For those of you who don’t know, it’s grub season. If you have a lawn, you know that grub damage is as real as it can get. It can spoil the whole look of your yard.
Your lawn is an asset. It’s a window of how well you keep the house. So, it needs constant maintenance.
Grubs are terrible. They feed on the plants and shrubs we painstakingly grow. Thankfully, several grub control treatments can deal with the threat that is grub. Some work better than others.
Our end goal? Preserving as many square feet of the lawn as possible.
What are Grubs?
Before we proceed to the root of the problem, pun intended, we need to familiarize ourselves with grubs.
Grubs are larvae of a wide variety of insects, especially beetles. Beetles lay eggs in the soft turf areas; your green lawn is like a readymade breeding ground for them. As soon as the eggs hatch, they start feeding on the grass.
When are Grubs a Problem?
One or two grubs per square foot are not really a problem. The thing is, grubs migrate. As soon as they get wings, the insects go back and forth from the ground to the trees to lay eggs.
Grubs thrive under the ground. So, you won’t know your lawn has become infested until it’s too late.
Birds and skunks dig the grass down to access grubs and feed on them. If you’ve noticed a lot of birds on the turf of your lawn and holes that are unaccounted for, you very likely have a grub issue.
How to Treat and Prevent Grub Infestations?
When it comes to grubs, prevention is always better than cure. Check on your lawn to detect the grub infestation early on. Make sure you have a healthy, well-groomed lawn with deep grassroots. You’ll be able to tackle the problem without much damage.
Grub damage is curable as long as they don’t grow into beetles. If they do, we have a problem.
Try experimenting with environment-friendly options like beneficial nematodes, the non-segmented roundworms. They don’t just tackle the grubs but feed on over two hundred pests. It is the most effective and the safest pest control you can wish for!
You can use them with your kids and pets around. Moist soil can be your ally as it helps insect predators thrive.
Can I put Grass Seed Down After Grub Killer?
Everyone wants a gorgeous lawn, and everyone wants it now. The real question is, how soon is too soon?
Grub killers are usually activated with water. But they don’t harm grass growth in any manner.
When you seed depends on the damage grubs inflicted on your precious lawn. If the grubs damaged your lawn so badly you had to replace grass; then you may choose to put the grass seed before or after the grub treatment. My advice? Wait for the new grass to grow first.
If you only had to repair a few square feet of infested lawn, then you can add a top layer or reseed it.
When to Plant Grass Seed After Grub Treatment?
Grub treatments are targeted at infestation. They do not damage grass seeds. So, you can go ahead with the grub control treatment and the seeding process simultaneously.
Here’s a stepwise guide:
- Check the weather before you use any sort of grub-killer. Grubs are harder to kill in some seasons than others. Steer clear of it during spring.
- Seed the lawn.
- Apply the grub treatment to prevent the new generation of grubs. Since the grub season starts in late September and continues throughout October, your best bet is to apply them around June or July.
Honor the wait time. Wait for the grub pupate to turn into beetles and make their way out of the ground. Don’t try to control them.
Remember, once the grubs are on your lawn, they’re here to stay. You’re outnumbered.
Does Grass Grow After Grub Treatment?
Yes. After the grubs are killed with grub control treatments, the grass begins to heal and grow. Grub treatments also accelerate root growth in the grass.
Grubs do not kill a lawn or cause long-lasting damage; a lack of water does. Maintaining moist soil can be a good way of ensuring your grass has a steady growth.
Do Grubs Eat Grass Seed?
Grubs feed on the roots of the grass and decaying organic matter. Young seedlings are the most vulnerable to feeding damage. If your lawn has patches of dead grass, it could be a full-fledged grub issue.
Summing It Up
If you’re proactive when it comes to your lawn, dig a square foot up to inspect. If you have less than 2-3 grubs per square foot, it’s not a cause of concern. If the grubs exceed five or more, look at all the grub prevention and treatments at your disposal and act now.
You don’t want to be watering the lawn for 2.5 weeks straight in the harsh sun till the grass is properly grown.
Lawns drive up the aesthetic appeal of the house by a solid 15%. The maintenance should not be something you let slide.