In an effort to maintain a good-looking landscape, health must be prioritized. The health of your plant material is directly correlated with their aesthetic appearance, with better health resulting in an improved appearance. This is especially important in your turf, as it likely takes up a large chunk of your landscape and acts as the first received impression. What makes turf health even more vital is the immense amounts of threats that your lawn faces on a yearly basis. Fungal diseases, pests, and drought can all threaten the livelihood of your lawn. Managing lawn health and understanding how to treat infestations can make the difference between a green yard, or a dead yard. Unlike a singular plant, a dead lawn will be an obvious eyesore and is to be avoided. Here is how you can treat lawn pests and lawn disease.
Stay on Top of Lawn Maintenance
The lawn most well prepared to defend itself against an attack by pests and disease is a lawn that is healthy. This means staying on top of routine mowing, as overgrown turf can be a hotspot for disease. The same can be said for watering your turf, aeration, fertilization, and other lawn care services that either add or enable nutrients. More nutrients in your lawn make for a stronger turf, which will be less keen to take on disease.
Property Clean Up
Pests and diseases both feast on debris on your property, so ensuring that it stays clean will be another great preventative maintenance method. Leaves, trash, tools, excessive moisture, and even animal waste can all become the hosts of lawn pests. The cleaner your property the less likely it is to take on disease.
Pre-Emergent Pest Control: Preventative Measures
Although fungal diseases can cause a myriad of problems in your landscape, so can the many lawn pests that reside in the Pittsburgh area. Some easy examples of these pests include white grubs, chinch bugs, and fire ants. The symptoms that they produce in your lawn can look identical to drought damage, causing large browning or yellowing spots in your turf. This needs to be avoided at all costs, as we have discussed how important your lawn is to your overall landscape. Not letting them get near your property is the best way to keep them out, which is why pre-emergent liquid and granular pest treatments can be applied to your turf. These treatments will keep pests out before they have a chance to cause an infestation, and the ones that do get through will be much easier to deal with. These can be performed in early spring before the weather gets warm, and before winter to prevent infestation during dormancy.
Post Emergent Control Options
If these options do not work to completely keep disease and pests out of your property, fungicide and insecticide pest control options can be used to kill off disease. The professionals should always be used for these treatments as they can be dangerous if improperly applied. Our team at Dream Greener is well trained and experienced, able to consult you on the best options for the health of your lawn.
Dream Greener Lawn & Landscape is led by a staff of service experts, each with ten years or more of professional experience, focused exclusively on lawn care & maintenance, landscaping, and snow & ice management. Locally owned and operated, we are proud to serve the greater Pittsburgh area. For more help with lawn pests and lawn disease contact us on our website or give us a call today at (412) 835-1035.
