems fine.

Within 24-48 hours, these tiny spots enlarge into more distinctive lesions. The mature lesion is oval to elongated, typically 2-6mm long and 1-3mm wide, with a tan to brown center and a dark purple-brown border. The dark border is a key identifying feature—it distinguishes gray leaf spot from other leaf diseases.

Progressive Symptoms

As individual lesions expand and multiply, affected leaf blades turn yellow, then tan, then brown. From a distance, the lawn takes on a yellowish-brown or scorched appearance, similar to drought stress or fertilizer burn—which is why homeowners often misdiagnose the problem initially and waste precious time.

Unlike diseases that create distinct circular patterns (brown patch, dollar spot), gray leaf spot causes overall thinning and decline. There aren't neat circles of dead grass—instead, the entire lawn deteriorates simultaneously, creating a patchy, thin, unhealthy appearance throughout.

Severe Infection

In severe cases, which are common on new St. Augustine sod installed during July-August in Jacksonville, the disease can turn an entire lawn brown within 5-7 days. Individual grass blades are completely covered with lesions, turning tan to brown. The grass may die outright, or may recover slowly over months if the infection is controlled in time.

Walk through a severely infected lawn, and you'll see thousands of affected leaf blades, each showing multiple lesions at various stages of development. The cumulative effect is devastating—what was a beautiful green lawn becomes a brown, dying mess seemingly overnight.

Visual Identification Tips

To identify gray leaf spot with confidence:

1. Examine individual leaf blades for oval lesions with tan centers and dark purple-brown borders
2. Look for the characteristic pattern of lesions scattered across entire blades rather than concentrated in one area
3. Check multiple areas of the lawn—gray leaf spot affects the entire lawn, not just isolated spots
4. Look during early morning when dew is present, as lesions are most visible when wet
5. Rule out other causes of browning: check soil moisture (not drought?), check for fertilizer spills (not burn?), check for chinch bugs (not insects?)

Comparison to Similar Problems

Gray leaf spot is sometimes confused with other issues:

• Chinch bug damage creates irregular yellow patches that expand outward, while gray leaf spot affects the entire lawn simultaneously. Pull grass blades and examine for oval lesions to distinguish.
• Brown patch creates distinct circular patterns with darker smoke rings, while gray leaf spot causes overall thinning without circular patterns.
• Drought stress creates brown areas in predictable patterns (sunny slopes, high traffic areas), while gray leaf spot browns areas randomly.
• Fertilizer burn creates distinct patterns where fertilizer was applied (stripes from spreader, concentrated spots from spills), while gray leaf spot has no application pattern.

Why New St. Augustine Sod Is Most Vulnerable

If there's one fact about gray leaf spot that every Jacksonville homeowner needs to understand, it's this: new St. Augustine sod faces dramatically higher risk than established lawns. The statistics are sobering—at Jax Sod, we estimate that 70-80% of severe gray leaf spot cases occur on sod installed within the previous 8 weeks.

Transplant Stress

When sod is cut at the farm, roots are severed. Although modern sod production ensures a mature root system in the sod mat, the grass still experiences significant stress when harvested, transported, and installed. During the first 2-4 weeks after installation, the grass is focused on root regeneration rather than disease resistance.

This transplant stress creates vulnerability. The grass has reduced energy reserves, compromised cellular defenses, and limited ability to recover from disease damage. It's similar to how humans are more susceptible to illness when stressed or exhausted—the grass simply doesn't have the resources to fight off infection effectively.

High Nitrogen Status

New sod is typically well-fertilized at the farm to ensure optimal appearance and fast establishment. This high nitrogen status promotes rapid leaf growth with thin cell walls—exactly what gray leaf spot needs to infect grass easily.

Additionally, many homeowners (or well-meaning installation crews) apply fertilizer at installation or shortly after to "help" the new sod establish. This excessive nitrogen creates lush, rapidly growing leaf tissue that's extremely susceptible to gray leaf spot.

Frequent Irrigation

New sod requires frequent irrigation to establish roots—typically 2-3 times daily for the first two weeks, then daily for weeks 3-4. This constant moisture keeps leaf blades wet for extended periods, creating ideal conditions for gray leaf spot spore germination and infection.

