IF your garden is looking a bit of a mess and you want to ensure it looks fresh for summer, then you’ve come to the right place.
It turns out that there’s a ‘nightmare’ pest that may be living in your garden – and it could be the reason why your grass and plants are ruined.
According to a grass expert, yellow patches on lawns can be an early warning sign of a potentially devastating pest infestation – and it can wreak extreme havoc on your garden.
So as the weather warms up and more and more gardeners head outside, you’ll need to pay attention if you want to stop considerable damage.
Ben Agnew, a grass expert at Lawnsmith, warned gardening gurus to be on the lookout for signs of leatherjackets – a common pest that destroys grass from the roots up.
The gardening pro explained: “Although small, these grubs can be a nightmare for your lawn.
“An infestation can undo all the hard work you’ve put in and leave you with nothing.
“They thrive by eating the roots of grass and plants, killing their food source as they go.
“As they exist under the surface of your lawn, the first sign of an issue is your lawn dying, leaving yellow patches that then turn brown.”
As well as this, Ben shared: “Crane flies, also known as daddy long legs, lay eggs in most UK gardens, usually at the end of summer.
“The damp, wet conditions experienced in the UK during winter create the perfect environment for the eggs to hatch into leatherjackets.”
Leatherjackets are legless grubs with tough, leathery skin.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Nature’s Defenses: Organic Solutions to Garden Pest Problems” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6352317503112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]These pests are typically grey or brown in colour and can grow up to three cm in length.
So if you’ve spotted leatherjackets in your garden and want to take action to avoid maximum damage, Ben added: “Prevention is easier than the cure for a leatherjacket infestation.
“Effective treatment comes in the form of microscopic bacterial worms, called nematodes, specifically ‘Steinernema feltiae’.
“Nematodes get rid of leatherjackets by infiltrating their outer casing and subsequently killing them.
“Leatherjackets can cause considerable damage, and even after treatment, it can be challenging to restore your lawn to its former state.
“It can take your garden some time to return to its former glory.”
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D111768%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /] [quote credit=”Ben Agnew”]Although small, these grubs can be a nightmare for your lawn[/quote]The best course of action, according to this expert, is to remove dead patches of yellowing grass and re-seed the area.
Applying fertiliser across your lawn can help maintain its overall health.
Lawns with poor drainage are more likely to suffer from a leatherjacket infestation, so addressing this problem is also key.
Additionally, Ben recommended: “Aerating your lawn can help improve drainage. To do this, simply create holes in the turf to allow it to breathe and encourage water to disperse.”
As well as this, heavily shaded gardens can also suffer, so removing thick branches of overhanging trees and bushes can help more sunlight reach the turf.
Not only this, but Ben also stressed: “Some soils are better than others for drainage. For example, nutrient-dense clay soils can make gardens more prone to flooding.
“If you often see water pooling in your garden, investigate the type of soil so you know how to nurture the lawn correctly.”
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