Eradicate Lawn Killers

But with a little advanced know-how and today's state-of-the-art lawn care products, you can tackle weed control and lawn pests with a little less effort.

"Lawn care products are much better today than in the past," says Scotts Miracle-Gro lawn care expert Ashton Ritchie. "Grass seeds also are much better than they were even 10 years ago." He adds that this leads to your first line of defense against your lawn's worst enemies: "Use several different but compatible grass seed varieties," Ritchie says. The reason is that different diseases and insects attack different grass species and a blended lawn will be that much more resistant.

A Healthy Lawn is a Strong Lawn
"Whenever I see a lawn with problems, the source usually traces back to inadequate soil," says Alan Burke, owner of Redmond Wash.-based Classic Nursery and Landscape Co. "Make the soil healthy and the lawn will be healthier. That lets it better resist insects and diseases."

The best way to keep the soil healthy is to put your lawn on a scheduled health care plan, Burke says. "Fertilize regularly, that's the key," he says. He advises clients to pick three holidays and fertilize the lawn on those dates every year. That might mean fertilizing on Labor Day, Easter and Flag Day, but the key is the autumn fertilizing. "It encourages root growth and that sets the stage for a healthy lawn in the spring." Some experts advise not fertilizing at the height of summer heat.

The next step usually is to spot treat weeds, Ritchie says. Buy an herbicide that allows grass to grow but kills off unwanted weeds, such as crab grass and dandelions, and carefully apply it to the weeds you want eradicated. Read the label carefully to make sure that the herbicide works on the weeds you want gone, but leaves the grasses healthy.

Zap Bugs
Still, the root of most lawn problems trace back to insect infestations. For most lawns, a step toward health is to treat the grass with a broad spectrum insecticide that will kill common pests such as grubs, army worms and Japanese beetles. The good news is that insect problems typically are easy to spot, Ritchie says. For instance, a telltale sign that there are problems with chinch bugs (one of the most common lawn-harming insects) is "when moths fly up in front of the mower when you are cutting grass," he says.

Another grass menace is grubs (beetle larvae), which destroy the roots, but "the telltale sign of a grub problem is seeing lots of Japanese beetles," Ritchie says. Easy-to-apply products—such as Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer for Soil and Turf and Season-Long Grub Control—will rid most lawns of these common pests.

Be careful not to overdo it. Too much of a good thing can cause lawn problems, says Lance Walheim, a gardening expert with Bayer Advanced. For example, fairy ring (a lawn disease characterized by unsightly mushroom infestations) and rust (orange powder that covers a lawn) are common diseases that are caused by over-watering and over-fertilizing.

One way to prevent this, of course, is to carefully read all labels and instructions before applying fertilizer, Walheim says. "Also, call your local agricultural co-op extension service and ask for tips specific to your community."

To put the finishing touch on your lawn, be sure to use sharp mower blades to get a neat clip and set the mower at the proper height. Many landscapers cut grass too short, Walheim says. Set the mower for a 2-1/2- to 3-inch cut and the result will be a healthier lawn with a deeper root system.