Our winters in Colorado are all over the place. Sometimes we get snow storm after snow storm. Then other times we barely get any snow at all and end up in a drought the following year. This is when Winter Mite Control is a necessity for the lawn.
Winter mites are the lawn killers you never see.
These buggers are typically green and/or red and are teeny tiny. They infest lawns and suck up all the nutrients; the root system of your lawn needs to get it through the winter. You will go through the whole winter thinking that your lawn is sleeping; assuming it will come back in the spring just the same as it was, only to have your dreams shattered. Your neighbor across the way will have beautiful hues of green while you’re left with brown scraggly death patches.
It is most common for the dead patches of grass to be on the south and west facing sides of a lawn due to the sun’s position during the winter. Winter mites do the most damage when there is little to know precipitation and mild temperatures during the winter.
When it comes to repairing mite damage, unfortunately there is no easy fix or magic spray.
The damage is done. In many cases this damage is so detrimental that the only option is replacing the sod. Mite damage can be very intense. I’m talking HUGE sections of a lawn with no life left. That is why it is SO important to be aware of the conditions your lawn is subjected to while in dormancy.
Even when you have no way to predict what the weather will be like during the winter, there are still some things you can do to maintain the health of your lawn when the conditions are in favor of mites. Mites like grass when it’s bone dry, in fact they thrive. If you notice that you’ve had a few days that are hot and dry, one of the easiest things you can do is turn your hose on and water your lawn. This will deter the mites. If pulling out your hose isn’t something you want to do preemptively, you can use a magnifying glass to look over any areas that mites may want to live on.
Another option is setting up a routine spray treatment of insecticide to deter the mites. This is a great option for lawn lovers who check out in the winter and don’t have the capacity to think about what kind of monsters come after your lawn in the winter. At Erbert Lawns we offer monthly treatments throughout the winter to keep any potential mites off your lawn with our Winter Mite Control Program. Hiring professionals for this task will ensure you stay cozy and warm indoors during the winter instead of worrying about your lawn. Give us a call today to ensure a green lawn in the spring!
