Lawn grub treatment must be carefully carried out in a garden. Grubs, the larvae of the Japanese beetles are a real pest to plants and turf as they feed on their roots.
Apart from that, grubs attract other unwelcome predators like the moles, which render the yard filled with holes. As grubs grow, the adult Japanese beetles unleash a new devastation on the garden.
Before the lawn grub treatment commences, it is best to determine the amount of damage on the garden or lawn. This can be accomplished by confirming their presence.
Exterminators believe proper detection is the key to effective treatment. There must be lawn damage visible to the eye in late summer or early fall, to indicate grubs’ presence.
Also, there are spotty brown patches on the grass that peel from the ground with ease. Digging up small sections of the lawn will ascertain the extent of infestation or the required areas of treatment.
Get rid of grubs with the right timing.
After determining their infestation, gardeners should discern the best time to apply treatment.
Professionals say it is from late summer to early fall when the grubs are still at their prime stage and close to the surface.
In spring, they become less susceptible to treatment as they have already grown large and do not feed on grass roots anymore.
At this time, insecticides are reaps naught results, plus spring rain will only wash the treatment away.
Insecticides vary in chemicals and in their concentration. It is always best to select the insecticide for fall or summer to very best treatment.
Dylox, for instance, is a best choice for fall treatment because it is fast-acting. Mach-2 and Merit are also a worthy consideration for application early in the season.
Safe, natural and environmentally friendly grub treatments
Natural grub treatment is efficacious as well. They are safe to use as well. Among the safe and natural approach are neem tree oil, nematodes and milky spores. These three products can be found at garden centers or on the web.
Milky spores are actually a disease dubbed as environment-safe lawn grub treatment. To apply, the spores are scattered on the affected areas, infecting grubs as they consume on the grass.
Once they're dead and gone, more spores are spread to prevent future infestations.
Known as a botanical pesticide comprising of insecticidal properties, the neem oil works as a repellant against grubs and Japanese beetles, especially inhibiting laying of eggs, growth, and feeding. To apply, it is mixed with water and sprayed onto affected areas of the lawn.
Tiny and soil-thriving worms are the nematodes. They emit bacteria into the soil and infect and kill the grubs. Available in liquid form, it is mixed with water and sprayed onto infested areas.
Lawn grub treatment works best when applied directly onto infested areas. Hence, determining their den is important.