Established lawns are irrigated twice weekly, allowing grass to dry between waterings. New sod never fully dries, providing continuous favorable conditions for disease development.

Installation Timing

Many Jacksonville homeowners install new sod during summer months (June-August) for various reasons: that's when lawn damage from previous disease or stress becomes unbearable, when they have time off for yard projects, when they close on new home purchases. Unfortunately, June-August is also peak gray leaf spot season in Jacksonville.

Installing St. Augustine sod in July or August without fungicide protection is, frankly, asking for gray leaf spot problems. The combination of transplant stress, high nitrogen, frequent irrigation, and Jacksonville's hot-humid-rainy summer weather creates perfect conditions for explosive disease development.

Conditions That Promote Gray Leaf Spot

Understanding environmental conditions that favor gray leaf spot helps homeowners predict risk and take preventive action.

July-September Peak in Jacksonville

Gray leaf spot requires specific conditions: temperatures between 75-90°F (ideally 80-85°F), high humidity (above 80%), and extended leaf wetness (10+ hours). Jacksonville's July-September weather delivers all three conditions simultaneously, day after day, week after week.

July and August are particularly brutal. Daytime temperatures in the low 90s, nighttime temperatures rarely below 75°F, afternoon thunderstorms that dump 1-2 inches of rain, morning humidity at 90-95%, and heavy dew that keeps grass wet until mid-morning—it's a gray leaf spot paradise.

September often extends the disease season as temperatures remain warm while afternoon storms continue. We don't typically see gray leaf spot risk decline until October, when cooler temperatures and reduced rainfall break the disease cycle.

Hot, Humid Weather

Jacksonville's position on Florida's First Coast creates intense summer humidity. Our proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and St. Johns River means moisture is constantly available for dew formation and high humidity levels.

Morning relative humidity of 90-95% is standard during summer months. Even afternoon humidity rarely drops below 65-70%. This constant high humidity keeps spores viable and creates the leaf wetness periods gray leaf spot requires.

Neighborhoods close to water—Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Riverside along the St. Johns River, areas bordering creeks in Mandarin and Southside—face even more intense humidity and disease pressure than inland areas.

Extended Wet Periods

Gray leaf spot requires approximately 14 hours of continuous leaf wetness to initiate infection. In Jacksonville during summer, this happens almost nightly. Evening dew begins forming at sunset (around 8:30pm in July), grass stays wet through the night, morning dew persists until 10am or later—that's 13-14 hours of continuous wetness.

Add in afternoon thunderstorms that soak grass mid-day, and you often have nearly 24 hours of leaf wetness. These multi-day wet periods during active storm patterns create explosive gray leaf spot development.

Excessive Nitrogen on New Growth

We've mentioned this regarding new sod, but it applies to established lawns too. Heavy nitrogen application during July-August promotes rapid leaf growth with thin cell walls. Gray leaf spot preferentially infects this young, succulent tissue.

Many Jacksonville lawn care services apply fertilizer on a calendar schedule without adjusting rates for disease risk. A standard 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet applied in July can trigger severe gray leaf spot on St. Augustine, even in established lawns.

The solution isn't to withhold nitrogen entirely—that creates other problems—but to reduce rates during peak disease season (July-August) to 0.3-0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet and use slow-release sources that minimize surge growth.

Floratam and Variety Susceptibility

Not all St. Augustine varieties face equal gray leaf spot risk. Understanding variety susceptibility helps homeowners make informed grass selection decisions.

Floratam: Highly Susceptible

Floratam St. Augustine, the most widely planted variety in Jacksonville for decades, is unfortunately highly susceptible to gray leaf spot. This doesn't mean Floratam is a bad choice—it has excellent shade tolerance, good cold tolerance, and lower cost than premium varieties. But gray leaf spot risk is definitely a consideration.

If you install Floratam sod during summer months, fungicide protection isn't optional—it's mandatory. We've seen too many Floratam installations in July-August destroyed by gray leaf spot to recommend summer installation without preventive fungicide applications.

Palmetto: Moderate Resistance

Palmetto St. Augustine shows better gray leaf spot resistance than Floratam while maintaining good shade tolerance and cold hardiness. It's not immune—severe gray leaf spot conditions can still damage Palmetto—but it develops disease less readily and recovers faster.

