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By: Jack Greenwood
Many lawn owners like to use chemical pesticides and herbicides
to control the pest and weed growth in their lawn. However,
these chemicals are harmful to the environment if they are
not used in the proper way. They may also kill insects that
are actually helpful to the lawn. Runoff from these chemicals
may find their way into the nearby water supply.
The two main categories of lawn issues that you need to
deal with on a regular basis are weeds and pests. Before
you can properly implement any form of control, you need
to identify the type of weeds and pests that your lawn has.
Once you identify them correctly, you can look for an organic
solution to control these weeds and pests.
Weeds are broadly categorized as broadleaf or narrowleaf.
They are further divided into perennial weeds and annual
weeds. The perennial weeds are harder to control as they
live from year to year and produce seeds that help the weeds
spread. The annual weeds grow for one season, produce seeds
and then die off. This cycle repeat again the following
year.
If you are unsure of what weeds you have in your lawn,
you can take some samples to your county extension or nursery
and they will help you identify them.
Once you have them identified, you can formulate a plan
to bring them under control without the use of chemical
herbicides. The simplest method is to use your hands and
pull out the weeds together with their roots.
However, the best way to control weeds is to focus on building
a healthier lawn. Check that you are mowing at the right
height and ensure that your lawn is getting the right amount
of nutrients and water. Too much or too little nutrients
and water will weaken your lawn and allow the weeds to prosper.
Pest is another problem that you will face constantly and
you can also control them using organic methods. Some of
the common pests you will face include armyworms, cutworms,
billbugs and Japanese beetles.
You can control these pests the natural way. Many organic
pest control products use natural ingredients such as citrus
oils, garlic and hot peppers. Some product use lemon as
its base and they are quite effective in killing various
pests without harming your lawn.
You can try to use a spray that use sesame oil, clove oil
and thyme oil as base for repelling insects like grasshoppers
and ants. Another type of spray use black peppers and garlic
for its base and can be safely used on lawns and gardens.
This type of spray will help control mosquitoes, gnats,
fleas, and ticks.
You can also use insecticidal soaps to kill most of the
soft-bodied pests like chinch bugs and sod webworms. This
type of insecticidal soap work fast, breakdown quickly and
are harmless to humans. You have to mix the insecticidal
soap with water and apply them to your lawn.
By the way, if you discover a particular type of insect
is constantly giving you problems, you may want to consider
planting another type of grass that is resistant to that
type of insect.
Regardless of what type of pesticides or herbicides you
are using, you must use it safely. Pesticides that are non-toxic
to your lawn may be harmful to human beings. Always read
the product labels when using such products. You should
always opt for those products with natural ingredients as
its base if you have the choice.
A healthy vigorous lawn has fewer problems and it should
be your primary focus for all your maintenance efforts.
Proper aeration, watering, fertilizing and mowing will help
your lawn grow healthily and make it non-conducive for weeds
and pest to thrive.
About The Author
Jack Greenwood is the webmaster of GreenLawnCareTips.com
which provide information on lawn care and simple weed control
tips. Sign up for your free 7-part Green Lawn Care min-course
at http://greenlawncaretips.com today.
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