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How To Get Grubs Out Of Your Lawn

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When To Call Pest Control Pros

Controlling Grubs in Your Lawn — Expert Lawn Care Tips

If in doing the tally, you find more than six grubs per square foot, its a good time to take action. Dont wait until you have a serious infestation.

I always chuckle about , in that skunks and raccoons havent read about this threshold, says Shetlar. If there are four to five grubs per square foot, thats usually enough for them to be digging around.

It might also be enough for you to call in your local pest control professionals to avoid further damage to your lawn.

How To Get Rid Of Grubs Naturally

If you decide to treat your garden beds or lawn for grubs, it is best to introduce the treatment to the soil in mid- to late-summer or early fall. During this time, the grubs will be newly hatched and will be near the surface and beginning to feed. During the winter, they burrow deeper into the soil, and during the spring they are in the pupal stage, and then move into the imago stage, which means most treatments will be far less effective.

Many beetles return to the same area to lay eggs each year so, if you have a large population, it may take a few years to get it under control through treatment.

It is often best to try natural treatments before moving up to pesticides that may introduce toxins into the groundwater or affect the health of your family, your pets, bees, or other local wildlife. So, lets look at some home remedies for grubs and natural ways to get rid of grubs.

How Does Soap Get Rid Of Chinch Bugs

Put 30 mL of dishwashing soap in 7 L water and drench a small area of lawn, i.e., 0.2 m2 . A larger area of lawn can be treated by using a hose attachment. The chinch bugs will crawl to the surface of the grass to escape the soap. Lay a flannel sheet over the treated area and wait 10 â 15 minutes.

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Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Grub Worms In Your Lawn

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Grub worms damage your lawn by feeding on the roots, and eventually turn into adult beetles that eat the leaves of other prized plants in your garden. Many homeowners simply treat their lawn with a chemical grub control product, or grub killer, once or twice a year. But there are also a number of natural methods that can be effective ways to get rid of grub worms. Check out the following tips from our readers on how to get rid of grubs naturally.

Q: I have white grub worms all over my garden and I hate to use pesticides. Are there any natural methods to get rid of them?

Answer 1: Earth-friendly beneficial nematodes seek out and kill grubs and other soil-inhabiting insects. They come on a sponge that you soak in water, put in a sprayer and spray your dirt or lawn. They will multiply over time and continue to kill grubs. They have nematodes that seek and destroy flea larvae too. Here’s what one reader says about his experience with nematodes: “Works great. Did my yard last year, my dogs never have fleas unless we go someplace else. The nematodes for grubs work equally as well. Had them in my compost pile, wiped them out. No more grubs!” .

Answer 5: Other readers have seen results using neem oil. Mix as directed with water and spray affected areas of your lawn to deter beetles from laying eggs, as well as keep grubs from feeding. .

Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Grubs In Garden

How to Get Rid of Grubs

Many gardeners have dealt with the irritation of finding grubs in the soil among their plants. These critters are voracious root-eating worms that turn into leaf-eating adult beetles .

Its not a pretty sight, seeing fat white worms crawling around, eating the roots of your crops, and damaging your lawn.

If youre reading this article, then youre likely seeking natural, harmless ways of getting rid of grubs once and for all.

Fortunately for you, there are plenty of methods you can use to rid your garden of grub bugs without harming your plants.

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How To Kill Grubs In Your Lawn

During the late summer and early fall, you may begin to notice lawns turning an unattractive shade of brown in certain unsightly, dying patches. The likely explanation is the grass is being destroyed by hungry, thriving grub worms living below the surface of the lawn. If this has happened in your lawn, there is good news. These pests can be controlled, and your lawn can be restored back to its healthy state by getting rid of grub worms.

Better yet, because of a growing preference for natural gardening solutions, there are now some easy and natural ways to kill lawn grubs and stop them from reappearing next year. This means youll be able to get back to enjoying your yard year-round without concern of nasty grubs eating away at it.

How To Choose And When To Apply Grub Control Products For Your Lawn

David Smitley, Terry Davis and Erica Hotchkiss, Michigan State University, Department of Entomology -May 22, 2020

Not all the grub control products on store shelves will be effective this spring. Heres how to choose and use the right one for your lawn.

Be sure the problem is grubs. Before doing anything, it is important to make sure the problem is grubs. In the last 10 years, the amount of European chafer damage to home lawns in southern Michigan has steadily decreased to the point where it is unusual now to find populations high enough to damage turf. However, as European chafers and Japanese beetles have spread northward, lawns and other low maintenance turf areas in much of the Lower Peninsula north of Lansing and in the eastern half of the Upper Peninsula are seeing more damage. The outbreak phase where turf damage is common may last five to 10 years.

