It would be great if you have chickens, you could spread out the soil over an area and let them scratch thru it. They would get all those grubs.

Bugs and weeds happen. Get used to it.

They might be JB grubs. They might be other insect larva. Doesn't matter. Your yard and gardens aren't an island -- if JBs are in the area, they'll be around eventually. Doesn't mean you'll necessary have a problem with them. A few JBs does not a problem make in my book.

I mulch heavily with leaves and/or straw and, along with some pulling, manage to keep the bermuda grass at bay. So I've imported on occasion a few rhizomes with loads of free composted manure. The value of the manure far outweighs the problem of the bermuda -- and there was some bermuda in the yard to begin with.

Organic gardens are imperfect locations in an imperfect world. On balance, there wouldn't be any question in my mind about whether nice organic soil amendment was worth a few bugs and weeds.

Offering "organic" soil is kind of like offering someone a bucket of water when they are surrounded by water, all soil is organic. Some soils are better than others because they have been cared for properly and contain a goodly amount of organic matter.
The grubs of Japanese, or any other of the scarab, beetle will be in any soil where they find a food source, they do not move around much so pretty much where Ma Lays the eggs is where they will be. Since the adult JBs move in from where ever having a few grubs is not a large problem, it is what everyone else around you does that matters and if there is a large area not treated for the grubs you will see them, no matter how many in your yard you eliminate.
That there were some invasive grass roots in that soil would have caused me to reject it. That is one of the problems with getting any soil from anyone else.

Gotta agree with Mary. Rarely do you find any situation in the garden where something with a benefit does not have a drawback. Organic matter often contains weeds but a friable soil makes them easier to deal with. Not using powerful chemicals often means some plant loss or damage. The upside is a healthy soil and healthy produce.

Hi...thanks for all your responses. I have been mulling over what you all have had to say.

Mary...I am used to organic gardening since I've been doing it for about 25 years. Yes, I understand there are bugs and there are weeds, but that doesn't mean I intentionally invite some into my yard when they have been gloriously absent from it. Everyone's situation is different and my garden does seem to be an 'island' in some respects. It is in the middle of a suburban neighborhood where very few people have more than grass and a few foundation shrubs in their yards. I don't inherit my neighbor's bugs or weeds for the most part. I do mulch, but I don't have access to enough to put down a lot routinely and the last time I had a perennial grass weed, it took me three years of effort to rid myself of it. Perhaps you have a lot of time and/or energy to tackle whatever comes up in your garden, but in mine, I have majored in prevention because I don't. So I guess our situations are different.

Kim...yes, if Beetle grubs are in your soil and they find a food source, they will stick around and multiply I suppose, but despite having roses and hibiscus and many other Japanese beetle treats, I have not had an infestation in the past 15 years, at least, for whatever reason. No one in our area treats for grubs but if they had any, I imagine I would have them too. I think I am more concerned about the beetles than the weed, only because I did defeat the same weed once already and know how to do it now, but still.

Yes, I have healthy soil. Lots of organic matter has been added over the years and I have had few pest problems that have not taken care of themselves. I do attribute my results to preventive minded decision making and my location I guess.

I appreciate all your responses because at the least it has shown me I have my own priorities that require me to make the decision myself, but it helps to see how others would approach it. I sometimes forget my circumstances are not everyone's.

I am not going to use this soil for vegetable gardening but in extending a mixed border that is raised and edged with rocks. It would be SOooo nice and easy to just use it and be done with it. The mixed border is right next to the vegetable garden though. I do have the other option of perhaps creating the rest of the fill with lasagna layers, but it would mean dragging out finishing that bed at the least convenient time of year in a garden. Well, looks like I am going to struggle with the decision some more. [g]

No one has an idea of something I could do to the soil, to reduce the weed/pest population? My idea of sifting it and trying to remove as many grubs as I can seemed futile to everyone? I am not thinking there are a ton of them either. It wouldn't be such a bad job, just pouring the buckets through a screen into a wheelbarrel before using it. Right? I suppose I haven't even touched on whether the previous gardener may have had soil borne diseases that I don't have as well. I am feeling like this wasn't such a good idea after all. I'm happy with my own soil and garden. Oh well, every day you learn something new.

If your first concern is about insects in the soil, by all means sift it. You'll be uneasy if you don't and it's a good way to get rid of ones you can see, at least.

It's too bad you don't have time to solarize that soil through the summer. That would kill (all) insects and pathogens, as I'm sure you know, but at least the soil would be sterile.

But you could also look at it this way. If your neighbors haven't had any bad insect problems or plant diseases as you surmise, the soil is probably okay except for the grubs you've seen. I think I'd be glad to receive it if that was the only drawback, one I could deal with!

Well, I thought of a good idea, I decided to call the person who gave me the soil and talk to him a little more about his soil and how he had gardened. He did not have any major problems with Japanese Beetles and had few problems with any other pests and really had no idea if the few grubs he saw in his soil were from Japanese Beetles or not. He explained that he never used a chemical pesticide on his garden and made his own compost from leaves, leaves and more leaves. Mulched his beds heavily with leaves every fall and worked the leaves into the soil. He did mention that he had tomato horn worms on his tomato plants last year for the first time. And I get a sense that he is honest. I imagine they winter over in the soil too. I had those once and with the few tomato plants I have, I think hand picking would be manageable. So I am feeling much better about the soil he gave me. I'm starting to think I have been lucky to get it. :-)

prairiemoon

Hornworms become beautiful hummingbird moths, lay their eggs on the plants where the larva (those fat green caterpillars) feed, and spin cocoons rather than becoming a grub in the earth, so you don't have hornworms in the soil.

A Japanese beetle grub is white as seen in the picture on the page. Maybe you can identify the ones in that soil as JBs. Or maybe not. Well, *I* have trouble identifying them anyway -- except for size and color, grubs are just not identifiable when I look at them!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hornworm Life Cycle

Thanks anney....very helpful to know what to look for. I have seen those white grubs every once in awhile, but not very often. I will sift through the new soil looking for them. That was very interesting about the Hornworm. I don't' find those so threatening to deal with, but very ugly...lol.

prairiemoon

Not of great consequence, but several people, mostly guys with kids, here on GardenWeb say they COLLECT and save hornworms, put them in a container with tomato leaves until they pupate, and then the kids get to watch the moths emerge!

Actually, I think the hornworms are kind of attractive with those markings, but Lord, are they destructive. I put them on the grass for the birds when I occasionally find them.

[I am freaking tired of that Playtex bra ad!!!!!]

I have seen Hummingbird Moths in the garden on the Butterfly Bush, but those aren't the same thing are they? I suppose if you capture them in a glass container, they can't go back on your plants and lay more eggs, but I would be nervous about letting them get a foothold. Who wants another job to do.

What ad are you talking about? Is there one on GW? I have Firefox with Adblock and I don't see any ads.

prairiemoon

Yep, it's the very same hummingbird moth.

I have Firefox with Adblock, too, and I sure see it. Maybe I need to fiddle with the permissions. Sigh.