TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

TBO > Life

Be careful when planting over your drain field

ADVERTISEMENT

BY LYNN BARBER

Special correspondent

Published: July 17, 2011

Q: Right in the middle of my backyard is our drain field. Right now, I have no plantings at all except for grass. I would really love to have some landscaping, but I'm not sure if I can. Can you offer suggestions on planting materials that won't interfere with the drain field?

Answer: Please see the information on Dr. Ed Gilman's website: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/residential.shtml. The information I found indicates that plants should be relatively low in maintenance and water needs. Select plants that once established will not require routine watering. Be sure you plant only shallow-rooted plants, which could include groundcovers and wildflowers. Because of the high water table here, many people in Florida plant turf grass only. You also may want to talk with your septic company.

Q. I have a company that treats my St. Augustine turf grass every other month for chinch bugs. I'm concerned that my non-mulching lawn mower may encourage chinch bugs. What do you think?

Answer: I can find no information indicating that a non-mulching mower will encourage the presence of chinch bugs. Southern chinch bugs are difficult to control. They are active in north-central Florida from March through November and all year in southern Florida. Make sure you are mowing at the right height for your turf grass. For St. Augustine, that height is 3 to 4 inches.

The first step is to diagnose the lawn problem. Damage is many times thought to be from drought or frost. The second step is insect identification. Check for chinch bugs when they're most active, which is mid-afternoon on warm, sunny days. For identification purposes, you can use a handheld vacuum cleaner to capture bugs in or near damaged turf grass areas. Look for adults or nymphs when you empty the vacuum cleaner bag contents. Look at the soil surface and thatch in areas where the turf is yellow to see if you can find chinch bugs. Use a flotation technique described in the article referenced below.

The third step is to use proper control measures, which include cultural practices, biological and chemical control. If you over-water or over-fertilize, thatch will develop, which prevents some insecticides from reaching pests that live in the soil. Lawns receiving a high amount of maintenance may be treated every two to three months. Refer to the table of insecticides in the article below and, as always, read and re-read instructions before application. Don't use one chemical class or method of application, because chinch bugs can become resistant.

For information, check out "Southern Chinch Bug Management on St. Augustinegrass" by Eileen A. Buss at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh036. It was the main source for my answer.

Lynn Barber is the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods agent at Hillsborough Extension. She loves to recycle and conserve water with micro irrigation and rain barrels. Reach her at barberl@hillsboroughcounty.org.

ADVERTISEMENT

Coupons and Deals

Games, Puzzles & Trivia

Advergaming and Branded Media