Lawn weeds and turf grass insects
Weeds and turfgrass insects, or more commonly referred to as pests, can cause unsightly lawns and actually damaged lawns if left untreated.
Occasional weeds in a healthy looking lawn are to be expected. Weed seeds exist by the millions in the soil. Controlling the germination of those weed seeds is important. A thick healthy lawn goes a long way in preventing weeds.
Occasionally, even in a thick, healthy lawn, a few seeds will germinate. For the most part you can ignore a few nuisance weeds that popup during the growing season. However, next season you'll probably see more weeds throughout the lawn. We won't ignore those few nuisance weeds. When you're a Shore Side client, every visit we make to your lawn we'll be on the lookout for nuisance weeds and we'll treat for them on the spot.
A lawn full of weeds signals more problems than just weeds. Most weed problems are related to the top soil's health and condition, and the vitality of the turf grass.
Soil problems usually fall into several categories:
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Lack of soil nutrients
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Soil Compaction
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Thick thatch layer
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Inadequate water, or too much moisture
- Too much shade for the turf grass to develop to its full potential
Weed seeds exist in every soil by the thousands per square yard. The reason you don't see thousands of weeds is because they must have the right conditions to sprout. Often all the weed seeds need is a little moisture and sunlight! Sunlight is the key. A thin lawn allows plenty of light to reach the soil. A thick lawn blocks that light.
When there are soil problems, it usually reduces the vitality of a lawn's health. It slows the vigorous growth normally associated with a healthy turf grass. The lawn begins thinning out and when this happens, more sunlight reaches the soil and creates the right environment for weeds to take root.
Once weeds are growing they rob the soil of additional nutrients the grass needs as well as moisture which is vitally important during periods of drought.
Lawns extremely weed infested need something more than to just kill the weeds. Begin planning soil improvements. This means regular fertilization, dethatching, regular aeration, adding top-dressing occasionally and overseeding your lawn.
One of our technicians can advise you about the health of your soil and what the best plan of attack should be. Poor soils need to be addressed and they usually take several years to correct, but in the long run, you'll have a healthier soil which means a healthier lawn, with less weeds, and less problems.
Turfgrass insect problems
There are a variety of insects that can cause damage to your lawn if not treated and managed. In our area, the most troublesome pest is the molecricket.
Molecrickets feed at night during warm weather and after rain showers or irrigation. They come to the surface and feed on organic material, including grass, and other small organisms, including insects. During the day, and during periods of drought, they remain in their burrows, often for long periods of time.
Mole crickets are difficult to control and they'll likely be a pest that is here to stay. And like all other insects, we really cannot control them completely. What we can do is manage their population levels so that they stay within tolerable levels that won't cause unsightly problems with your lawn.
We have an optional service treatment that keep molecrickets under control in your lawn and is very effective at preventing the often damaging effects caused by molecricket infestations.
