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How to Manage Pests

The UC Guide to Healthy Lawns

| Acknowledgments | Related UC publications | References |

Index to Contents

On this page:
Abiotic disorders Aerating Dethatching Diagnosing turfgrass problems Diseases Fertilization	General lawn care Grass development Insects and other invertebrates Irrigation Mowing Nematodes	Planting Renovating lawns Soil Turfgrass species Vertebrates Weeds and weed management

Abiotic disorders

Compaction
Dog injury
Dull mower blades
Fertilizer burn
Herbicide damage
Item damage
Nutrient deficiencies
Poor watering practices
Scalping
Shade

Aerating—top of page

Aerating methods
When to aerate

Dethatching

Dethatching methods
When to dethatch

Diagnosing turfgrass problems

Diagnostic key to problems in turfgrass
Diagnostic tips
Patterns and locations of the problem

Diseases—top of page

Diagnostic key to problems in turfgrass
Anthracnose
Dollar spot
Fairy ring
Fusarium blight
Fusarium patch or Microdochium patch (Pink snow mold)
Leaf spot
Nuisance fungi
Powdery mildew
Pythium blight
Red thread
Rhizoctonia blight
Rust
Southern blight
Spring dead spot
Summer patch
Take-all patch

Fertilization—top of page

Amount of material to use and frequency of application
Fertilizer burn
Fertilizers vs. soil amendments
Fertilizing established lawns
How to apply fertilizer
- Broadcast spreaders
- Drop spreaders
- Hose-end spreaders
Nutrient deficiencies
Recommended fertilizer rates
Setting your spreader
Starter fertilizer
Weed-and-feed products
What to apply
When to fertilize

General lawn care

Lawn care for established lawns
Lawn care for new lawns
Manage pests

Grass development—top of page

Bunch-type grasses
Creeping-type grasses
Grass seed germination rates
Identification characteristics of grasses
Seasonal growth pattern of grasses

Insects and other invertebrates—top of page

Diagnostic key to problems in turfgrass

Beneficial nematodes
Distinguishing features of common lawn insects
Drench test

Bermudagrass mites
Billbugs
Black turfgrass ataenius
Crane fly
Cutworms and armyworms
Dichondra flea beetle
Earthworms
Fiery skipper
Lawn moths (Sod webworms)
Leafhoppers
Masked chafers (White grubs)
Southern chinch bug

Irrigation—top of page

Determine your sprinkler output
How many times a week to water
How to water
Installing a turf irrigation system
Interactive program to scheduling your irrigation
Irrigating established lawns
Irrigating new lawns
Irrigation design
Irrigation scheduling
Parts of an irrigation system
- Automatic timers
- Control valves
- PVC pipes and risers
- Sprinkler heads
Plan your irrigation system
Poor watering practices
Sprinkler systems
When to water

Mowing—top of page

Dull mower blades
Grasscycling
How much, when, and how often to mow
How to mow
Lawns requiring special attention
Mowing equipment
- Adjusting mower height
- Maintenance
- Reel mowers
- Rotary mowers
Mowing established lawns
Mowing new lawns
Removing one-third of the grass blade
Scalping

Nematodes

Plant-parasitic nematodes

Planting—top of page

Choose your species
Comparison of planting methods
Establishing a lawn from seed
- Planting times and rates for grasses that can be established from seed
- Purchasing high quality seed
- Seed package labels
Establishing a lawn from sod
- Installing sod
- Ordering sod
Establishing a lawn from sprigs, stolons, or plugs
Hydroseeding
Prepare your site
Preplant weed control

Renovating lawns—top of page

Complete renovation
- Kill the existing turf and weeds
- Prepare the soil
- Remove the remaining turf
- Rethink your irrigation system
Overseeding
- Closely mow the turf and rake up debris
- Dethatch and aerate
- Maintenance
- Seed, fertilize, and irrigate
Patching
- Dig out the affected area
- Replant with seed, sod, sprigs, stolons, plugs
- Work the soil

Soil

Prepare your site
Soil amendments
Soil analysis
Soil preparation
Soil solarization
Soil types

Turfgrass species—top of page

Choose and identify turf species
Key to identifying turfgrass species

Bentgrass, colonial
Bentgrass, creeping
Bermudagrass
Bluegrass, Kentucky
Bluegrass, rough
Buffalograss
Dichondra
Fescue, hard
Fescue, red
Fescue, tall
Kikuyugrass
Ryegrass, annual
Ryegrass, perennial
Seashore paspalum
St. Augustinegrass
Zoysiagrass

Turfgrass species best adapted to most California conditions
Turfgrass species not adapted to hot climates
Turfgrass species somewhat adapted to summer heat

Vertebrates

Ground squirrels
Moles
Pocket gophers
Raccoons and skunks

Weeds and weed management—top of page

Hand-weeding
Herbicides
- Herbicide classification
- Herbicide damage
- Herbicide success tips
- Weed-and-feed products
Identification key to weeds in turfgrass
- Distinguishing broadleaves, grasses, and sedges
- Identification characteristics of broadleaves
- Identification characteristics of grasses
- Identification characteristics of sedges
Kill the existing turf and weeds in renovations
Preplant weed control
Soil solarization
Special weed problems in lawns
Weeds in turfgrass

Top of page

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