European chafer grubs may be found in all locations in Michigans Lower Peninsula and in much of the Upper Peninsula. Regionally, European chafers are a much bigger problem than they used to be. In 2002, they were only found in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maryland, Southern Michigan, and eastern Ohio. Now it has spread throughout Ohio, Michigan , northern Indiana and into eastern Illinois. It was also reported in Wisconsin in 2013. In Canada, it is a problem in Ontario and Vancouver, so Washington State is on the lookout for it also.

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Common Signs Of A Lawn Grub Infestation

  • Increased bird activity on your lawn

One of the most easily spotted symptoms is an increase in bird activity on your lawn. These grubs make a great snack for the local birds and youll find them popping over to your place for lunch!

A spongy lawn can also be a good indicator of grub activity.

  • Brown patches in your lawn

Brown patches that gradually spread may also be a sign that grubs are present.

But if you are looking to confirm for certain if they are there then there are a couple of tests you can try.

Conventional Ways To Get Rid Of Grubs

How-to Fix Your Ugly Lawn With This Single Lawn Application

If youre looking for a convenient way to get rid of grubs, youre in luck.

There are two primary chemicals used to reduce lawn grub populations: carbaryl and trichlorfon.

Both effectively kill grubs and are generally considered the only options when high concentrations of grubs are found in the fall or early springbefore May.

Research indicates that these compounds will kill 20-80% of grubs when applied in September and 20-55% of grubs when applied in late October.

Heres a breakdown of each:

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Using Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management is a natural pest control solution and process that uses beneficial insects and other biological solutions. Gardeners often choose these forms of pest control due to their lower environmental impact. Beneficial bacteria and diseases are alternative solutions for killing off white grubs long-term and protecting your lawn from infestations for years to come.

Should You Call A Professional

If you already use a lawn service to keep your yard neat and healthy, they will likely spot your grub problem and suggest treatments. If not, you can call a lawn service to treat the lawn. But grub eradication is a doable DIY project. Pros are probably going to use the same methods you would if you treated the lawn yourself, so the only advantage of hiring a pro is to save yourself the hassle.

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Getting Rid Of Lawn Grubs For Good

Some insects are extremely beneficialto your lawn. Pollinators help plants reproduce, predators get rid of unwanted pests and saprophytes help break down dead plant matter into nutrients in the soil. Some insects, however, do nothing but damage to grass. White grubs, in particular, are a bane to many homeowners who want a lush, green lawn.

These grubs arent their own insect species, but are instead the larval stage of several different kinds of beetle. They live beneath the surface of the soil, feeding on roots until the grass above withers and dies. Because they live underground and return every year, they can be difficult to kill. However, by using the right method at the right time, you can kill the grubs before they do significant damage, or even prevent them from hatching in the first place.

In this article:

Todays Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.

If youve got a lawn grub infestation thats not responding to DIY pest control methods, consider hiring a professional lawn care and pest control company. The reviews team recommends TruGreen, a nationwide company with many years in the business of caring for lawns, which includes eliminating common pests.

For a free pest control estimate, call or fill out this simple form to get started.

How Do You Get Rid Of Grubs Organically

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  • Introduce natural predators to eat the grubs. Grubs have plenty of natural predators.
  • Limit moisture.
  • Use neem oil or Azadirachtin.
  • Introduce beneficial nematodes.
  • Make a grub killer with borax.
  • Dethatch and aerate your lawn.
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    Make Sure Grubs Are Actually The Problem

    If youve started noticing brown patches in your lawn and simultaneously unearth a white grub, you may jump to believing that grubs cause your discolored grass. In fact, there are dozens of common and uncommon lawn issues that can cause grass to turn brown. It also normal for lawns to have some grub worms.

    Treating your lawn for the wrong issue is a waste of time and money. So before you jump to blame the grubs, check for these specific signs of grub damage.

    Lawns damaged by grubs will show these symptoms:

    • Irregular-shaped patches of dying grass.
    • Grass thins and turns brown.
    • Grass may feel spongy as you walk on it.
    • Grub worms attack the root structure holding the grass firmly in place, so visibly weakened areas may be easily pulled and rolled away, almost like a rug.
    • Depending on where you are in Texas, the damage will appear sometime between June and October.
    • You may notice an increase in animal activity. Animals such as raccoons, armadillos, and birds may be frequenting your yard to feed on the grub worms. Look for mole holes or tunnels.

    If your lawn checks off the items on the list above, its time to conduct a test to find grub worms. Use a shovel to dig up or peel back a damaged area of your lawn. The testing area should be about 3-5 inches across and 3-5 inches deep.

    The next part is simple but slightly unpleasantcount the worms! Knowing how many worms inhabit your small testing area is crucial. Having some grubs is normal and should not be harmful to a lawn.

    Encourage More Birds In Your Lawn

    You might have noticed small brown birds feeding in your lawn and backyard if you have grubs in your lawn. This bird is called the House Wren.