For Jacksonville homeowners concerned about gray leaf spot but needing St. Augustine's shade tolerance, Palmetto is often the best choice. The premium price over Floratam (typically $0.10-0.15 more per square foot) is offset by reduced disease risk and treatment costs.

Seville: Good Resistance

Seville St. Augustine, a dwarf variety with finer texture and lower growth habit, shows good gray leaf spot resistance. Its smaller leaf blades and slower growth rate make it less attractive to the fungus.

Seville's drawbacks for Jacksonville homeowners are limited availability and slower establishment compared to Floratam or Palmetto. But if gray leaf spot has been a recurring problem, Seville deserves consideration.

CitraBlue and Newer Varieties

Newer St. Augustine varieties like CitraBlue and ProVista claim improved disease resistance, including gray leaf spot. Limited long-term data exists for Jacksonville conditions, but preliminary observations suggest these varieties perform similarly to Palmetto—better than Floratam but not immune.

The key takeaway is that variety selection affects gray leaf spot risk but doesn't eliminate it. Even resistant varieties can develop severe disease under perfect conditions (new sod installation in August, excessive nitrogen, continuous wet weather). Variety resistance should be viewed as one layer of protection, not a complete solution.

Treatment Protocol for Gray Leaf Spot

Once gray leaf spot symptoms appear, immediate action is critical. The disease progresses rapidly, and delays of even 2-3 days can mean the difference between recovery and lawn loss.

Fungicide Application

Chemical fungicide is the only effective treatment for active gray leaf spot. Cultural practices help with prevention, but once visible symptoms appear, fungicide is non-negotiable.

Azoxystrobin: Gold Standard

Azoxystrobin (found in Heritage, Scotts DiseaseEx, and other brands) is the most effective fungicide active ingredient for gray leaf spot. It provides both preventive and curative activity, works systemically within the plant, and offers 14-21 days of residual protection.

For active gray leaf spot, apply azoxystrobin immediately at labeled rates (typically 0.4-0.8 oz per 1,000 square feet for Heritage). Repeat every 14 days while hot, humid weather continues. Most Jacksonville gray leaf spot situations require 2-3 applications (initial treatment plus 2 follow-ups) to completely control disease.

Application Timing and Method

Apply fungicide in early morning or late evening when temperatures are below 85°F and winds are calm. Use a pump sprayer or hose-end sprayer to apply liquid formulations—liquid provides better leaf coverage than granular products.

Apply uniformly across the entire lawn, not just visibly affected areas. Gray leaf spot is typically active throughout the lawn even if symptoms are only visible in some sections.

Water in lightly after application with 0.1-0.2 inches of irrigation to wash fungicide off leaf blades into the canopy where it can be absorbed. Don't over-water—heavy irrigation can wash the product away before it's absorbed.

Product Selection for Jacksonville

Several azoxystrobin-containing products work well for gray leaf spot in Jacksonville:

• Heritage fungicide (professional grade, 50% azoxystrobin): Most effective, most expensive. Available at specialty lawn care suppliers. Typical cost: $80-120 per application for 5,000 sq ft.
• Scotts DiseaseEx (13.3% azoxystrobin): Homeowner product available at local Jacksonville garden centers and big box stores. Less concentrated than Heritage but more affordable. Typical cost: $50-70 per application for 5,000 sq ft.
• Generic azoxystrobin products: Various brands available online. Read labels carefully for concentration and application rates.

Cultural Adjustments During Treatment

While fungicide controls the pathogen, cultural adjustments create conditions that support grass recovery and reduce reinfection risk.

Reduce Nitrogen

Stop all nitrogen fertilization during gray leaf spot treatment. Nitrogen promotes the lush growth that gray leaf spot prefers to infect. Withholding nitrogen won't cure existing disease but prevents making the problem worse.

Resume light fertilization (0.3-0.5 lb N per 1,000 sq ft) 2-3 weeks after symptoms are controlled, using slow-release sources only.

Adjust Irrigation

For established lawns with gray leaf spot, reduce irrigation frequency if possible. Instead of twice-weekly deep watering, water once weekly at 0.75 inches. This reduces leaf wetness periods while maintaining adequate soil moisture.

