When to Treat a Lawn for Bugs and Weeds
- Spring is the best time to establish a lawn free of bugs and weeds. Weeds are generally an indication of improper lawn care, which can be avoided by your first fertilizer application in early spring. As new growth starts to appear, bugs can begin to become a problem as early as February or March. Avoid their population to become out of control by the later summer months by acting early. If weeds and bugs start to become a problem in the summer months, act right away to reduce the damage they can impose on your yard. The best course of action is to treat your yard before you have a problem with either pest.
- Wait to apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen in the early spring months before the grass has had time to green up. By spreading a fertilizer while the grass is still dormant, you encourage the growth of weeds that are all ready to take over a lawn. Make sure you have adequate soil drainage. Poorly drained soil will make it hard for turf grasses to grow, but easy for weeds like knotweed. Without turf grass competition, knotweeds have full rein over a yard. Dig an 18-inch hole in your yard and fill with water. Wait until the next day to check. If the water hasn't drained, you have a drainage problem. Plant the right type of grass for your yard. Make sure you have the correct growing requirements for the type of grass you want to grow. Yards that are heavily shaded by trees should not grow grass that require full sunlight. Also, if you have heavy foot traffic, pick a grass like bluegrass. Worn-lawn areas give weeds a place to grown. When you do find weeds in your yard, pick a type of weed control that fits for you and your yard. A few weeds can be handpicked, whereas heavily weeded areas need either an application of chemical or organic herbicide.
- Common bugs that infest yards include ants, armyworms, aphids, chiggers, pillbugs, earwigs and cutworms to name a few. Monitor your lawn for symptoms of an insect infestation. Look for brown lawn areas, chewed grass blades and grass discoloration.You can manage some of the pests in your yard by removing thatch, growing the right grass for your yard, mowing at a lower height and providing additional light to your yard by pruning back extending branch limbs. For the sake of avoiding using chemicals on your yard, it is advantageous to change your cultural practices prior to using and insecticide. When insects have become a huge problem in your yard, use either a specifically chemically formulated pesticide or an organic pesticide on your yard.
