Summertime Tips For A Healthy Texas Turf - The Woodlands
Summertime Tips For A Healthy Texas Turf - The Woodlands
Published: Aug 19, 2014, 3:00pm
« Back to Woodlands News
Texas summers can be brutal with heat, droughts and bugs of all shapes
and sizes! The three most common summer culprits of a lawn gone wild are
chinch bugs, lawn disease and improper watering habits.
Without
proper lawn care, chinch bugs could be a serious problem for those with
St. Augustine grass. They are inactive in the winter months, but during
the warmer months they run ramped. Each female lays up to 300 eggs,
hatching in approximately 2 weeks with life cycles of 7-8 weeks each.
This small time frame allows for 5+ generations to inhabit your lawn
each year. �A tell-tale sign that your turf has been invaded by chinch
bugs or disease are patches of what seems to be �dead grass�, often
called Grey Leaf Spots�, says Scoggins. Lawn aeration, fertilization and
proper pest control products will help to control these destructive
little pest.
Proper and maintained lawn care equipment is the
first step to a healthy turf. Keep your lawn mower blades sharp. A dull
blade leaves grass weak and more susceptible to being attacked by
insects and disease. Compare this to having your hair cut with a dull
pair of scissors, the end result could be disastrous!
Although
you may water your lawn with good intentions, you may not be doing it
right. Bad watering habits also attracts bugs and disease. �Watering
your lawn less frequently and deeper, rather than just a little daily,
will help the water stay around the first two inches of soil offering
the roots and your lawn its own line of defense against pests and
disease�, says Scoggins. Timing is also important, watering in the
morning will help your lawn by not allowing standing water to inhibit
your lawn. Watering early also allows water to dry up or sink to the
roots during the day.
For more information on how to make your lawn the envy of your neighbors, call Top Notch Turf at 281-796-9600 or email Ryan at [email protected]. You can also visit www.MyTNTLawn.com.
« Back to Woodlands News & Highlights