Grub worms, small larvae of certain beetles, are harmful to gardens and need to be dealt with immediately. They nibble on plant roots and later chew up crop leaves. Natural solutions for eliminating grubs include using beneficial nematodes, milky spore powder, neem oil, and soap and water. Nematodes also control beetles and other pests.
Gardens are excellent, nutrient-rich spots that attract beetles laying eggs. Grub worms can cause significant damage to lawns and flower beds, but there are several methods to get rid of them. Chemical control, organic control, and cultural control methods can be used to control or eliminate them.
In garden beds, vegetable patches, and compost heaps, pick out as many Curl Grubs as possible and put them out for the birds to prevent them from escaping back into the ground. As a preventative measure, apply a neem oil spray.
There are four organic ways to kill Curl Grubs in garden soil: tilling and hand-picking, applying milky spore, and using Bacillus thuringiensis var. Multicrop 2L EcoGrub 3 In 1 Insecticide is recommended as it is compatible with veggie gardens and is not a scheduled poison. Milky Spore is the ultimate solution, but it takes years to work and must be treated with all surrounding areas.
Beneficial nematodes and milky spores are two natural control measures for grubs in vegetable gardens. Earth-friendly beneficial nematodes seek out and kill grubs and other soil-inhabiting insects, and they come on a sponge that can be soaked in. Beneficial nematodes are most effective against white grubs in the summer and early fall and require soil temperatures above 60 degrees.
📹 Get Rid Of Garden Grubs With Beneficial Nematodes!
Beneficial Nematodes are the best way to deal with one of the most pervasive garden pest, beetle grubs! These beetle larvae are …
What happens if you don’t treat grubs?
Grub damage is typified by the presence of extensive, irregularly shaped areas of dead turf, where grubs have detached the grass, thereby impeding the absorption of water and nutrients. Such areas of damage may present themselves as a carpet-like formation or may be readily dislodged by gentle traction. Once brown patches emerge, the lawn will not regenerate, necessitating the implementation of aeration and overseeding techniques to replenish the depleted soil.
What is a natural killer for grubs?
Milky spore disease, a naturally occurring pathogen, affects beetle larvae and can kill grubs without harming the garden. It takes one to three years to become fully effective, but beneficial nematodes can be used while waiting. House wrens, a territorial bird, can be controlled by placing five houses in their yards, preventing them from seeing each other. This has led to no more grubs, squash bugs, or tomato hornworms, and the gardeners have never used pesticides.
Another reader has successfully controlled grubs using organic fertilizer once in the fall and once in late winter. Synthetic fertilizers tend to kill beneficial nematodes, but Plant Tone fertilizer is the best option for lawns. The best fertilizer for lawns is Plant Tone, which is available on Amazon for 3, 000 sq. ft. and is suitable for zones 7 and fescue grass. The best fertilizer for lawns is Plant Tone, which can be purchased on Amazon.
What is the best homemade grub killer?
A solution for the eradication of pests can be created by combining lemon juice, dish soap, and mouthwash with water in a spray bottle. This solution is effective in repelling beetles on lawns. An alternative method is the use of borax, an all-natural chemical found in laundry detergent, in a spray bottle with warm water. However, it should be noted that the use of this product in high quantities can have a toxic effect on grass, therefore caution should be exercised when utilising it.
What can I spray for grubs?
To control grubs, apply a preventative grub control product like Scotts® GrubEx®1 in spring or early summer, following the label directions. This is especially important if you have experienced previous grub problems. One application can kill and prevent grubs for up to 4 months. The best time to apply grub killer is in spring or early summer, using a spreader and watering immediately after application.
A properly-fed, well-maintained lawn can tolerate more grubs per square foot than a drought-stressed one. Repair dead patches caused by grubs with Scotts® EZ Seed®. Scotts products are reliable for preventing and treating grub worms in your lawn.
Will grass grow back after treating for grubs?
To maintain a healthy lawn, it’s essential to re-seed dead turf areas, clean them, add soil, and seed them, or use slice-seeding to repair them. If you’ve been using a minimalist approach, it’s important to include preventive grub control in your lawn care program. This will prevent grubs from destroying your lawn again, as it’s less expensive to prevent than to fix them after the fact. If you’re struggling with grub problems, consider hiring an award-winning lawn care company that can help prevent or remedy the issue. If you’re interested in discussing lawn care options or seeding to repair your lawn, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Can you treat for grubs yourself?
