grubs , i.e. beetle larvae feeding in the ground, are very troublesome pests that damage the lawn.grubs in the lawncontribute to the yellowing and drying of the grass and the gradual dying off of the turf. Seewhere grubs in the lawn come from , what is their harmfulness and how to make sure your lawn is being damaged by grubs, and learn how tofighting grubs in your lawn WhatLawn grub remedyis really effective?
grubs in the lawn - beetle larvae extracted to the ground
Where do the grubs in the lawn come from?
grubsare beetle larvae that feed in the ground and damage the root system of plants. The larvae of the May bug (Melolontha melolontha) are the most common on our lawns. They are easy to recognize because they are white, quite large, approx. 3-4 cm long, have a brown head and a black abdomen end (photo above).
Larvae hatch from eggs laid in the ground by adult beetles. Initially, they forage in the humus layer of the soil, eating decaying plants, and then they begin to severely damage plant roots. Not only grasses and other herbaceous plants, but also trees and shrubs. Their development may take up to 3 years. Often, after parting the top layer of the earth, you can see a lot of larvae characteristically curved into a horseshoe - these are grubs.
In the third year, at the end of summer, the grubs pupate, and in October adult beetles hatch. They remain underground for the winter to fly out in May of the following year.
grubs in lawnsare quite common on sandy soils, and also where there was previously a meadow, pasture or enclosure for animals. The development of grubs in the lawn is favored by neglecting the turf and leaving old, drying blades after mowing, forming the so-called felt. Interestingly, they often appear after driving a mole from the garden, which, although damaging the lawn with its mounds, also helps us by eating the grubs!
How to recognize the presence of grubs in the lawn
"In spring and summergrubs feed on grass rootscausing the lawn to turn yellow, turn brown over time, dry out and die. Grass damaged by grubs easily detaches from the ground, because its root system is significantly weakened. In fact, if, after taking a handful of grass in your hand, you can easily tear it off the ground and you can see that the roots of the detached part of the lawn are in very poor condition, we can be sure that it isgrubs in the lawnOften after such an outcrop, we can also notice white larvae in the ground, bent into a horseshoe. "
Good to know!
Harmful soil nematodes cause very similar damage. However, they are invisible to the naked eye (body length does not exceed 0.3 mm). Therefore, when the damage to the grass roots is clear and the grubs are not visible, it is probably nematodes.
Fighting grubs in the lawn
Before we reach for some chemicalgrub remedy , it is worth using the available natural methods. The more so because effectivecontrol of grubs in the lawnis difficult and requires simultaneous control of adult beetles feeding on plants in the garden.First of all, the lawn should be regularly maintained, mowed and comb the cut grass so that it does not dry out on the lawn, creating the so-called felt. Aeration and scarification of the lawn also help, i.e. treatments consisting in shallow cutting of the turf and deeper piercing of it with spikes.During these procedures, some grubs are thrown to the ground, where they will either die or be eaten by the birds.
Let us let insectivorous birds use the lawn freely, such as starlings, for which grubs are a sought-after delicacy. It is even worth hanging nesting boxes for starlings in the garden. The more so that those breeding here in spring depart for the south, to France and Italy for the summer. Any possible damage to our orchards is caused by other starlings, which come to us from the east for the summer.
The control of grubs in the lawnis easiest in the summer when they feed below the ground, at a depth of about 10-20 cm. Then, in the case of a small lawn, black foil can be spread over the lawn overnight. Such action will confuse the grubs that come to the surface of the grass. In the morning, the foil should be folded and white larvae should be visible on the lawn surface. You can rake them and throw them away or leave them elsewhere for the birds.This will allowto reduce the number of grubs in the lawnbut of course not to completely eliminate them.
The grubs in the lawn can also be treated biologically withNemasys G grubsThis preparation contains nematodes of the species Heterorhabditis megidis, which will attack and feed the grubs, resulting in pests will become extinct. We dilute the agent in water according to the instructions on the package and spray the grubs or water the entire lawn with a watering can. The recommended dosage is 1 ml of nematodes per square meter of lawn. The downside of this method is the high price of the biological agent, as well as the availability only to professional users. This basicallyprevents us from using this agent against grubs in home and allotment gardens
If you want to stick to natural methods, in amateur crops it is worthuse a preparation called P-DrakolIt contains beneficial bacteria that create an environment unfavorable for the development of grubs.As a result of the use of this preparation, the number of grubs is very limited, usually to such an extent that their harmfulness ceases to be noticeable. The high efficiency of P-Drakol, combined with an affordable price, make it thebest choice for gardeners fighting with grubs !
Anothergood way to get grubs in your lawnis to water the grass with the preparation Wrotycz ProBio Ogród. It is a natural preparation which containsfermented tansy extractenriched with beneficial microorganisms. After watering the lawn with this preparation, the grubs come to the surface of the soil and are eaten by the birds. Therefore, the reduction in the number of grubs in the ground occurs very quickly. The preparation is diluted 1:50 with water (20 ml of the preparation per 1 liter of water) and the lawn is watered several times during the growing season.
Katarzyna Matuszak
