Mistakes To Avoid Making When Dealing With Chinch Bugs

Chinch bugs are a gardener's worst nightmare, with the ability to turn a healthy, green lawn into a brown, patchy disaster overnight. These tiny pests drink from the grass, injecting toxins into the blades, killing the turf, and spreading quickly if left untreated. And while controlling a chinch bug infestation seems easy on the surface, if you want to get rid of this destructive pest, you need to avoid making mistakes that prolong the infestation and cause more damage. Misreading the problem, postponing treatment, or neglecting lawn maintenance are only some of the many ways the issue can spin out of control.

One of the most common mistakes is misdiagnosing chinch bug damage as drought stress, since both result in dry, brown patches on lawns. Such a misdiagnosis can often result in over-watering, which can make the infestation worse. Another major blunder is waiting to treat. These pests multiply quickly, and the longer you delay before addressing them, the more difficult it becomes to bring them under control. 

Proper identification of chinch bugs can prevent misdiagnosis. Instead of guessing, use this coffee can trick to test your lawn for a chinch bug infestation. Press one open end of a can down into the soil, fill it with water from the other end, wait a few minutes, and see if chinch bugs float to the surface. This simple test ensures you're not wasting time treating the wrong problem, like drought stress, which also causes grass to turn yellow. 

The timing of treatment can also impact effectiveness. If you make the mistake of waiting or applying insecticide at the wrong time, the chinch bugs will spread fast. If an infestation is confirmed, treat quickly with an insecticide that's specifically labeled for these bugs. Preventive therapies administered in early summer are most effective, as that's when the bugs are often on the move. As with any remedy, don't make the mistake of disregarding the instructions, as doing so could harm good bugs that chase pests from your garden.

Lawn care mistakes often play a major role during pest outbreaks. A very common mistake is mowing too short, which can leave grass more prone to damage. Maintaining your turf at a healthy height of 2½ to 3 inches allows moisture to remain in the soil while keeping roots strong. Aerating compacted soil and applying balanced fertilizer have a similar effect, as they promote recovery from damage and help the lawn resist future infestations.