To effectively control grubs, it is crucial to check the active ingredient of the product and avoid using products containing only lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, or permethrin. Avoid using preventive compounds like clothianidin, thiamethoxam, or imidacloprid now, as they may leach through the turf or break down, causing insufficient insecticide in July. For fall-damaging turf, chlorantraniliprole should be applied in April or May.
Carbaryl or trichlorfon can be used to kill grubs in spring or fall. Wear rubber gloves and boots when applying insecticides to turfgrass, ensuring at least 0. 5 inches of water is irrigated and allowed to dry before allowing anyone or pets into the treated area. Store insecticide products in a locked cabinet not accessible to children. Proper fertilization is essential to prevent and allow the lawn to recover from grub damage. Mow lawns immediately before applying insecticides to remove weed flowers and protect bees. Regularly mowing your yard with the highest setting (3. 5-4 inches) is recommended.
Why do I suddenly have grubs?
Over-watering your lawn during summer can provide excess moisture for grubs to thrive in, as moisture seeps into the soil. To reduce grub damage, mowing your grass higher and avoiding over-watering can help. Deeper, stronger roots of grass are less susceptible to grub damage, while shallow roots allow grubs to eat and damage the roots more deeply. While grubs often thrive in healthy lawns, reducing their numbers can be achieved by mowing higher and avoiding over-watering.
What is the best defense against grubs?
To safeguard against grub infestation, it is recommended to mow the grass at a height of between 3. 5 and 4 inches, and to leave the clippings on the lawn. This results in the grass becoming sufficiently robust to withstand grub feeding without succumbing in the spring. Following the second year, the application of higher mowing rates has been demonstrated to result in a notable reduction in weed pressure and a concomitant decrease in the necessity for nitrogen fertilizers.
What will kill active grubs?
For fall Grub infestations, use a pesticide labeled for Grub control with trichlorfon (Dylox) or carbaryl active ingredient. Early fall is a peak feeding time for Grubs as they fatten up before winter and dig in, staying 4-8 inches below ground until spring. Fall control is crucial as Grubs don’t feed much in spring and damage typically occurs in the previous fall. To limit lawn damage, stop Grubs in autumn and try grub killer tactics to curtail activity this fall. A study by Colorado State University found that walking over Grub-infested lawns repeatedly while wearing sandals is an effective grub killer that can cut Grub populations in half.
What is the fastest way to get rid of grubs?
Curative chemical insecticides like Carbaryl and trichlorfon are short-lived treatments for grubs in grass. They are effective immediately and can turn yellow or brown within a week. Milky spore disease is another treatment for grubs, but it is only effective for Japanese beetles. Neem oil is an effective pesticide against grubs and is safe for pollinators. A DIY solution can be made by mixing neem oil and water, spraying the solution in late summer or early fall. It is important to reevaluate the turf the following week to ensure the chemicals have been effective.
Is it too late to treat for grubs?
Insecticide treatments after early October are not effective and are not recommended for lawns. Instead, treat grub “hot spots” determined by observation or sampling. White grubs are soil-dwelling larvae of certain scarab beetles that feed on turfgrass and other plants, destroying their ability to absorb and transport water and nutrients. These larvae are pudgy, off-white, and typically bent in the shape of the letter “C”. They have one generation per year and take one year to complete their life cycle.
The adult beetles of annual white grubs are either Japanese beetles or masked chafers. Japanese beetles and masked chafers emerge in late June and lay eggs in the turf during July. The eggs hatch in 2 to 3 weeks, and tiny white grub larvae begin to eat the grass roots. The grubs grow rapidly and are fully grown by late August or September. Extreme feeding by populations of 10 or more annual white grubs per square foot can cause the grass to die.
White grubs move several inches deep in the soil for winter and move back near the surface in the spring, causing little additional damage as they wait to pupate in June, emerge as adults, and start the cycle over.
📹 How to Get Rid of Grubs
Grubs look like thick white worms with front legs. Grubs are not worms at all. Grub are larvae of Beetles such as Japanese Beetle.
Beneficial nematodes are the greatest discovery I have ever made. Garden grubs (or curl grubs as I know them) almost made me quit gardening altogether. The thought of them being in there and me not really knowing was too terrifying. But now I legit relish when I find grub carcasses from nematodes. Also neem oil can really help too. I tend to do neem oil during the colder months and then bring in my nematodes for Spring/Summer to keep on top of them.
