Proper mowing practices can make the grass more tolerant to pests and greatly improve the appearance of a lawn. St. Augustine should be mowed at a height of 3 to 4 inches, Centipede at 2 inches and Bahia at 3 to 4 inches. It is very important to keep the mower blade sharpened. The best recommendation is to mow often enough so that no more than one-third of the leaf blade is removed at each mowing. Do not remove the clippings.
Insects are only a few of the many causes of yellowish or brownish areas in grass.
Diseases, nematodes, dry weather, and nutritional disorders are sometimes responsible for such injury. It is important to be sure of the cause so proper treatment can be applied to correct the trouble without needless use of pesticides and extensive damage to the grass. An effective way to survey for chinch bugs, lawn caterpillars, mole crickets and beneficial insects is by the use of a soap mixture applied with a 2 gallon sprinkling can. This mixture is not effective in surveying for white grub or billbug larvae. Observe the area for about two minutes.