QuestionI'm renting a house near Tampa, that has St. Augustine grass. I've noticed that a large dead spot in the back yard is getting bigger, yellowing at first then dying. I'm sure it's chinch bugs. I've read a lot of the other questions on here, and the consensus seems to be that regular watering is important. However, we're under once-a-week water restrictions! What to do instead?
Answer The first thing is to confirm that it is chinch bugs. Soap flush the area and if you find more than 10 chinch bugs per square foot from your samples, control is indicated. Use an insecticide.
Very often chinch bugs are blamed for irrigation problems. If lack of water is the problem and not chinch bugs, then you can use products which will help water retention in the ground. Polymer products as well as some organic soil amendments will hold some irrigation or rainfall water and release it slowly to the grass.
