Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I feel as if I have tried everything to rid my yard of grubs, but nothing seems to work.
I strongly prefer to use as few chemicals as possible, but I am willing to use almost anything at this point. The grubs have destroyed my yard. When I dig up the dead spots, I find no fewer than a dozen grubs per square foot.
I treated my yard with Grub-Ex for three years, but still had a massive grub problem. Last year, I put down milky spore (and did it EXACTLY as directed). I know it takes time to work, but my grub issue is worse than it has ever been. I don't want to mess up the milky spore by putting down more Grub-Ex, but I am desperate at this point. My yard is growing more and more brown spots by the day.
I discovered grubs in my lawn when the crows came foraging for grubs and really tore up a section of my lawn, I had another experience with raccoons shredding a 6 X 8ft section of lawn which had to be replaced with sod.
Today, I have a mole who is going 90 miles an hour tunneling for grubs which separates the roots from contact with soil, essentially turning your lawn into sod, with the same care requirements.
These events all have one thing in common: we were keeping the lawn too moist in an effort to get better performance out of an old lawn which is planted on fairly heavy clay soil. Our solution has been to address moisture issues, taking care to not over-do the watering, say, after we have it aerated in April and fertilize it at the same time.
I don't use any chemicals. I had a"perfect" Kentucky Blue Rye lawn for years, I used to keep up with weeds by hand. Nowadays, I've given up on the weeds now that I'm older and have more skeletal problems, as long as it's green, I try to manage a few dry spots, and don't give in to overwatering it in order to compensate for the difficult soil. I use Dr. Earth lawn fertilizer a couple of times in spring & summer. That's it!
Hope this helps.
Oh, I'm managing the mole without chemical means: I bought devices (at Home Depot) that mimic the warning sound the moles make to warn of predators. I haven't had it long enough to know effectiveness.
I feel as if I have tried everything to rid my yard of grubs, but nothing seems to work.
I strongly prefer to use as few chemicals as possible, but I am willing to use almost anything at this point. The grubs have destroyed my yard. When I dig up the dead spots, I find no fewer than a dozen grubs per square foot.
I treated my yard with Grub-Ex for three years, but still had a massive grub problem. Last year, I put down milky spore (and did it EXACTLY as directed). I know it takes time to work, but my grub issue is worse than it has ever been. I don't want to mess up the milky spore by putting down more Grub-Ex, but I am desperate at this point. My yard is growing more and more brown spots by the day.
What do you suggest at this point?
I would never recommend Milky Spore. I think it's overmarketed and the marketing is very misleading. We spent over a thousand dollars on treatments over a three year period in the early 2000s, and it did not work -- because the grubs we had were not Japanese beetle grubs. Well, not all of them, anyway. Most of our grub problem came from masked chafer beetles, and Milky Spore does nothing to control them. It only kills JB grubs. It also takes a full three years to build up in the soil, and here is the kicker. For the Milky Spore disease to become dispersed throughout your lawn, you need to have a host for the disease. In other words, you must have grubs in your lawn when you apply it.
Live and learn. You might have done exactly what was directed, but with all my experience with Milky Spore, the directions are not very complete. If they explained exactly how it works and how long it takes to work, no one would ever buy it. And the worst thing they claim is that it controls Japanese beetles! Really? Does it control beetles that fly in from neighboring properties as far as five miles away?
As IF.
I have also used beneficial nematodes, which can control a variety of soil pests, including many types of grubs. The problem with these is applying them correctly. The soil must be moist to a depth of 8 inches. The application must be done in the dark because sunlight kills the nematodes. They must be watered in.
So. How on earth can you apply them? At night, during a rainstorm, after you have thoroughly watered the lawn the day before. Yep, I did that several times, nearly got killed by lightning! It is also very hard to know if you're getting the right amount on each square foot of lawn. I mean, it's almost impossible.
We tried everything. I didn't want to use Merit or Dylox any other chemical treatment. Then one morning we woke up to find a big section of our lawn completely dug up by skunks or raccoons, and I said NO MAS. Sure, they ate a ton of grubs, but they also destroyed the turf. We applied Merit from that point on.
I have never seen grubs do damage at this time of the year. I start seeing the damage in July and August. I've used Grub-Ex and all the other products they sell at places like Lowes and Home Depot. I get grubs in the same places every year.
I read somewhere not to water your grass during July to help prevent grubs. I tried that last year and I didn't have as much damage.
I have never seen grubs do damage at this time of the year. I start seeing the damage in July and August. I've used Grub-Ex and all the other products they sell at places like Lowes and Home Depot. I get grubs in the same places every year.
I read somewhere not to water your grass during July to help prevent grubs. I tried that last year and I didn't have as much damage.
You are correct. Spring damage by grubs is extremely limited. Late summer is the real problem time.
If we are in another drought like last year, we will water in July, but not overdo it. The lawn can be allowed to go dormant -- but I won't let it cross over to dead.
Grubs, landscapes worst enemy. I dont mind using chemicals in the grass areas but when you dig in the veggie garden and see those suckers you just cant use chemicals in there.
I heard Milky Spore works well from family members but when I looked at the price I put it down. Not worth it for the veggie garden. let them turn to beetles and fly! LOL
But what I will do is, come fall, I will use the chemicals. By time spring comes around the soil should be chem free.
I dont have a lot of grubs to see them as a big issue.
Grubs, landscapes worst enemy. I dont mind using chemicals in the grass areas but when you dig in the veggie garden and see those suckers you just cant use chemicals in there.
I heard Milky Spore works well from family members but when I looked at the price I put it down. Not worth it for the veggie garden. let them turn to beetles and fly! LOL
But what I will do is, come fall, I will use the chemicals. By time spring comes around the soil should be chem free.
I dont have a lot of grubs to see them as a big issue.
Milky Spore is a waste of money and effort. It doesn't do anything, nor does it promise to do anything to control Northern and Southern Masked Chafer Beetles, which cause as much damage as Japanese Beetles do. Here in the KC area, people have been fighting lawn grubs forever -- yet we are only just beginning to see Japanese Beetles here. Chafer beetles have been causing all the damage. We had both types of beetles at our home in Chicago, but we found out too late that it was useless to try to control the JBs when the chafers were doing as much or more damage to our lawn. And as for reducing the Japanese Beetle poopulation -- that's just a ridiculous and laughable claim. Sure, it everyone within a five mile radius of you applies Milky Spore, I supposed you'd see a reduced population, but let's get realistic!
With grubs, timing is important when using any chemical control. Make sure to apply chemicals at the proper time and at the proper rate.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The grubs have destroyed my yard. When I dig up the dead spots, I find no fewer than a dozen grubs per square foot.
Grubs in lawn
