How to get rid of white grubs in the lawn?
White grubs are the larvae of certain beetles such as the cockchafer and the Japanese beetle. White grubs are very harmful to lawns, but also to flowers and plants. No one wants to see grubs prowling their lawn!
Here are some tips and tricks to get rid of white grubs naturally!
1. Plow before sowing to keep grubs away
To avoid white grubs in your lawn, it would be important to plow at least 1 year before sowing grass. I know it’s not always possible, but if you’ve ever had a grub problem you know how hard it is to kill unwanted insects.
It is best to turn and rework the soil to a depth of about 10 inches before sowing the sod. it’s also a good way to see if there are blank worms hiding there!
2. Remove weeds
To help predators see grubs better and get rid of them, remove all weeds and unwanted old plants from your lawn. Birds love grubs so don’t hesitate to attract birds to your yard throughout the spring and summer.
3. Don’t mow the lawn too short
The larvae prefer to lay their eggs in grass that is short. Do not cut your lawn at a height lower than 6 or 8 cm. It is really advisable to leave the lawn as long as possible to make egg laying very difficult and thus control the presence of white grubs in the lawn.
4. Use an insecticide against white grubs
Before using an insecticide, water your lawn for a few days so that the water brings the worms to the surface. This will allow you to use your insecticide effectively later on. On the other hand, ask a specialist to find the best insecticides because eliminating and killing white grubs requires a lot of time and patience.
5. Ally with the enemies of white worms
Some species such as skunks, moles, birds, ants and wasps are excellent predators against white grubs. So avoid eliminating or scaring away these species which can really help you control the presence of unwanted insects on your lawn.
But be careful, if you notice holes and torn pieces of grass, it is probably the work of skunks and unfortunately it is also a sign of the presence of grubs.
6. Use compost during the month of May
Compost helps to have a good vigorous lawn, which cuts off the passage of unwanted worms. Because don’t forget, poor soil and unhealthy lawn will attract white grubs but also other unwanted insects to your lawn.
So as soon as spring arrives, don’t hesitate to apply fertilizer to your lawn and scatter compost everywhere to give your soil and lawn good nutrients.
7. Endophytic grass against white grubs
When you sow your lawn, use grass endophyte to your conventional seed mix. Endophyte grass contains a fungus that keeps white grubs away. This is a great tip to keep white grubs away from your new lawn.
8. Turn off exterior lights
Towards the months of June and July, it is the egg-laying period for the cockchafers. You can therefore turn off your outdoor lights to avoid attracting beetles and therefore white grubs to your lawn.
9. What to do in the fall?
In the fall, to help your soil and your lawn grow and stay strong and healthy, you can mow directly on dead leaves. Above all, let everything fall on the lawn, a great way to enrich the soil and the grass with organic matter. As mentioned above, white grubs love poor soil!
10. Nematodes to kill grubs
Organic products are also on sale to control white grubs. If your situation is not critical, it might work well. Opt for an organic product that will contain nematodes.
Nematodes are really very effective in eliminating white grubs in your lawn once and for all! These are microscopic organisms that quickly kill white grubs. On the other hand it is useless to use this biological treatment at the beginning of spring, it is advised to wait during the hot months, that is to say during the month of August.
If you also have a problem with grubs and beetles in the lawn then these other tips and tricks are worth trying: How to get rid of beetles?