Grubs and More Grubs

14 years ago

Normally I'm for sharing the earth, but it seems as if every shovel of dirt has huge grubs in it. My lawn is horrible - bought an old neglected house and haven't gotten to the yard yet.

Question is -- is it worth it to treat with Milky Spores? There seems to be some differing opinions out there, so I thought I'd ask the experts.

Thanks,

Jane

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Comments (3)

jeannie7
14 years ago
If you have the number you suggest why not go for direct assault on them. Spray your lawn with diazinon or Solgard ...et al.
The grubs are feeding now from the eggs that were produced last June and now the full grown beetles are eating their way through lawns and will, in a short time, stop eating and dig their way down into the soil to spend the winter.
They then return in the spring to take up where they left off.
We've got 'snowbirds', now we have 'snowbugs'.

Its too late for nemotodes to work effectively--probably cant find them anyway...they are a living organisms.
Best time for this attack is July/August/September when the grubs are close to the surface.
Heck, if you can see them, you can pick them up and drop into a soapy solution. Or spray with the insecticide.
The next best time is in early spring when the grubs are once again near the surface; having come up from their winter quarters. They are probably too larger than when they went south.

You might too, next spring, look for any parasites that feed on grubs. Wasps....they wont sting you, if you see them hovering over the soil surface are probably looking for grubs.
Ground beetles and ants can also be helpful in controlling grubs.

A good lush, healthy lawn is still one of the best defenses against invading grubs. Watered regularly, fertilzied regularly, cut at the proper height and leaving the clippings on the lawn can make for a great looking lawn.
Good water retention in the fall can also make for a stronger turf to go into winter. Early snow-melt with rain can often make it better for lawns in spring.
dchall_san_antonio
14 years ago
Milky spore seems to be a long term solution...meaning that if you apply now, and every six months for 3 years, you might get some control in the future. But then, as I understand it, your soil is inoculated and you don't have to use it again. So yes, go ahead and get started.

I would not worry about the current grubs. They are not hurting anything anymore. Anything you apply will kill them but their damage is already done. If you spray now you are sure to kill any beneficial insects that might be in the soil, too.
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grasslover69
14 years ago
I feel your pain, dude. I just recently killed my lawn to start over because of all the weeds. After spreading the seed and getting some growth started, what do I find after a decent downpour? Grubs, grubs, and more grubs!

Sadly, there's not a whole lot I can do about them at this time though, because the grub killer might affect the baby grass and the seed that hasn't germinated yet. And because the grubs are out of control, a few moles have moved into the neighborhood to take advantage of the free buffet. Not sure what to expect next, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that nothing more comes along.