A lawn says a lot about the homeowner. While property owners with a clean, uncluttered, and well-maintained lawn are often considered responsible and organized, those with a brown and patchy lawn are more often than not considered unorganized, lazy, and messy. If you are guilty of ignoring your lawn for quite some time, now is the time to make amends. Start by getting rid of pesky pests in your lawn. Pests in your lawn are bad news. Pests, though small in size, can cause grave damage, turning a lush green lawn into a mess. We take a look at some common lawn pests and how to get rid of them.
Moles
These innocent-looking creatures can cause serious damage to your lawn. You know you have a mole problem, if you see tiny mounds of soil and raised ridges. To drive moles away, use castor oil or a castor-oil-based mole repellent, which can be created by mixing six ounces of castor oil and two tablespoons of an oil or vegetable-based detergent with a gallon of water. The mixture, though not potent enough to kill moles, will upset their stomach, forcing them to migrate.
Webworms
Webworms in their yard is an average homeowner’s nightmare. They are the pests your landscape contractor in Santa Rosa warned you about. A single webworm can lay up to 200 eggs. You know webworms are thriving in your lawn if you see apple-sized patches in your grass. Bring them to the surface by pouring a mixture of water and dish soap solution. Once they are out of their colonies, scoop them up with a rake.
Mole Crickets
Mole crickets burrow under the grass damaging the roots of plants and grass. Mole crickets can cause severe damage in young, newly-planted lawns. Use insecticides to get rid of mole crickets. Alternatively, use a soap/water solution to flush them out.
Chinch Bugs
You will hardly see chinch bugs in your lawn because of their tiny size and their coloring that allows them to blend into the environment. Chinch bugs feed on grass and can destroy a lawn in weeks. You can prevent chinch bug infestation by aerating it and getting rid of excess thatch. If, however, you suspect that a chinch bug infestation is on its way, consult an expert.
Japanese Beetles
If you have Japanese beetles in your lawn, you won’t face any difficulties spotting them, thanks to their green and gold shell that makes them stand out. Their grubs feed on garden plants and the roots of grass. You can get rid of Japanese beetles by either handpicking them and dropping them in a bucket of soap water or using milky spore, a natural bacterium that eliminates grubs.
Is your lawn a haven for pests? Let experts at Sweetwater Landscape help you restore it to its former glory. We are a trusted landscape contractor in Santa Rosa. Over the years, we have helped several homeowners realize their dream of transforming their ordinary landscapes into dream landscapes that look straight out of a fairy tale. To talk to a landscaping expert, call us at 707-887-0140.
Recent Comments