Slight Grub problem??? Grrrr.....

gssgarden · April 2, 2016

Lifted up a board on one of my raised beds and found these critters this morn!! That's only one foot of them!!

Can you spot all seven? lol

Needles to say, there are a LOT of Grub funerals going on today at my house!

My question is, When would you apply grub control?? Planting out today. Wait a week? Today is good?

Control will go around and in the beds.

All four of my beds are infected! Kids were having 'fun' with them as well!

I try to go organic as much as possible but I think I have to go the chemical route here. Just too many of them!

Thanks guys!!

Greg

rhines81 · April 2, 2016

They had a grub invasion around here (Japanese beetles) several years ago. My grub problem is not bad at all, but some people just 5 miles south have yards that are too far gone, chemical treatment will be a must for them.
I hang beetle traps all around my property perimeters and it keeps the beetles at bay. Actually saw very few this past year, 2 years ago I would fill up a bag in a couple of weeks. Keep the beetles under control this Summer and your garden will be in better shape next year. For this year, dig and chop as many as you can.

DrTrish · April 2, 2016

I have used the Scott's brand Grub Control in the past and it worked like a charm! Pricey, but well worth it. It should tell you on the bag when and how to apply.

JamesL · April 2, 2016

Milky spore works very well but it takes about a year.

clkeiper · April 2, 2016

chickens are fabulous grub and bug control.

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

Armadillos.

Worth

rhines81 · April 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Armadillos.

Worth

Now there's a critter that will really tear some things up.... !!!

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhines81

Now there's a critter that will really tear some things up.... !!!

Natures garden tillers.
I have them everywhere.
Worth

PureHarvest · April 2, 2016

Milky spore will only control Japanese beetle grubs.
You could have June beetle grubs and or others.
Look up beneficial nematodes. They kill all the major grub types. Very effective if you want to skip the chem route.

Edit: here: http://www.arbico-organics.com/categ...-LcaAlXU8P8HAQ

rhines81 · April 2, 2016

Doesn't matter what the grub is at this point (but they look like jap beetle grubs to me) ... they will be adult beetles within the next 6-8 weeks on and that's where the main battle should begin at this point to prevent "next year's" issues. The grubs are actually resistant to a lot of insecticides at this point in their life cycle. Kill all of the grubs (by hand) and beetles that you can before mid-June and your issues for next year will be greatly reduced. July is egg laying season and that's where your problem will begin for next year.

PureHarvest · April 2, 2016

Why let them ever even make it to the beetle stage?
Not to mention the damage they can do on the way to becoming the adult as they feed on roots to fatten up.
Beneficial nematodes are scavengers and will take out the grubs.
I can't imagine digging throughout my beds trying to find and kill grubs by hand.
And trying to spray/trap adult beetles is a pain and sometimes futile and time consuming.
Add nematodes to a bucket of water, pour over your beds, and you're done.
Would you rather keep your trash can covered to prevent maggots or swat adult flies?
Or put a natural larvacide in your pond or spray/run a mosquito magnet all summer?

Worth1 · April 2, 2016

I'm with the nematode idea that is what we told our neighbor to do to get rid of them so the armadillos would stop digging in his yard.
People hear the word nematode and all they can think of is root knot nematodes.
Worth

ChrisPlano · April 8, 2016

I'm a 2nd year veggie gardener but a bit obsessive about learning. When I prepared soil in my raised beds a couple of months ago I noticed MANY of the same grubs. Beneficial nematodes did the trick. Get them from a source you trust as they are live and will be ineffective if not stored properly or stored for too long.

I have been trying to stick with pest control (and feeding) methods that do not have a major effect on unintended victims or the environment. Yes, the o-word, but not because I'm paranoid about modern technology. Just trying to identify natural and earth friendly ways to do things. Not so friendly to the grubs, of course, but less of an impact on other critters.

The nematodes did the trick. In subsequent digging, no more ugly giant white critters.

April 2, 2016	#5
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	chickens are fabulous grub and bug control. __________________ carolyn k

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April 2, 2016	#2
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	They had a grub invasion around here (Japanese beetles) several years ago. My grub problem is not bad at all, but some people just 5 miles south have yards that are too far gone, chemical treatment will be a must for them. I hang beetle traps all around my property perimeters and it keeps the beetles at bay. Actually saw very few this past year, 2 years ago I would fill up a bag in a couple of weeks. Keep the beetles under control this Summer and your garden will be in better shape next year. For this year, dig and chop as many as you can.

April 2, 2016	#3
DrTrish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: northcentral IN Posts: 29	I have used the Scott's brand Grub Control in the past and it worked like a charm! Pricey, but well worth it. It should tell you on the bag when and how to apply.

April 2, 2016	#4
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Milky spore works very well but it takes about a year.

April 2, 2016	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Armadillos. Worth

April 2, 2016	#9
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Milky spore will only control Japanese beetle grubs. You could have June beetle grubs and or others. Look up beneficial nematodes. They kill all the major grub types. Very effective if you want to skip the chem route. Edit: here: http://www.arbico-organics.com/categ...-LcaAlXU8P8HAQ

April 8, 2016	#13
ChrisPlano Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 11	I'm a 2nd year veggie gardener but a bit obsessive about learning. When I prepared soil in my raised beds a couple of months ago I noticed MANY of the same grubs. Beneficial nematodes did the trick. Get them from a source you trust as they are live and will be ineffective if not stored properly or stored for too long. I have been trying to stick with pest control (and feeding) methods that do not have a major effect on unintended victims or the environment. Yes, the o-word, but not because I'm paranoid about modern technology. Just trying to identify natural and earth friendly ways to do things. Not so friendly to the grubs, of course, but less of an impact on other critters. The nematodes did the trick. In subsequent digging, no more ugly giant white critters.