    Since these birds feed on the white grubs and other lawn insects, I would recommend encouraging them near your lawn or backyard. You can do this by providing bird houses for house wrens around your lawn.

    Soon enough youll start seeing house wrens flying about your yard with white grub worms in their beaks. Their increased feeding activity will reduce the population of grubs in highly infested lawns.

    However, this method may also cause damage since birds also start digging up the lawn to find the food. The birds may also not be able to stop large infestations of grubs.

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    Dethatch And Aerate Your Lawn

    Dethatching and aeration make your lawn less attractive for grubs. Because thatch and dense, compacted soil provide a thick layer of shelter for grubs, removing thatch and aerating the lawn creates a less welcoming environment for the pests.

    Additionally, these methods make it easier for milky spore disease, nematodes, and other natural solutions to penetrate the surface of the lawn and reach the grubskilling them faster and more efficiently.

    Pros: Safe, effective, good for the lawn.

    Cons: Labor-intensive. Does not kill grubs.

    When To Control Grubs

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    Controls are most effective on immature grubs. For most species and locations that means July or August is the prime time to treat with an insecticide. However, because grub populations vary from year to year, you may be able to save the cost of treatment if you first sample your lawn to estimate how many grubs are present. Dig up several pieces of sod about a foot square. If you find five or fewer grubs per square foot, you need not apply grub control. The lawn will withstand the amount of feeding these few grubs do. If 10 or more grubs are present, treat your lawn. If the average count is between five and 10, whether or not to control depends on the health of your lawn, your tolerance for damage to the lawn, and the presence of natural controls.

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    In The Late Summer Or Early Fall:

    Lawn grub damage is usually visible from late summer and peaking in the early fall. If you have irregular patches of grass that are brown and dry, check to see if a patch easily peels away from the soil. If a patch of grass lifts up like a carpet with no roots holding it down, you likely have an infestation of lawn grubs.

    What Are Grubs And How Do They Damage Lawns

    Grubs are the larval stages of different beetle species, including Japanese beetles, June beetles, and European chafers.

    These pests have soft, white bodies with a set of legs near their heads. When disturbed, they curl into a C shape.

    Dormant during the winter, grubs become active when the weather starts to warm up. During the spring and early summer, grubs eat the roots of grass and other foliage and organic matter, causing extensive plant damage.

    As lawn grubs turn into adult beetles, they leave the soil to mate and lay eggs. Adult beetles have a 13-year lifecycle.

    Adult beetles lay their eggs near their feeding sites in July and August, creating new grubs that dig into the soil and eat grass roots, perpetuating the infestation.

    Fortunately, it is possible to control grubs with methods like milky spore disease, which well discuss more later in this post.

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    How Do I Know If There Are Grubs In My Lawn

    Telling the difference between grub activity and other kinds of lawn damage can be tricky, but it should be possible with some close inspection.

    Here are some signs that grubs are causing the problem:

    • Any brown, dead patches are irregular in shape: Fungus and animal urine can also cause yellow or brown patches in grass, but they tend to be circular in shape. Grub damage, on the other hand, expands irregularly through a lawn.
    • The grass comes up easily when pulled: Grass that has been eaten by grubs is truly dead, rather than sick or dormant, and thus will pull up by hand without much effort. There wont be much in the way of roots, either.
    • The lawn feels spongy when walked on: Grubs munching through grass roots can alter the structure of the soil, so your grass may feel spongy even though its well-watered.

    There are more than 10 grubs per square foot of soil: A few grubs are normal and wont cause much damage, but a visual inspection can tell you how bad the problem is.

    If you see fewer than five grubs in the top 2-4 inches of a square foot of soil, you dont need to treat.

    Six to nine grubs per square foot probably doesnt require treatment unless predators are getting into your yard.

    But 10 or more grubs requires some kind of intervention.

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    As gardeners become increasingly concerned about using traditional chemical-based pesticides, alternative pest control solutions are growing in popularity. This is largely due to increasing education and awareness about the harmful impact of chemical pesticides. Many chemical-based pesticides will only get rid of lawn grubs initially, which often leads to the pests returning time and again as they will develop a resistance to the chemicals.

    You may have tried do-it-yourself grub-killing solutions to ensure a chemical-free method of pest control. Some DIY solutions call for a combination of household products like mouthwash, lemon juice, liquid dish soap and water to create a spray that can be applied all over your yard. However, this homemade solution only acts as a deterrent for grubs and is not an effective or immediate way to kill them.

    To truly eliminate your pest problem, you will need to apply a treatment that eliminates the grubs completely, which gives you the space to be able to restore your lawns health. Better yet, a treatment that can be applied to grubs at any stage of their life cycle will be a better solution for year-round pest control.

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