Taking care of your lawn is an investment. Lets face it...achieving a lush, green lawn, and then maintaining it...can be very expensive and totally time consuming. However, your hard work can bring on a desired curb appeal that makes the rest of the neighborhood jealous. It can also bring a much greater value to your property. Don't underestimate the ability of your landscape to make your home look comfortable and inviting.
There are many speed bumps on the road to a great lawn. And...there are usually many ways to handle those speed bumps. Therefore, homeowners are often confused as to what to do! The most common "bump" I've seen this season (much more commonly than last season) is the dreaded GRUB.
These nasty little creatures can lead to many other issues. A homeowner told me the order yesterday when he said, "Let's see...it goes grub, mole, skunk, fox...right?" I replied with, "Yes, but skunk and fox management is outside of my expertise!"
If you have a bunch of tunnels and small dirt piles in your lawn, you probably now have moles, who are creating underground super highways to the best grub-snack-bars in your lawn. My neighbor and I have been dealing with these since the fall. I recommend watching Caddyshack to take some tips from Bill Murray as he attempts to control what I remember is a groundhog or hedgehog. At any rate, he's got some great techniques that you could try. If those don't work...read on.
Obviously, the best way to control this issue is to 'nip it in the bud'. You want to control the grub population before you have moles, skunks, and foxes having a picnic on your front lawn.
"How do I do that," you may be asking? Great question. You can go to any hardware or big box store and buy the strongest chemical grub treatment available. This is what one customer told me was is "napalm" approach. DON'T DO THIS! There are so many things wrong with using a pesticide- chemical. I assume everyone knows this, but I remember my dad telling me not to assume anything. I'm amazed at the amount of chemical fertilizers and pesticides homeowners are applying every year. I could write an entire post on the negative effects of this...maybe I'll revisit that in the future. Anyway, do your research people! Have more respect for yourself, your family, your pets, your neighbors, and mama earth!
The better approach to the grub control is the organic approach. Beneficial Nematodes are one organic method. These are microscopic organisms that get into the grub and eventually kill it. But...they are very temperamental because of the fact that you must maintain a wet environment for them for some say 2 hours, some say 2 days, some say 2 weeks. And they have to be shipped, and stored on ice until used. Not cool.
The most effective, and practical organic grub control that I've found is the Milky Spore bacteria. The bacteria is eaten by the grubs, and it eventually kills them. This can be purchased in a granular form, and spread with a broadcast spreader on your lawn. You can then water it to activate it...or simply wait for the first rain. It's recommended that you apply this in the spring, summer, and fall for two consecutive years. The great thing about Milky Spore is that the results have proven to last for 5-10 years in most situations.
You can purchase Milky Spore at most garden centers or hardware stores, or you can call me, and have East Concord Grass Roots assess your situation and apply it for you! Soon enough, you'll move from grubs to green, with a healthier, more resilient turf that is free from unwanted critters.
Thanks for hanging out! Don't let your grubs lead to skunks! Smell you later!
we have terrible grubs, its awful! My husband is convinced that since they're already here and chunky and its spring (and we didn't kill em back in the fall) that we are doomed to another summer of the little buggars :(
ReplyDeleteIt's not too late! You can treat now, in the summer, and in the fall and set yourself up for next season. Let me know if you need help! Good luck!
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