Organic Grub Control

by Gwen Petreman

Grubs are very frustrating lawn pests. They are the larval stage of many types of beetles. The larvae of June beetles, Japanese beetles and European chafer beetles feed on grass roots. Grubs feasting on your lawn creates bare patches or dead grass. A healthy, organically maintained lawn can bear a lot of grubs without showing signs of damage.

Keep grass thick – thick grass is a natural defense against white grubs

• overseed once a year with a mix of endophytic perennial rye and fine fescue, this limits the grubs’ activity
• grubs love the weak roots of Kentucky Blue grass

Make a soapy spray

• use 1 tbsp. of pure soap and 1 litre of cold water
• spray trouble areas until grubs are gone

Rake the infected area

• rake the infected area in the daytime
• birds will come and eat the grubs
• reseed with endophytic perennial rye and fine fescue, which are pest resistant

Plant white geraniums

• in the evening the grubs will trek to the white geraniums
• pick them and drop them in hot, soapy water

Parasitic Nematodes

These microorganisms are effective against earworms, squash vine borers, soil dwelling grubs including Japanese beetle larvae, weevils, root maggots and cutworms in their soil-dwelling stage

• they are organic, safe and non-toxic
• they get inside a pest and release a bacteria that kills the host within a day or two
• they occur in the soil naturally, but usually there are not enough to control an overwhelming number of pests
• when the grubs are gone, the nematodes die
• you can buy them by the millions
• they are more effective when applied immediately but will keep in the fridge for up to 4 months
• mix with water and use all the mix within a few hours
• they must be applied either in the early evening or the early morning
• make sure the temerature is at least 18 degrees Celsius
• water thoroughly after application
• make sure synthetic pesticide poisons are not used, as they will kill your nematodes; check with your neighbours if needed

**Remember, pesticides are poisons that have specifically been designed to kill; the problem with pesticides is they don’t know when to stop killing. They kill beneficial insects, earthworms, and fungi, thus degrading and contaminating the soil. They kill beneficial butterflies, bees and ladybugs. They kill the very animals, such as bats and birds, which we rely on to devour pesky insects. They also pose serious threats to humans, particularly to infants and children, pets, wildlife, the air we breathe and the water we drink. Avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides is a big step in keeping our drinking wate clean and safe.