Lawn Damage Caused by Insects

In the heat of a Utah summer, there are a number of reasons why you might see dead or dying spots in your lawn—not all of them have to do with irrigation.  Insects and fungus can both damage your lawn.  If left untreated, both will continue to do more damage.

Insects often eat turf roots, making it easy to pull plants out of the turf.  It often starts near a drive or sidewalk where paving creates heat and starts insect growth earlier in the season.  If you are experiencing insect damage (usually a grub) apply Imidacloprid (Fertilome Grub Free Zone) and water well.  This product will stop the grubs from eating grass roots, but does not medicate or treat damaged plants.  Alternately, use Bayer Season Long Grub Control with some fertilizer or Bayer 24 Hour Plus Grub Killer, faster kill, but less residual.  The earlier you can catch this problem the better.

If you’re unsure about what might be damaging your lawn, bring a piece to us and we can help you diagnose the problem (about the size of a telephone book). Make sure it’s a transition from healthy to unhealthy turf—you can always plug it back into place later.

Don’t forget that keeping your lawn healthy in requires three things:

1. Feed: We recommend Dr. Earth organic lawn food which is a slow and long lasting feeding.  The nutrients included help the damaged turf plants repair themselves—and lasts up to 90 days.
2. Mow: Cut your lawn at the highest possible mower setting.  Before the lawn mower, grasses developed with lots of great chlorophyll rich blades which use the sun’s energy to rebuild the plant.  Don’t get in the way of this natural recovery process.
3. Water: Try to water at a time when the turf will be dry during warm summer nights.  This minimizes the potential additional damage a fungus might inflict on an already weakened plant.

(Always follow label instructions on an pesticide used, sometimes instructions change and the label will be the most accurate.)

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to watch for tips and specials.

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Becky

Becky is a wife, mother, avid cook and novice gardener. She loves growing organic, wholesome food right in her backyard that she can transform into a delicious creation in her kitchen. When she's not growing or cooking food, she enjoys running half marathons, reading, and watching her children pull weeds in the garden.

Latest posts by Becky (see all)

• Differences between Perennials and Annuals – What’s Best for My Garden? - May 5, 2017
• Compost and Amending Soil - February 23, 2016
• Cookie Butter Apple Dip - April 20, 2015