There are many different types of lawn pests in Northern New Jersey.  Not all Pests are visibile until the damage to the lawn has occured.  Lawn pests fall into three different categories: Insects, Fungus, and weeds. They can be controlled with insecticides, fungicides, or Herbicides respectively. Not all insects or diseases seen on trees, shrubs or crops are pests. Insects may simply be resting on the plants, or they may be feeding on other insects that are pests.  If damage does show, the pest which caused it may have already left the area or may not be causing any further damage.  Plant diseases or insect pests may be present, but the damage may not be as great as the cost of the pesticide application.  

 Organic Solutions

Consider the alernatives to pesticide application: Methods of control may be used that do not require a chemical treatment.  Cultiviation may control weeds as well or better than herbicides can. (For example: Aeration and Reseeding). 

 

Lawn diseases like dollar spot fungus can be spot treated with top soil and new grass seed.

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Leaf diseases on trees or shrubs may be lessened by collecting and destroying diseased leaves via pruning.

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Integrated Pest Managment

 

Two or more methods used to control or manage a given pest is called INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM). Natural enemies of the pest such as predators and parasites may be used in such a program (biological pest managment)  Also, numerous cultural methods have been found which help control pests such as:

• Fall planting 

• Changing planting dates

• Rotation of crops (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_rotation)

• Use of plants that have a repellant effect on the pest (cedar mulch is a natural pest repellant).

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Often cultural methods, biological, and the careful use of selective pesticides can be used for a successful IPM program to reduce unnecessary pesticide applications.