I’ve been researching nematodes. From what I’ve seen, you want wet soil during application and after. The nematodes only are viable for two weeks once you get them so timing is pretty crucial, especially if you have a larger area to spray. I’ve also seen recommendations to apply them at dusk. One user said the nematodes will feed and spread out until they no longer have a food source or the ground gets too dried out. I’m planning to apply nematodes this fall here in middle Georgia and also in the early spring to interrupt the life cycles and catch more things hopefully. We have a huge gnat and ant (Argentine ants, not fire ants) problem here where I live in addition to the usual garden suspects so I’m hoping this helps manage that.
So many people in the comments say they love the nematodes and have been using for years, and I’ve been perusal gardening YouTube for several years and never heard of them! I only had ever heard about the harmful type of nematode. They seem awesome. Might need to try in our So Cal yards this fall; we got termites and ants around for sure. Thanks for the excellent demo
Good point about aiming the nematodes at the base of plants! I just released some today in April! It’s recommended to do a couple of applications 1-2 weeks apart and make sure to remove any filter or screen in the hose end spray if you’re using one. Also apply early am, dusk, or on an overcast day. UV light kills them.
I applied in the cool fall weather in November. Most of the beetles in my garden were gone and I was at the height of grubs in my soil. Nematodes need a host in order to survive to move on to the next grub. More grubs in the soil, the longer most of the nematodes last in the soil reducing the population. Milky spores also benefitted my garden over the last few years.
This is the best demonstration of nematode application I’ve seen. I usually order them from Arbico Organics twice a year when I change over the crops. But I have gone through several sprayers trying to get them to work. They always clog my sprayers. So I just resorted to mixing in my two gallon watering can to do each bed I see now how to dilute the solutions. Thanks for the vid
I’ve heard of beneficial nematodes but forgot about them, thank you for the reminder! I didn’t know they also kill fingus gnat larva. I’ve been occasionally using dissolved mosquito dunks in my pots to combat indoor fungus gnats on vegetable plants I take inside before winter. The dunks don’t seem to help much and each year the gnats have overrun things and contributed to me giving up on growing veggies indoors. I use the sticky yellow paper stakes to catch adults but that doesn’t nip them at the source. Hopefully some nematodes will be a better solution!
Thank you for posting this! I just rewatched as I’m currently prepping my garden for spring here on the border of 9b/10a. So much good information. Have you or Kevin ever released other beneficial insects? I’m considering purchasing lacewing eggs on cards when it warms up and would love to watch a article similar to this one 😀
I am in zone 10a and am so glad I found you and Kevin ;), cause i am a hack gardener. I have 3 self-watering raised beds (from Costco). They are new this year and full of good soil and GRUBS. I also have watering troughs with vegetables that also have GRUBS. My husband wants to empty out all of them and get rid of the GRUBS that way and then use nematodes. What is the best wat to eliminate the GRUBS? Also, when you did this article you sprayed nematodes into a container with GRUB in it, how long before the GRUBS died?
I recommend if using them to use all of them once opened. I purchased them and used half and was going to use the other half a month later and had them in my fridge until I was ready to use the rest well because I put the opened container in my fridge they literally infested my fridge and freezer and got in all the small cracks. I had to get a new fridge bc they kept coming back and even got into the ice.
I put beneficial nematodes around my yard once a year at least. Mostly to expand my control on Japanese beetle grubs. AND I use this company. Since Japanese beetles can fly in and lay eggs, I do add it every year. I have seen number reduction of Japanese beetle specifically from year to year. And I’ve seen when I don’t do it after a few summers – the beetle numbers increase.
I just got my Nematodes!!! Thank you so much for this tutorial cause the grubs are hitting me hard! I built that screen sifter thing for the containers, some had 2 grubs others had 15! Ahhhhhh! I soaked my beds last night and I’m going to spray the Nems tonight. Question – I have freshly planted potatoes, should I pull them out then spray or is it okay to leave them? It’s about 15 potatoes in a raised bed so wouldn’t be too much additional work. Also, I have a huge pile of compost, should I spray the pile? I could see beetles laying eggs in there maybe. Thanks again for all the info!!!! Ayyyyyy!
I caught 12 of the Figeater grubs, put them in a bucket with soil, put 5 million HB NemaSeek in the basket with water, only 3 were killed, after 2 weeks, so I’m wondering what, why, as I’ve tried it on 2 seasonal applications of the 3 varieties, 2 years in a row, they are out of control. My only control is hanging a watermelon rind over a bucket hung in a tree, with water in bucket, at the best day from 5 traps I collected almost a 5 gallon bucket of bettles, I’m asking for your tips.
