Thinking of going organic but have?

16 years ago

We have a big problem with our St Augustine grass with weeds and chinch bugs. DH has been hesitant to put down insecticides because I am an avid butterfly gardener and I have lot of caterpillars feeding on host plants, both in the ground and in planters.

I have been reading about using benefical nemotodes to help with the chinch bugs and applying corn meal or corn meal gluten and alfalfa (sp)pellets.

My first questions are:

1. Will the nemotodes kill my caterpillars? Will they hurt plants like roses or flowering bushes, plants?

2. Will any of these products be harmful to my dogs in light of the problems with the grain problem in the dog food?

3. Which do we do first and what would the timing be?

We are having temperatures in the 90's and rain 2-3 times a week and can only water once a week.

We live in Cental Florida between Tampa and Orlando.

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Comments (9)

dchall_san_antonio
16 years ago
1. Will the nemotodes kill my caterpillars? Will they hurt plants like roses or flowering bushes, plants?

The beneficial nematodes do not harm anything but bug pupa living in the soil.

2. Will any of these products be harmful to my dogs in light of the problems with the grain problem in the dog food?

I just did a quick search of dog food problems with grain and did not find anything. Besides, dogs just sniff the ground after you apply the grains. They seem to wonder why you poured perfectly good dog food on the ground.

3. Which do we do first and what would the timing be?
We are having temperatures in the 90's and rain 2-3 times a week and can only water once a week.

Spray beneficial nematodes on the lawn any evening. Rainy days worked better for me. If you are getting rain twice a week you should not need to water at all. You can use organic materials all on the same day or any time you want to. Apply grains at 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

The weeds are due to frequent watering and mowing too short. You cannot control the rain but you can control your mower. Reset your mower to the highest position. That should control grassy weeds. For leafy weeds you may need to pluck them or spray with vinegar. Use care because vinegar will kill the St Aug, too.

Have you read the FAQ on Organic Lawn Care on the Organic Gardening forum?
fescue_planter
16 years ago
I think the "grain problem" refers to the wheat gluten laced with melamine that came from China earlier this year. The grains you will be using should be all USA grown. Should be NO problems there.
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skoot_cat
16 years ago
Well, your certainly at the right place.

First, Do you know for sure you have Chinch Bugs?

To answer your questions...

1. No and No, beneficial Nematodes live in the soil.

2. No.

3. How are you currently caring for your lawn, feeding/fertilizing, mowing/height, water/amount etc etc?
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
DH mows each weekend or it gets too high to walk through. He uses fertilizer for St. Augustine and does it in the early spring and sometimes uses the weed and feed stuff. Like I said he has tried to stay away from spraying pesticides because of my butterflies. I just feel so bad cause now the flowers are beautiful but the grass is dying. We also have neighbors on three sides who have nothing but weeds in their yards and two of them don't mow until they can't find their cars. (Seems stupid since both of them have two sons in high school and one even works for his uncles lawn service, go figure.)

We water once a week if needed, depends on the rain. We get lots of short showers but when you dig in the soil it is only damp on the surface.

We had a beautiful back yard until we had to dig it all up for a new septic field several years ago.

DH is willing to go organic if I find all the info and find the stuff we need.

Our two doggies, 14 months spend alot ot time out with me in the yard. I had read on another forum about the possible problems with the gluten issue. I definitely don't want to do anything harmful to them. They love to eat grass and are still into digging if given the opportunity.

I appreciate all you help and am having the info on the FAQ read by DH too.

Yes, we have done the coffee can test and found the chinch bugs so thats what we are dealing with. They are very common here in Florida this time of year.
skoot_cat
16 years ago
I live right around the corner from you.(St.Petersburg, FL)

I have Organically maintained my S.A. Floratam for 3 years now with excellent results. Ok, maybe a few shaky months hear and there but nothing detrimental.

First! You should mow at the HIGHEST setting your mower will go and often. You dont want to remove more than 1/3 of the blade. I mow at 4.25" height year round and am mowing every 4-5 days right now.

Recycle/Mulch mow (dont bag clippings or leafs)

Use a Sharp, Balanced blade.

I feed my lawn with Alfalfa @ 10-20lbs per 1000sqft and Soybean meal @ 12lbs per 1000 and Corn meal or cracked corn @ 10-20lbs per 1000 to keep any fungus at bay.

The best method for watering is to wait until 30-50% of the lawn show signs of wilting before watering. Once a week is a good rule of thumb. You may not need to water that much in winter. Water deeply and uniformly early in the AM.(after 2am) with 3/4 to 1" water. See link below (tuna can test) to determine amount of water/timing. (I strongly recommend doing this)

Below from UF IFAS Extension
Most chinch bugs cannot complete their development when attempting to feed on Floratam and Floralawn. Beneficial Insects - Several predatory insects are often associated with southern chinch bugs. The most prominent predator of chinch bugs is the black big-eyed bug. (do a search for it) A predacious earwig, Labidura, is also a very good predator on all stages of the chinch bug. An adult earwig has been observed to eat as many as 50 adult chinch bugs in one night. Big-eyed bugs and anthocorids (another group of predators) are about the same size as chinch bugs and are often confused with them. Quite often these beneficial insects are misidentified as chinch bugs, and a pesticide is applied when it is not needed.

Can you post some pics of your lawn?

hope this helps.
skoot_cat
16 years ago
Whoops, Water Tuna Can test link below

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Calibrate Your Sprinkler System
mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Sorry,I am so late in posting these.
Back yard in shade, not yet affected

Back yard with some grass coming back, full sun

Really bad spot, full sun

Other side of back yard, somewhat in shade
rickbubba
16 years ago
Boy that looks like chinch bugs to me time to resod.
Scoot cat I think you may be on to something about the earwigs eating the chinch bugs. Our is home is currently being invaded with earwigs in the shower,in the cat food,on my bath towell in the morning. But I have no chinch bug damage on the lawn even after those latest triple digit humature temps and little rain here in N/ Fl.
To the post were would you like us to send this army of earwigs?
I have been using cornmeal for fungus,SBM mixed with CSM,also alfapha pellets to feed the lawn with great results.
Are the earwigs runnung out of food outside? HELP!!!!!
gatornation81
13 years ago
Seemed like some good info in this thread.

Is there a way to buy earwigs?

Thinking of going organic but have?

Comments (9)

dchall_san_antonio

fescue_planter

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Thinking of going organic but have?

Comments (9)

dchall_san_antonio

fescue_planter

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