Our lawns are very important to us. Not only do they contribute a lot of value and beauty to our homes, they also represent an area for family get-togethers and everyday playtime for our kids.
To get a lawn looking just perfect, it takes a big commitment. Whether we’ve bought a home with an established lawn or re-seeded it ourselves, there are both right and wrong ways to address the more common problems.
A big part of the market for pest control in Riverside, CA is pest control. The area’s climate favors lots of different insect invaders that can cause damage to lawns. Whether you reside in Riverside or several miles away, your best efforts at routine maintenance may not be enough to conquer pesky troublemakers in your neck of the woods.
As we go out there and work on the most common problems we face with lawns, we need to be thinking about several main areas of care.
Proper Fertilization
Every spring, we see the garden centers come to life at local home improvement stores. This is a welcoming sign to get out and embark on weeding and planting in our own yards and garden beds. One thing often overlooked is proper fertilization of the ground and newly planted grass seed and plants.
Fertilization is not really a springtime job. Sure, it creates a big surge of green growth, but it also encourages diseases and insects by creating soft, fast-growing tissue that attracts ants and some flying insects. If you suspect a problem with pests, now is the time to call in the pros!
Fall is the time for fertilization. This will stimulate deep roots without creating a buffet for pests.
Correct Mowing
We think of mowing as a necessity to keep the place looking nice, but it’s also part of the management of the thousands of grassy plants that live in our lawn. Cutting too much of the grass off at once can diminish its ability to grow back, and cutting with dull blades is notoriously troublesome.
Dull blades mean the grass is really broken off rather than cut off during mowing, leaving a rough wound that insects are glad to take a bite of.
Mowing at the correct height with a sharp blade helps boost curb appeal, promote grass vitality and create a stronger resistance to insects.
Pest Identification
Not every insect is a problem. Some, such as ladybugs, are actually a natural enemy to other insects. The approach you take to attacking the damaging insects can play a big part in your impact on the good ones.
Keep an eye on your lawn. Pests like ticks can be easily controlled without insecticide applications, simply by treating the cats and dogs that may carry them and by keeping the grass at the appropriate height. Other pests are seasonal and can actually be ignored during their brief attacks rather than being treated with insecticides that can kill good insects like honeybees.
Practice proper fertilization, mowing, and insect control so that you can have a thriving, green, beautiful lawn this year.