Question From:
Ron in Parafield Gardens, Adelaide South Australia
Nature of problem:
Sparrows eating my lawn
Type of Plant (if known):
Lawn, not sure what type of grass thiugh, it was planted by contractors when they built the Vullage
Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself):
Sparrows eating the roots
Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type:
loam
How often do you water the plant:
2-3 times a week during summer months
How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
50% during Winter, 100% during Summer
How long since you planted it:
3.5 years
Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
Not sure, the gardener takes care of that…
Is the plant indoors or outdoors:
outdoors
Is the plant in a pot or in the ground:
Ground
What other treatments have you given the plant:
Tried a CD on a string to frighten them off but they get used to it ditto for a plastic owl
Upload photo if available:
Other Comments:
The sparrows are not eating grubs or beetles, we don’t have that problem but they are ripping up the turf to eat the roots…
Answer:
Hi Ron, The grass is dead not eaten, so you either have a lawn disease or a watering problem. It could be a fungal disease called brown patch, if it is a Buffalo lawn and if you have had a wet winter. I can’t identify the lawn from your photo. Dig some holes in the dead areas of the lawn with a trowel to see if the soil is dry – if it is, get some Scotts Everydrop soil wetting agent and water it in well. If not, try some Eco Fungicide to beat the fungus. Maybe this is a seed-grown variety of Kikuyu grass and the sparrows are eating its seeds exposed after it died off. Don