For new sod with gray leaf spot, you face a dilemma: frequent irrigation is needed for root establishment, but frequent irrigation promotes disease. The solution is to apply fungicide to control disease while maintaining necessary irrigation frequency, then reduce irrigation frequency as roots establish.

Improve Air Circulation

Gray leaf spot is worse in areas with poor air circulation—heavy tree canopy, fenced areas with limited airflow, low spots where humidity accumulates. While you can't change your yard's fundamental characteristics, you can:

• Prune tree branches to increase light penetration and airflow
• Maintain mowing equipment to ensure even cutting and good air circulation through the canopy
• Avoid placing irrigation sprinklers where they create localized wet zones with poor drainage

Mowing Considerations

Continue regular mowing during gray leaf spot treatment, but follow these guidelines:

• Wait until grass blades are dry before mowing
• Mow at the upper end of the recommended height range (4 inches for St. Augustine) to maintain leaf area for photosynthesis and recovery
• Bag clippings rather than mulching to remove diseased tissue and reduce spore load
• Clean mower deck after mowing affected lawns to avoid spreading spores

Treatment for New Sod Installations

New sod with gray leaf spot requires slightly different treatment than established lawns because you must balance disease control with establishment needs.

Immediate Fungicide Application

At first sign of gray leaf spot on new sod (even a few leaf lesions), apply azoxystrobin immediately. Don't wait to "see if it gets worse"—it will get worse, and the delay may be catastrophic.

Apply at labeled rates and plan for follow-up applications every 14 days until hot, humid weather breaks (typically through mid-September in Jacksonville).

Continue Essential Irrigation

Don't reduce irrigation frequency on new sod fighting gray leaf spot—the grass needs moisture for root development. Instead, rely on fungicide to control disease while maintaining the irrigation schedule necessary for establishment.

After roots are established (typically 3-4 weeks after installation), gradually reduce irrigation frequency while maintaining fungicide protection.

Monitor Daily

New sod with gray leaf spot can deteriorate shockingly fast. Inspect the lawn daily during treatment. If symptoms continue worsening despite fungicide application, consult with the sod supplier or a lawn care professional—there may be secondary issues or application problems.

Prevention Strategy and Schedule

Given the speed and severity with which gray leaf spot can destroy St. Augustine lawns in Jacksonville, prevention is infinitely preferable to treatment. A prevention strategy for new sod installations during summer is essentially mandatory.

Preventive Fungicide Schedule

For St. Augustine sod installed during Jacksonville's gray leaf spot season (June through September), we recommend the following fungicide schedule:

Week 0 (Installation Day): Apply azoxystrobin fungicide immediately after sod installation and initial watering. This establishes protection before symptoms appear.

Week 2: Second application, 14 days after installation. Sod is rooting but still highly vulnerable.

Week 4: Third application. Sod is beginning to establish but still susceptible.

Week 6: Fourth application. Sod should be well-rooted, but hot-humid weather may continue.

Week 8+: Continue applications every 14-21 days if hot, humid weather continues. Typically by late September in Jacksonville, conditions no longer favor gray leaf spot and preventive applications can stop.

Cost-Benefit Analysis:

For a typical 5,000 square foot Jacksonville lawn, this preventive schedule costs approximately $200-350 depending on product choice. The alternative—replacing 5,000 square feet of dead sod—costs $2,500-4,000. The math is clear: prevention pays.

Installation Timing Recommendations

The single most effective prevention strategy is to avoid installing St. Augustine sod during peak gray leaf spot season. If installation timing is flexible, consider:

Best Installation Periods:

• September 15 - November 30: Risk declining, establishment good, cost savings possible
• March 1 - May 15: Low disease risk, optimal establishment conditions
• December - February: Minimal establishment, but zero disease risk

Avoid If Possible:

• June 1 - September 15: Peak gray leaf spot risk, high treatment costs

We understand that many factors affect installation timing—home purchases, planned events, contractor availability. When summer installation is unavoidable, preventive fungicide isn't optional—it's the price of installing during high-risk months.

Nitrogen Management for Prevention

Proper nitrogen management significantly reduces gray leaf spot risk on both new and established St. Augustine.

