A lot of people are dropping their professional lawn care this year. You sound a little 'type A' in your approach to doing it yourself. Lawn care is very easy if you get the basics of watering and mowing established. More on that later...

I use organic fertilizer but don't let that stop you from reading. My schedule is what is important. I start on Washington's Birthday, then hit it again on Memorial Day, 4th of July (not for chemical ferts, though), Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. By keeping to the federal holidays, my schedule is very easy to remember.

What insects do you have problems with? I haven't done anything extraordinary for insects since about 10 years ago. Then again with an organic program I have a lot of birds, toads, lizards and geckos in the yard to eat insects.

Here's a general schedule that should help you.

2. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

3. Mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above.

4. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 5 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.
   

Yep. What Dchall said. I do that exactly as he says... My idea of insect control is having benefical ones like toads, spiders, lizards, wasps, etc to kill pests. I do use benefical nematodes for maximum control. Hey did you know that ants kill termites??? :)

Maybe a picture will help...

{{gwi:79085}}