I tried this nematode method and bought from arbico and I still have huge larve grubs eating the roots of my plants.i kept my beds wet for a week, applied them at night and the days after application were cloudy. Any other ideas? Do I have to keep applying until they’re gone? It seems like it would get expensive quickly 😅
Hi . Help please. I have the same sprayer. I usually use it to spray been oil. The been bottle says to dilute 1 gallon into 6 tsp, but this dilution is for the pump sprayer, I believe. Since I use the sprayer with the hose, I just pour the concentrated sprayer but I have a hard time where to set dial for the correct mix amount.
I tried an application 3 weeks ago, no luck 🙁 Purchased from amazon, perhaps not a good batch. I researched further from UC Extension Service (Im in 10a) that what I have is Fig Eater Beetles not June Bugs and that they are supposed to not eat roots. So confusing. Pill bugs and Ear wigs are also an issues for me, perhaps I’ll try again. Thanks for the article Jacque !
Did you buy the nematodes from a garden shop or plant nursery? Or somewhere else? I’m having trouble finding them in Australia – we have the same grubs and they’re killing my roses 🤬🤬🤬 and all my herbs – they seem to be partial to the roots of onion family plants. Also, do you need to treat (pots and planters, not garden beds) regularly or just a one-off treatment? (I don’t know why, but I can’t comment on the long article about this).
Chirp is going to be so bummed you are getting rid of all of the grubs! I actually enjoyed plucking them all out of my raised bed, after the grossing out and tossing first 75 into my neighbors yard, I would just tap them, they’d curl up into a ball, I’d grab them, and toss them into a tub for the chickens.
Now I don’t feel so bad. All my plants with a few exceptions died. I pulled them and they had almost no roots! It was those grubs. Didn’t figure that out until this summer as I was tilling the soil to prepare for cold weather veg. There are at least 100+ in a small raised bed. Those are the ones I have found, digging by hand. My chickens LOVED them. I will try your suggestions. Thank you so much! So milky spores AND corn meal. And a Japanese beetle trap on the other side of the yard. Thanks again for the lovely article! New sub!
Thank you for always sharing your knowledge with us! So I only have a few in my bed where I only grow potatoes which I had last season and I treated with beneficial nematodes but I guess that didn’t fix the issue. When I went to plant some of my potato seeds this week I found very small ones in the area I was planting in, about a total of 4. Since potatoes take a while to grow out stem I just ordered the Milky Spore so I can treat before even planting my true potato seeds which still need a few more weeks to be ready. I hope I am taking the right approach.
Best to use until the milky spore takes hold is to generously work sand into soil at roots . Sand sticks on the goo of their bodies and they get stuck and fade away. Also saucers of beer. They love it, get into the beer and explode! Works but is expensive, you go through a lot of beer to kill a few grubs..
You are awesome and I find all your articles very helpful. (You do speak a bit fast though – constructive idea from an actress) How much cornmeal should I use in the garden? It is just a flower garden and their under the grass as well? How far do they travel and how fast? In other words, how far away from the garden should I put the milky spores or cornmeal? Also, you didn’t mention how to apply the milky spores. Can you please add that info and demonstrate? Thanks so much
This a Great article ! Now, on to moles and Voles please ? I don’t have $$$ . I planted a pretty flower bed both,shady and sun loving . Both looked like a cemetary the following spring . I touched each one and they all fell over both bushes and perennials without any root systems at all ! Any help,I would appreciate . I’ve educated myself well but but the cost is immense . Thank you .I am in Zone 5 It is November 15, 2021 . I’m praying for a few good days and your instructions Sir .?
Hi, what if there is a lot of grubs, like deep in the soil, how will corn meal be applied best so it kills them ? It’s my first 3 months gardening and it’s really sad that I thought those grubs were beneficial for the garden so I didn’t do anything about it . I’m so close to giving up because of aphids and grubs 😭😭😢😢😢😩😩💔💔💔 help me !! Please ! 🌿😭😭
I had an infestation of grubs, about, 25 per square foot, and my garden was already growing real good. I went to the feed store and got diatomatious earth and sprinkled it like lime 3 times over the affected area. I didn’t care about the worms!!! It got rid of them all and I never had 1 Japanese beetle. When I dug up soil, the were little hard flat boomerangs. I had plenty of worms. I also last year had an infestation of fungus gnats in my indoor garden that ruined my whole season, this year, I’m not stressing because I put D.E. over the top, and it kills them off, plus any earth worms I have gets niellated as well. HA HA HA!!!