Lawn Fertilizer Service To Control Grubs

Grubs probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a lawn fertilizer service. Grubs can destroy a beautiful lawn in a short time, however, so controlling them is critical to keeping your turf looking its best.

Grubs burrow deep into your lawn and feed on grass roots and organic matter in the soil. When grubs become concentrated in an area they destroy the root system and kill the grass.

Typical lawn grubs are the white, c-shaped larvae of a few different types of beetles like Japanese beetles and June bugs. They are about a half-inch long with brown heads and six legs. 

The grub lifecycle starts when the adult beetles lay eggs in your turf. Adult beetles lay their eggs in the soil in June, and they hatch a few weeks later and immediately start feeding. As the weather gets colder, grubs burrow farther underground to protect themselves through the winter. As soil temperatures warm in the spring, the grubs migrate back to the surface to feed again. This cycle continues for 2-3 years before the grubs emerge as beetles and lay eggs, beginning a new cycle.

Signs Of Grubs

You may see areas of turf becoming thin and yellow in the summer as the grubs feed, but the worst of it becomes visible the following spring, when irregular brown patches may appear. This means that preventative grub control with lawn fertilizer service is much better than waiting until the damage is done.

If you have irregularly shaped brown or yellow patches of grass, there may be a chance grubs are the culprit. A spongy feeling to your turf could signal a grub problem even before patches start to die. Pencil-sized holes where birds feed on the grubs, or other animals like moles, raccoons, or skunks tearing up your yard are also clues.  

If the root system has been badly eaten away, you may be able to simply lift the turf and roll it back like a carpet. If you dig up a square foot area of turf about 2” deep and find ten or more grubs, it’s time to call for lawn fertilizer service. 

Prevent And Treat Grubs With Lawn Fertilizer Service

There are a couple of options to help prevent a grub infestation before it starts. Grub populations tend to be highest in consistently moist conditions, so ensuring proper drainage and periodically withholding irrigation in hot summer months can discourage them. Irrigation practices will not prevent them entirely, however.

Landworks’ landscaping services include weed control and optional grub control with our lawn fertilizer service. We apply grub control in July when the grubs are most susceptible to insecticide. This ensures that your grub problem is under control before visible damage is done to your property. 

For more information about lawn fertilizer service from Landworks, call (913) 422-9300. To request a quote, click here.