Avoid Summer Fertilization on New Sod:

Do not apply nitrogen fertilizer to St. Augustine sod installed during June-September until the lawn is established (4+ weeks) and fungicide protection is established. The sod contains adequate nutrition for establishment—additional nitrogen only increases disease risk.

Reduce Summer Nitrogen on Established Lawns:

For established St. Augustine lawns, reduce summer nitrogen applications to 0.3-0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet during July-August. Use slow-release sources exclusively. Higher rates during peak disease months create unnecessary risk.

Resume normal fertilization rates (0.75-1.0 lb N per 1,000 sq ft) in September as disease risk declines.

Recovery Timeline After Gray Leaf Spot

Understanding recovery expectations helps homeowners evaluate treatment success and decide when additional intervention is needed.

Mild Cases (10-30% Foliar Damage):

Mild gray leaf spot showing scattered leaf lesions but minimal browning typically recovers within 2-3 weeks after treatment. New green growth emerges from crown, and affected blades are gradually replaced by healthy tissue.

Continue normal watering and light fertilization (0.3-0.5 lb N per 1,000 sq ft applied 2-3 weeks after symptoms are controlled). The lawn should return to attractive appearance within 4-6 weeks.

Moderate Cases (30-60% Foliar Damage):

Moderate infections showing significant browning and thinning but not complete death recover more slowly. Expect 4-6 weeks before lawn appearance significantly improves, and 8-12 weeks for full recovery.

Damaged areas may thin temporarily, requiring patience as St. Augustine stolons spread and fill in. Light nitrogen fertilization promotes recovery growth. Most moderate cases recover acceptably without resodding if fungicide controls the disease promptly.

Severe Cases (60%+ Damage or Crown Death):

Severe gray leaf spot that damages grass crowns (the growing point at the base of the plant) may not recover fully. If grass is brown and pulls up easily with no green at the crown, it's dead and won't regenerate.

These areas require resodding. Wait until weather cools (late September or October) before resodding to avoid repeating the gray leaf spot cycle. Alternatively, consider sodding in spring when disease risk is low.

Factors Affecting Recovery Speed:

• Time of season (grass growing actively vs. approaching dormancy)
• Severity of crown damage vs. just leaf damage
• Grass variety (some recover faster than others)
• Cultural care during recovery (proper irrigation and fertilization)
• Weather conditions during recovery period
• Whether disease was fully controlled or still active at low levels

Jacksonville Neighborhood-Specific Considerations

Different areas of Jacksonville face varying gray leaf spot risks based on local conditions.

Coastal Areas (Beaches, Ponte Vedra):

Coastal neighborhoods benefit from ocean breezes that improve air circulation and help grass dry faster. Gray leaf spot is typically less severe at the beaches than inland areas, though still a serious concern for new sod installations during summer.

Salt tolerance becomes a consideration in these areas—choose Floratam, Palmetto, or other salt-tolerant varieties that also show reasonable gray leaf spot resistance.

Inland Urban Core (San Marco, Riverside, Avondale):

Mature tree canopy in these established neighborhoods reduces sunlight and air circulation while extending dew periods. Gray leaf spot risk is elevated. Focus on improving air circulation through selective pruning and ensuring early morning irrigation only.

Clay County (Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg):

Clay soils common in these areas retain moisture longer, extending favorable disease conditions. Core aeration to improve drainage and careful irrigation management (avoid over-watering) are especially important.

New Developments (Nocatee, Julington Creek, St. Johns):

Full-sun lots with good air circulation reduce gray leaf spot risk somewhat, but newly constructed homes often have poor soil that stresses grass and increases disease susceptibility. Focus on soil improvement and proper establishment practices.

When to Consider Replacing Sod

Sometimes despite best efforts, gray leaf spot damage is too severe for recovery. Knowing when to accept that resodding is necessary saves time and frustration.

