Cultural Control
Cultural practices
Cultural practices can influence the susceptibility of lawn grasses to chinch
bugs and turf caterpillars. Attention to the following practices can reduce the
need for pesticide use, leading to energy conservation within the plant and less
potential contamination of the urban environment.
Monitoring
Early detection of insects
is vital to any management program. Inspect the lawn weekly during spring, summer,
and fall months and biweekly during winter months to determine if damage is beginning
to occur and if insects are the problem.
Nutrition
Rapid succulent growth, resulting from frequent or high applications of water-soluble
inorganic nitrogen fertilizers, acts as an attractant and substantially increases
the chances of insect attack. Incidence of damage from these pests can be greatly
reduced with applications of minimum amounts of slow-release nitrogen fertilizers
in combination with other macro-and micronutrients. Contact your local county
Cooperative Extension office or refer to the appropriate sections in this book
for fertility recommendations and sources of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer
for each of the turfgrass species in your particular area of the state.
Mowing
Improper mowing, coupled
with excessive watering and improper fertilization can cause lawn grasses to
develop a thick, spongy mat of live, dead, and dying shoots, stems and roots
which accumulate in a layer above the soil surface. This spongy mat, referred
to as thatch, is an excellent habitat for chinch bugs and turf caterpillars,
and chemically ties up insecticides, therefore reducing their effectiveness.
When a serious thatch problem exists, it may be necessary to remove the thatch
mechanically (vertical mowing, power raking, etc.). Proper mowing practices
can make the grass more tolerant to pests and greatly improve the appearance
of a lawn. The best recommendation on mowing is to mow often enough so that
no more than one-third of the leaf blade is removed at each mowing.