How To Control Lawn Grubs

Are Grubs destroying your lawn? Here is what to do to control lawn grubs. Grubs, the term given to larvae of scarab beetles, are often found feeding on the roots of lawns. You can see the damage start when your lawn looks as if it is getting dry from drought.  As these grubs continue feeding, the grass may turn brown in patches. 

  If there are a lot of grubs found (5-10 in one square meter), the lawn will have larger dead patches.  This dead lawn turf can easily be removed by lifting as the roots have been eaten by this grub.

Grub eggs require rainfall to hatch.  With more rainfall, more eggs will hatch.  To prevent your lawn from damage, it is good to keep it fertilized so the roots are strong and plentiful.  More rainfall or irrigating the lawn will help to produce strong roots so it has a defense against these grubs.

You can purchase lawn grub killer to spread over your lawn to kill the grubs.

Repairing Grub Damage

If a lawn is damaged by grub feeding or by skunks, raccoons, or starlings feeding on grubs the lawn can be re-seeded or sodded. The best time to do this is in spring after the majority of the grub damage is done. 

Spreading nematodes on your lawn will help the numbers of grubs go down as nematodes feed on the grubs.  This needs to be done when the soil has warmed.  Read package directions for the best application of nematodes.  They also must be watered in well so it is a good idea to do this just before rainfall, on a cloudy day.  Once they have been applied and watered, they will start to go to work for you and continue working.  At this point, you can start to repair the lawn.

Rake the area that has been damaged by the grubs to remove any dry or dead sod.  Broadcast a good quality lawn seed onto the area that has been raked up.  Rake the grass seed into the soil so that it has good contact with the soil and can germinate.  Keep the seed bed moist to germinate, and until the grass is established.  Once the grass has established itself, you can cut the grass and maintain it again. 

If you want a quicker solution to replacing your grass, sod can also be applied.  Remove the dead grass and sod from the area that has been damaged, loosening up the top layer of soil (adding some fresh soil can also be done now).  You will want your sod to be at the same level as the lawn so remember this as you are preparing the earth for your sod.  Unroll your sod in the patches that have been preparedand with a sharp knife, cut the areas that may overlap onto your lawn.  Keep the sod well watered until the roots have attached themselves to the earth and you cannot pull up the sod anymore. 

Sodding can be done any time through the year, provided it gets watered so it can establish itself.