Indicators That Resodding Is Needed:

• Grass is brown and dead with no green at the crown when you pull it
• More than 60-70% of the lawn is completely brown and pulls up easily
• 6-8 weeks have passed since treatment with no visible recovery
• Bare soil is visible across large areas where grass died completely

Resodding After Gray Leaf Spot:

If you must resod after gray leaf spot failure, wait until conditions are more favorable:

• Wait until late September or October when disease risk declines
• Or wait until spring (March-May) for optimal establishment with minimal disease risk
• Consider changing to a more disease-resistant variety (Palmetto instead of Floratam)
• Plan preventive fungicide schedule if sodding during any period with disease risk
• Address any underlying issues (poor drainage, excessive nitrogen, wrong irrigation timing) before resodding

Working with Sod Suppliers

Understanding what responsible sod suppliers should provide regarding gray leaf spot helps homeowners choose quality providers.

What to Expect from Quality Suppliers:

• Clear communication about gray leaf spot risk during summer installations
• Recommendation or requirement for preventive fungicide on summer installations
• Fresh-cut sod delivered promptly to minimize stress
• Installation instructions that include disease prevention strategies
• Availability for consultation if disease symptoms appear

Red Flags:

• Supplier claims summer sod installation needs no disease protection
• No mention of gray leaf spot risk during summer months
• Sod sitting in pallets for days in summer heat before installation
• No follow-up after installation
• Dismissive attitude if disease symptoms appear

At Jax Sod, we've been forthright about gray leaf spot for 37+ years. We tell customers installing St. Augustine during July-August that preventive fungicide isn't optional—it's part of the cost of summer installation. This honesty prevents the disappointment and expense of lawn failure.

Long-Term Gray Leaf Spot Management

For Jacksonville homeowners who've dealt with gray leaf spot, the question becomes: how do I prevent this from happening again?

Annual Calendar Approach:

Create a calendar noting gray leaf spot risk periods (June-September) with reminders to:

• Monitor lawn weekly for early symptoms
• Reduce nitrogen application rates during peak risk
• Ensure irrigation occurs early morning only
• Have fungicide on hand for immediate application if needed

Consider Variety Change:

If established St. Augustine repeatedly develops severe gray leaf spot, consider replacing with a more resistant variety. This is a significant investment, but constantly fighting disease is also expensive and frustrating.

Improve Growing Conditions:

Long-term improvements like removing lower tree limbs for better air circulation, improving drainage in low spots, or upgrading irrigation systems to allow better scheduling all reduce disease risk.

Professional Maintenance:

For homeowners who don't have time or desire to monitor and manage gray leaf spot risk, hiring a professional lawn care service that understands Jacksonville's specific disease challenges provides peace of mind. Ensure any service you hire is knowledgeable about gray leaf spot prevention, not just reactive treatment.

Conclusion

Gray leaf spot is Jacksonville's most serious St. Augustine lawn disease—not because it's impossible to manage, but because it strikes so quickly and devastates new sod installations during the very months when many homeowners plant new lawns. Understanding this disease isn't optional for St. Augustine owners in Northeast Florida; it's essential knowledge for protecting your lawn investment.

The key messages are simple but critical: new sod installed during June-September needs preventive fungicide protection, established lawns need reduced nitrogen during peak disease season, all lawns need proper irrigation timing (early morning only), and early detection plus immediate treatment make the difference between minor damage and catastrophic loss.

Gray leaf spot will always be a challenge in Jacksonville's hot, humid summers. The goal isn't to eliminate all risk—an impossible task in our climate—but to manage risk intelligently through variety selection, installation timing, cultural practices, and fungicide use when necessary. A lawn that requires 2-3 preventive fungicide applications during summer establishment represents successful disease management. A lawn that develops severe gray leaf spot requiring complete replacement represents a failure to recognize and manage risk.

At Jax Sod, we help Jacksonville homeowners navigate gray leaf spot challenges through honest communication about risk, quality fresh-cut sod in multiple varieties with varying disease resistance, installation timing recommendations based on 37+ years of local experience, and follow-up support when disease appears. We've seen too many gray leaf spot disasters to take this disease lightly, and we're committed to helping our customers avoid the heartbreak and expense of lawn failure.

Ready to install new St. Augustine sod with proper gray leaf spot protection, or need expert advice on treating active disease? Contact Jax Sod today at (904) 901-1457 or visit jaxsod.com for a free estimate. We serve all of Northeast Florida with quality sod and honest advice about managing our challenging climate.