Lawn mite damage usually coincides with dry winter and/or spring months from December through May.
Areas of your lawn will be brown and straw-like in appearance when mites are present. Unfortunately, these areas will not be visible until your lawn comes out of dormancy in early spring. Damage can be nothing more than thinning, which will recover over time. In some cases, your lawn may not be able to overcome the infestation and seeding or sodding may be your only option.
Mites cannot tolerate moist conditions, so watering your lawn during dry spells will help keep mites at bay. Timing is important when you start watering your lawn during the winter. You will want to start watering your lawn once the temperatures reach 40 degrees, but allow yourself enough time for the moisture to soak into the lawn. DO NOT water your lawn in below freezing temperatures.
When watering, pay special attention to hot spots around trees (especially spruce and pines) and sloped areas, as well as south and west facing areas of your lawn, which receive direct sun. These areas will lose water more quickly due to evaporation, which increases the likelihood that mites will attack.
The best way to prevent lawn mites is winter watering. Swingle offers a lawn mite control program that’s composed of monthly applications over the course of the dryer fall, winter, and spring periods. The combination of our mite reduction program and winter watering is a very effective solution to preventing and controlling lawn mites.
Don’t let winter lawn mites ruin your lawn this spring. Take action by protecting your lawn with winter watering. If you need some additional support, Swingle can help.
