Do You Need Pesticides?

By +Don Vandervort, HomeTips

One of the most toxic aspects of keeping the yard in good shape is the use of pesticides, which put a strain on the local environment and water table. Though pesticides may market themselves with the risk of a grub and beetle infestation, it is healthier to wait until your yard begins to show signs of an invasion.

If you do have some dead spots on the lawn and suspect white grubs or chinch bugs moving in, take the time to inspect the damage and make sure before applying the pesticides. Because grubs eat the roots of the lawn, checking for their presence is as easy as lifting some of the damaged turf and counting worms.

If you can count more than eight white grubs per square foot you probably need something to kill them. A recent study by the University of Wisconsin, though, found that only about one lawn in 200 actually needs pesticides to manage a bug infestation, so chances are most lawns can do without.

Copyright © 1997-2012, Don Vandervort, HomeTips, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.




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