They might be less expensive from this place.

Apply by first saturating the soil, so water deeply first. The nematodes move through the ground on a film of water. Spraying on dry ground is like spraying them into the storm drain. The ones I linked to come on a sponge. It looks like a snotty smear. You take the sponge and wring it out in a gallon of water and then spray that water on the lawn to cover. They do not live long in storage, even in cold storage, so be ready to go when you get them.

Thanks David. Is it worth doing this or not? I have grubs but not a grub problem. Are they good for the soil or just as pest killers? I don't like the chemical aspect of grubx due to my kids and dog. I'm trying to think about the soil life more and more and wonder how this plays into it

What "chemical aspect of grubx" are you referring to? Everything is a chemical, from water to table salt. To my knowledge chlorantraniliprole has been deemed non toxic and safe.

Nematodes are not a chemical. They are a microscopic animal.

Grubex is an insecticide. Insects are vital to the health of the soil, so applying a chemical that kills them saps some of that health. The soil is very forgiving and will restore itself, but if you can avoid the problems by using something equally (or sometimes more) effective, why not?

Baking soda seem innocuous enough, but it is a non selective fungicide. I would not use it on my soil except in very special circumstances. Insecticides are often used to kill caterpillars like sod webworms and the tomato hornworm. There is a biological product, which goes by the name of Bt, which is extremely effective and very inexpensive. So why not?

Nematodes? We don't need no steeenkin' Nematodes.

;-)

Never used them, but reportedly, they're pretty effective.

I have about 24k sqft that I would apply this to....i like the fact that it goes after a lot more than just grubs. Based on their 1M per 2k sqft i'll prob get teo of their 6m packs.

As for spreading, i've used tenacity, prodiamine and roundup in my sprayer (backpack style) so do you think that i'll need to use something different for this or would those chemicals not impact them?

Thanks for your help David, the more i read the more i like options like this.

@dchall

I'm ok with nematodes, it's tin foil hats I have a problem with. But, obviously, each to their own.

I don't think there is a need to mock people when they are asking questions and looking to better understand what options they have versus just throwing stuff on the yard, especially when they have kids and pets. I think its quite responsible.

I think you misunderstand, I'm not mocking you. I'm simply pointing out that dismissing grubex based on "the chemical aspect" is an irrational decision. The substance is safe and you can find information about it on the FDA site. If nematodes are just as effective and cause less damage to other insects then I'm all for it, seems the reasonable thing to do.

Shipping just about doubles the price to $150 but then again 3 bags of grubex is going to cost $120. How do the nematodes do from season to season, do they die off in the winter?

From what I've read if the conditions are good (wet) they have a population explosion and send billions of new nematodes into the soil. If there are more host insects to infect, they will. Once the host insects are depleted, or the soil dries out from normal infrequent watering, they can't move and will pretty much die in the last host they occupied.

Here in the south the recommendation is to use them once in January for ticks, thrips, and other insects that overwinter in the soil. Then use them again in July for grubs, fleas, roaches, earwigs, sow bugs (wood lice), and other insects that would be out.

I try to minimize their use, but if I had a bad grub infection, I would use them.

I think the biggest mistake people make with beneficial nematodes is they spray them onto dry soil and then try to wash them in. The soil needs to be very moist up front and then wash them in.

Yeah i read up a lot on their application and heat, light and moisture are all necessary items to control. I spoke with a company and they said that since i used RU in my sprayer that i should apply them differently.

I'm interested to use them this year because my home is new construction in an established neighborhood and the flys were terrible last year and i'm told that fleas/ticks are bad. My grubs are not terrible but i want to give a treatment as some neighbors say they are bad. i might buy the hose sprayer end to apply them as i don't want another backpack sprayer.

Even if they do die, i have to reapply grubex anyway and they are comparable in cost but a wee bit more in terms of application labor.

Thank you. I'm going to go take a read through it. Trying to balance effort, cost and kids :)

I've used nematodes in the past, and they definitely do the job. I went from buying them on line, to brewing them in compost tea using local compost to gather those nematodes. By local compost I mean the compost you can get from your compost pile in your back yard, organic farm, or even in the wooded area behind your house. in order to apply them you need the soil to be moist, since water is the method in which nematodes are carried down into the soil.