Wintergrass, Cutworm activity, Dollar Spot fungal activity
Getting towards the end of another long hot watering season sees the triple threat to your lawn. The threats consist of the Wintergrass germination period commencing throughout Autumn – get your lawn pre-treated with a proven Pre-Emergent performer. Remember the active ingredients supplied via garden centres and Hardware stores to you without a Licence can, in some cases, be long super-seeded and can wane in their efficiency. Use a contractor, don’t be afraid to ask him what he uses and is it an up to date active ingredient that works as indicated on the label? Ask for a guarantee, get them to stand behind the product they supply and apply.
The late season humidity starts, with it the Cutworm activity can increase in your lawn with multiple life cycles stacking up on each other until effective treatment is carried out. Please note Cutworm can be quite a generic term, in our WA cases we are referring to Lawn Armyworm and Sod Webworm. There are available products that are effective on shelves in retail outlets but remember you are handling an insecticide, ask yourself:
Am I going to use it all?
What protective equipment do I need?
How do I decant the left overs, where do I adequately keep it out of reach of children and pets?
How do I measure the products success?
Do I need to apply follow up treatments, if so, when ?
Is it an up to date active ingredient?
If you can’t really nail these answers, then use a contractor.
Dollar Spot activity will in some cases invade lawns. Treatment of this fungal issue is the domain of qualified contractors. No, its not treated with Mancozeb, never has been , never will be effectively treated by hosed on products that cascade off grass leaves. Treatment needs to be site specific, ask your contractor about the mode of entry of the fungus and the treatment plan he recommends, if the answer is vague , use another contractor.
