The Importance of Preventative Grub Control
Grubs are the silent killers of lawn pests. It is very easy to not notice them until it is too late. Preventative grub control can save you a lot of money in the long run.
When grubs kill patches of your lawn, that grass will not come back on its own. Grubs can destroy an entire lawn in a very short amount of time.
You will generally have to rake clean the debris, then soil and reseed all of the affected areas.
Why Do I Need Grub Control?
Since grub damage is irreversible, we want to control the damage before it happens. Lawns are an investment.
1. Thatch: Once grubs take over a lawn, you must rake out all of the dead thatch. Dead thatch is heavy and this is very labor intensive.
2. Soil: Once dead thatch is raked out, this will change the grade of your lawn and require new top soil to make it level again. A lot of times this will require truck loads of top soil. This is also very labor intensive and requires a lot of material.
3. Reseeding: Next you'll need to select a seed similar to your existing grass which can be hard to match up.
Bottom Line: This can all be very costly in terms of time, labor, and materials. To add to this - don't forget about all of the the water, care and time that will be required to establish and grow this new lawn.
Signs That I Have Grubs In My Yard
The first thing you is be SURE that your problem is grubs. Here's how you'll know you have grubs.
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Lift a section of your grass. If you have grubs eating grass roots, your turf will lift up like a carpet or a roll of sod.
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Turf that feels spongey under your feet when you walk on it.
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Yellow patches of lawn.
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Animal infestation (raccoons, birds, moles). These animals are not trying to eat your grass but the WILL tear up your grass while looking for grubs.
What Is Grub Damage?
Grubs eat the root system of your lawn. They separate the grass blades from the soil. This can result in yellow patches of damaged lawn because your grass can no longer receive nutrients via its root system.
In the Northeast, there are several varieties of larvae (grubs) that we find damaging lawns. We usually don't notice their damage until it's too late and our turf is already dead. Signs of this are: when our grass has turned brown, when we have skunks digging up our lawn or when we see increased crow activity.
How Do I Fix Grub Damage?
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Rake away all of the dead debris. This can sometimes affect the grade of your yard.
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Lay new soil.
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Seed lawn.
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Water regularly to establish your new lawn.
This can be a very expensive fix when you consider the time and money that will be put into raking debris, repairing your lawn and rebuilding your new lawn.
Pro tip: Unless you have a new lawn, it can be next to impossible to match the old and new grass types.
Where Do I Need Grub Control Applied?
In my 30 years in this industry, I have never seen grub damage in heavily shaded areas. Most of the grub damage I see is in sunny areas (this is where beetles like to lay their eggs).
Since, however, grubs can do so much damage in so little time, it is still beneficial to treat your entire lawn to reduce larvae populations.
When Do I Need to Put Grub Control Down?
There are two types of grub control, curative and preventive.
Curative Grub Control:
This is applied once you know you have evidence of grubs in your lawn.
Preventative Grub Control:
Apply preventative grub control in that late spring or summer depending on which products you are using.
Grubs will begin feeding in late summer until early fall. You want to have the product applied and at work when this happens.
Pro Tip: Ask a local lawn professional what product is right for you and the specific timing that it needs for application.
To read more on the topic:
- Are Grubs Attracting Moles in Your Yard?
- How Do I Get Rid of Moles in My Yard?
- Moles vs Gophers vs Voles
- Tunnels in My Lawn When the Snow Melts [Voles?]
- What Do Moles Eat? It's NOT Just Grubs
Bottom line: One of the most difficult conversations to have with customers is, "how much is it going to cost to repair the grub damage"? There is no right way to tell a customer who has invested thousand of dollars into their lawn that they might need to start from square one. Trust us when we tell you that it's much easier to prevent the damage than to fix it.
Since 2007, Green Meadow Lawn Care has provided homeowners throughout the greater Tolland, Connecticut area with premium fertilization programs, tick control, mosquito management, seeding & aeration and tree & shrub care.
Visit our Learning Center to find out more about how our services can help you or visit our Youtube Channel to view more in our Learning Center Series.
To speak to our Customer Service Manager, please call Dave (view Dave's video bio here) with any questions. Dave has been in the industry for 30 years and is always happy to help with his expert advice.
860-870-5700