In the summer, it can be difficult to keep up a gorgeous, lush grass. The presence of pests, weeds, and grass diseases can worsen the condition in addition to the weather having a big impact. You may, however, successfully fend off these common garden invaders with proper care and preventative measures. The following tips from Greensleeves Lawn Care’s managing director, Cheryl Harper, can help you keep pests at away and maintain a healthy lawn all summer.
What exactly are Chafer bugs and what symptoms should you watch out for?
The chafer grub is one of the most frequent and troublesome pests on lawns at this time of year. Seasonal bugs called “chafer grubs” have been known to wreck even the best-kept lawns.
They are the chafer beetle larvae that emerge from their eggs in the months of June and July. These white, C-shaped grubs feed on the roots of grass and are frequently seen in lawns. The newly hatched grubs will feed ferociously close to the surface of your grass during the summer.
They will dig deeper into the root system for the winter if they make it through the chilly autumn months, emerging in the spring to feast and cause havoc once more.
Chafer bugs are tricky to spot and more trickier to get rid of. The most effective way to get rid of these invaders is with an insecticide treatment. Only a qualified lawn care specialist, like Greensleeves, may apply this treatment. For optimal results, combine with a spiking treatment.
Keeping an eye out for weeds to protect your yard
The garden is busiest and most vibrant in the summer, but regrettably, this can also mean weeds. Even the best-kept gardens are susceptible to weed growth.
Patches of dead or dying grass that are easy to pull are indicators of chafer grubs, as are an increase in bird, fox, or badger activity as a result of their attraction to the juicy grubs. Chafer grubs can seriously harm your grass, leaving dark areas and a compromised root structure if they are not controlled.
There are many different weeds to watch out for. They are not all bad. Many, however, will be harming the health of your lawn. Some contribute to the health of the soil, while others may be aesthetically beautiful. The weeds in your garden need to be carefully identified and dealt with. Many weeds can survive in more difficult environments. They will rob your grass of sunlight, nutrients, and water while it’s scorching outside. And while your lawn won’t survive in these tougher conditions, weeds will.
The unpleasant guests at the garden celebration are summer lawn diseases.
Red thread, brown patch, rust disease, and fairy rings are a few of the more prevalent lawn illnesses to be cautious of. Red thread, which frequently indicates a soil lacking in nitrogen, appears as a cottony, russet fungus on the grass blades. Although it can happen at any time of the year, it is most common in the rainy summer and in the fall.
The destructive disease known as brown patch fungus, on the other hand, rapidly spreads throughout a lawn and causes extensive damage. It is latent in winter plant debris and spreads during lawn mowing. It flourishes in summer’s humidity and affects all varieties of grass. It begins as little to large, circular brown spots that range in size from a few inches to several meters.
One of the most prevalent fungi that damage garden plants is rust disease, which is brought on by airborne spores and affects the majority of turfgrass kinds. It typically appears in the spring, late summer, or early fall when grass growth is sluggish. It is more likely to happen in dry environments and in soil that lacks nitrogen. As winter draws near, spore-producing fungus that produce orange and yellow patches can be seen on the leaves.
Last but not least, fairy rings are circles of toadstools and dead grass up to 10 meters in diameter that are formed by groups of fungal fruiting bodies that normally develop in the summer.
It’s crucial to remember that good lawn maintenance techniques, like regular mowing, sufficient watering, and suitable fertilization, can aid in the prevention and management of these illnesses. The best course of action is to speak with a nearby lawn care expert if you suspect a grass illness. Visit www.greensleeves-uk.com for more details on Greensleeves and how they can assist you with lawn maintenance.