We must constantly
evaluate our cultural maintenance practices to be sure that
we are truly integrating them into a management strategy that
will be successful. The point is that a healthy lawn or a highly
competitive stand of turf is the best defense against pest invasion
of any kind. However, the best growing conditions are not always
provided by nature, but rather how well prepared we are when
adversity comes our way, that translates into "successful
management". Another part of working with nature is to
adopt the philosophy of “pre-conditioning.” Clearly,
environmental stresses may occur every year.
Unfortunately,
in managing cool-season grasses, stresses often occur when
the turf is intensively being used, mainly in the summer.
Consequently, a “double-wammy” can occur whereby
use and abuse are added to the environmental stress factors.
This combination can render the turf even more vulnerable
to pest attack or invasion. Thus pre-conditioning can provide
some preemptive management advantages, that have the potential
to reduce the magnitude of the pest problem once it occurs.
Again, this is where a custom program developed by AIM Tech
to fit your special needs becomes essential.
