Guidelines (i)

Provisional Guidelines (i)

Control of Chinch Bugs in HRM Lawns
With a History of Significant Chinch Bug Damage

Provisional Guidelines

This page could be printed out and used as a checklist.
Circle or highlight the practices that will be implemented.
Some might be planned for another year.

Ratings: *** Essential **Desirable *Helpful

All of the practices with an Essential Rating should be implemented in the current year.
Implement other practices as possible or plan them for another year.

Links to sections on this website dealing with each of the practices are given at right.

For background, users are encouraged to read Section IV
(Factors Affecting Chinch Bug Populations and Turf Damage).

No.	WHEN	ACTION & RATING	More Information
1.	Spring, to May 15; or late summer (circa Aug 25 to Sept 10	**Dethatch IF there is more than 1.2 cm (1/2 inch) of thatch before the flush of grass growth in spring (before about May 15) or dethatch in the early fall; follow it with aerating and overseeding with a diverse grass mix AND/OR No. 2 AND/OR No. 3	Cultural Controls: 5. Aeration and Dethatching Redesign: 1. Seeding Diverse Grasses
2.	Spring to late May	*Aerate in spring up until end of May, early June; add lime at this time if needed, and overseed with a diverse grass mix.	Cultural Controls: 5. Aeration and Dethatching Redesign: 1. Seeding Diverse Grasses
3.	To about May 25; repeat in September, and 1 x annually thereafter for several years.	*Topdress with 6 to 12 mm (1/4 to 1/2 inch) soil/compost mixture, preferably after dethatching and/or aeration; overseed with a diverse grass mix.	Redesign: 4. New Lawns, Complete Soil Renovation, Soil/Compost Topdressings Redesign: 1. Seeding Diverse Grasses
4.	All season	***Mow weekly at 6-9 cm (2.5 to 3.5 inches); retain clippings (by use of mulch mower or throw mower); or at shorter intervals when grass is growing very quickly. Mowing height can be reduced to approx. 4 cm (1.5 inches) in the late fall to reduce grass shelter for chinch, and fungal disease problems.	Cultural Controls: 2 Mowing
5.	May	**Judge fertilizer needs in spring by appearance of the grass. Limit nitrogen fertilizer application in spring to 0.25 kg nitrogen/100 m2 (0.5 lb N/1000 ft2) applied in mid to late May or early June; do NOT fertilize after mid-June. As possible, use an organic or slow release fertilizer; regardless, nitrogen content should not be above 10%.	Cultural Controls: 2 Mowing
6.	mid-June through August	***Water thoroughly to the full depth of the soil after 4-7 days of dry weather, the shorter intervals in mid-summer water. Water areas prone to drying out preferentially and possibly more frequently, however, let them dry substantially before re-watering. (See watering guidelines in Section VI Control Level 2.) In the event that careful attention to watering in mid-summer is not possible (e.g. because you are away), cease mowing and watering from late June to circa Aug 10 (to induce dormancy and minimize need for water).	Cultural Controls: 3 Nitrogen Fertilization
7.	July 1 to Aug 20	**Monitor the lawn in late June/early July; vacuum any patches followed by heavy watering and/or soap treatment (if allowed) followed by heavy watering.( See VI Control Level 1. *Hopefully HRM will apply to the PMRA for a permit to use insecticidal soap on chinch bug and will have received that by July 1),	III Monitoring Acute Controls" 1 Removal of Chinch Bugs
8.	Late summer /early fall	**Judge nitrogen fertilizer needs in late summer/early fall (Sept 1 to 10) by appearance of the grass. Limit fertilizer application to 0.25 kg nitrogen/100 m2 (0.5 lb N/1000 ft2)	Cultural Controls: 3 Nitrogen Fertilization
9.	October	*Clean debris around the property in the fall. Do yard cleanup in the fall rather than the spring to reduce overwintering habitat for chinch.	Cultural Controls: 4 Fall Clean-up
10.	October 20 to November 30	**Dormant feed nitrogen fertilization: Apply 0.25 nitrogen kg/100 m2 (0.5 lb N/1000 ft2) in late-October through November.	Cultural Controls: 3 Nitrogen Fertilization
11.	All season	*Overseed with diverse grass mixture after hand-pulling weeds that leave a large space.	Redesign: 1. Seeding Diverse Grasses

Possible additional or alternative steps

No.	WHEN	ACTION & RATING	More Information
12.	Best in spring/early summer	**Take areas most prone to drought out of turf; put in alternative ground covers, garden beds shrubs or trees.	Redesign: 5 Landscape Diversification
13.	Best in spring/early summer	**Plant trees and shrubs to diversify the habitat, break the wind and provide some shade.	Redesign: 5 Landscape Diversification
14.	Best in spring	**Consider diversification of turf sward and reducing nitrogen needs by adding clover, managing it as in Guideline 4.	Redesign: 2 The Clover option
15.	Best in spring	**Renovate Soil if it is rundown or thin. Add top soil to give at least 8 inches of soil; incorporate 2.5 to 5 cm (1-2 inches) of high quality compost; if sodded, overseed with diversified grass mix in the early fall; if established form seed, use a diverse grass mix.	Redesign: 4.New Lawns, Complete Soil Renovation, Soil/Compost Topdressings Redesign: 1. Seeding Diverse Grasses

Page posted 18 May 2004
Modified 17 Mar. 2005