"Peter H" wrote in message
gers.com...

"Tony Serwatuk" wrote in message
...
If you'd rather not use pesticides (I don't), a safer alternative is to
have
a sprinkler system installed in the spring. With a regularly scheduled
watering cycle you'll effectively drown them out within 3 weeks. I used
to
wake up to a dozen or so birds feasting on the grubs in my lawn in the
morning hours, but they have nothing to eat now.

Just a thought...

Lawn sprinklers are another route to go and will work if the infestation
is
not too severe, but there are downsides. Beyond the fact that more and
more
scientists are beginning to realize that we are squandering our fresh
water
resources in trivial ways like this, you must be very careful with your
sprinkler system. In my 10+ years in the lawn care business I saw many
lawn
problems, but by far the worst were the ones that were caused by excessive
irrigation and homeowners who insisted on having a lush green lawn right
through the summer months. If you go the sprinkler route I would recommend
that you be very careful with it. Use it only when required and in the
heat
of the summer I would shut it down and let your lawn go dormant, which is
what it wants to do.

Peter H



You make a good point regarding the squandering of fresh water resources,
however a smart irrigation program recommended and implemented by a
knowledgeable contractor will not only help with mild to intermediate
infestations, it will also reduce the overall consumption of water for those
homeowners who do insist on a lush lawn. The correct irrigation design
which factors in soil type (run-off/absorption rates etc.) as well as proper
water requirements pertaining to individual plant and turf types can safely,
effectively and efficiently get the desired results. Irrigation is a very
subjective issue (as is the use of pesticides) but education and knowledge
on the part of the contractor and the homeowner is paramount.

Here in Toronto, the safe use of pesticides has come under serious scrutiny
of late, leaving homeowners and lawn-care businesses faced with a newly
passed by-law (albeit an unnecessary, confusing, convoluted, conflict
producing, polarizing and unenforceable one) limiting the use of them.
While there continues to be a huge uprising of the horticulture industry to
have the "ban" re-evaluated and/or struck down, with some amendments made
appealing to both the industry and the activists, it seems that this issue
is far from over. If the activists have their way, the by-law will have an
enormous impact on the industry, and homeowners will need to find alternate
solutions to infestation problems.

Tony.