Getting Rid of Lawn Pests

FIVE STEPS TO A HEALTHY LAWN:

1. Plant adapted grasses-
   Plant types of grass that are adapted to your region and the conditions that exist in your lawn. In the northern United States, where Kentucky bluegrass is widely grown, many different varieties are available.
   Perennial ryegrass and turf-type tall fescues are suitable for sites where lawn watering is limited. Warmer weather areas of the country would do better using other types of grasses such as Bermuda grass or zoysia grass (see "Greener Grass" for more on types of lawn grasses)
2. Fertilization-
   Provide fertilizer as needed for healthy plant growth. Avoid high application rates of fertilizers, particularly quick release nitrogen fertilizers, at any single period. High rates of nitrogen over stimulate shoot growth at the expense of root development. Over stimulated plants are more susceptible to many lawn diseases. They also require more watering and mowing. For most lawns, fertilization every two months during the growing season works well (see How-To article #3095 "Lawn Fertilizers" for more information on fertilizers)
3. Deep root growth-
   Infrequent deep watering of 1/2-1 inch is better than frequent shallow watering. Water early in the morning. Leaf blades will dry quickly afterward which helps reduce leaf diseases.
4. Mowing-
   Use a sharp mower blade to avoid ragged cuts. Never "scalp" the lawn since this increases exposure of the grass crowns to temperature extremes and discourages root growth. As a general rule, mow at a height of about 2 1/2-3 inches, never removing more than one-third of the leaf area.
   
   Note: Mowing heights may be increased some what during hot months, reduced slightly during cooler periods. Lawn clippings do not need to be removed if they are short. As the clippings decay they release nutrients and reduce fertilizer needs.
5. Aeration-
   Periodically aerate the lawn to improve compacted areas or places where thatch (accumulated dead plant debris) blocks water and nutrients. You can use either a motorized or a foot-press type of aerating machine.

WEED CONTROL:
Annual (single season) weeds such as crabgrass, chickweed, and spurges can be controlled by use of pre-emergent herbicides, which kill germinating seeds or newly sprouted weeds. Since they do not affect older plants, these herbicides must be applied before the weed seeds have sprouted.

Post-emergent herbicides kill weeds that already exist in lawns. Many of these herbicides are selective and only kill certain types of plants. For example, MCPP and 2, 4-D are selective herbicides that only kill broadleaved plants such as dandelions, chickweed, and thistle. Other herbicides, such as fluazifop-butyl (Grass B-Gon) only kill grasses. In addition, there are many non-selective herbicides, such as glyphosate (Round-up, Kleen-up, etc.) which kill most plants.

It is often best to spot treat individual weeds by digging with a hand weeder or applying herbicides.

Dandelions-
Although the dandelion was first brought to North America as a food plant, most people today do not appreciate its virtue. It is the weed most homeowners fight the hardest. Dandelions are perennial weeds that live for several years once they have become established in a lawn, their bright yellow flowers first appearing in spring.

Post-emergent herbicides such as 2, 4-D, MCPP, MCPA, and dicamba can kill dandelions during any period when the plants are actively growing, but are particularly effective in the fall.

Crabgrass-
An annual weed that grows from seeds produced in previous years, crabgrass seeds sprout early in the spring and continue to sprout through early summer. Pre-emergent herbicides, such as pendimethalin, must be applied before seeds sprout in order to be effective. (First bloom of forsythia is a common natural indicator for application timing in many areas.)

Post-emergent herbicides, such as MSMA can also suppress crabgrass. However, this treatment can cause desirable grasses to discolor temporarily, particularly if not used carefully.

Chickweed-
Like crabgrass, chickweed moves aggressively into areas of the lawn that have thinned. However, these plants sprout in the fall and the plant grows during the winter. Small white flowers begin to be produced in early spring along with seeds.

Post-emergent herbicides such as MCPP can kill chickweed plants, particularly if they are small. Pre-emergent herbicides, such as DCPA and benefit, applied in fall can prevent new seeds from germinating.

Related Posts:

Comments Name Title Comment To prevent automated Bots form spamming, please enter the text you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.