White Grubs

[Lesley]

Does anyone have a good organic treatment for these pests? My neighbour has them and they're really bad. She's lifted the sod and has been handpicking them out of the soil (yuck) and dumping them in a bucket of soapy water. She's also tilled the whole area to disturb and hopefully chop some of them up. We found something about a solution using pureed habanaro peppers but that has to go directly on the grubs. Any ideas? She's got a beautiful lawn and they've destroyed a big chunk of it.

[Neal]

Nematodes have always worked for me. In this rain is the best time to apply. I'll look for the the link to the place I get them. I'll be back....
Neal.

[Big Ben]

Ask any large nursery for the nematode cure. Two kinds in a refrigerated solution that you mix with more water in a watering can and apply now. Cost used to be $35.00 to treat approx 1200 sq. feet. Nematodes devour the grubs, but killing chemicals will leave bodies that the skunks and racoons will still dig up.

[Neal]

http://www.environmentalfactor.com/html/nematode.html

Maybe this link will work. This place is in Oshawa but they ship and their nematodes are sold every where now. They have worked great for me. Harmless to pets and the environment. Not cheap but way better than chemical controls.

Neal

[Neal]

Big Ben is right. They now have two kinds. The first I have always used for white grubs. Last year I was infested with crane flies and their leather jacket grubs. The newest of the nematodes work best on the leather jackets. This fall no leather jackets, no white grubs! Thing is the cold and heat will kill them so you must reapply at least yearly. You need tons of rain or watering in to wash them into the soil.

[Neal]

I use a hose end sprayer to apply. As long as the pressure is not too great they can survive it. Much easier to apply to your whole lawn if the lawn is large. Weed killers and pesticides will kill them also. My vet even recommended them as a safe method that wouldn't harm my wee beasties or any other mammals.
Wouldn't it have been nice if I had written this in one reply? I just woke up and I am less bright than normal. Sorry. Just that I am a big fan of nematodes.
Neal.

[Lesley]

You're plenty bright for me Neal, thanks so much, and you too Big Ben. I'll let her know.

[Neal]

Lesley, I was at the Environmental Factor Store today. Picked up 50 pounds of 100% organic corn maize fertilizer for the lawn. Great stuff that my vet. even recommended. So nontoxic that my dogs eat it as soon as I put it down. Anyway I was telling the Woman/owner of the place how good this new strain of nematodes worked on my leather jacket (crane fly larvae) and she said everyone has been raving about how good it is. I have only seen one crane fly this year in the house. You know those things that look like giant mosquitoes. She actually grows or cultivates the little beasties in her store. Almost everyone that sells them gets them from her. So did your friend have any luck? I hope she didn't decide to go chemical.
(So I am in the store and I pony up to the cash to pay for my fertilizer and there behind the counter is this poor little Miniature Schnauzer. Poor bugger didn't look well. It was her Mom's dog and he had recently got diabetes and gone blind at only eight years of age. I had my two Schnauzers in the car as we were on our way home from the park. I wanted so much to take this poor guy home with me but it was quite obvious that he was loved and well looked after. I knelt down and he was all over me making all those little Schnauzer noises. Such a cute little guy. Ya, I know it has nothing to do with nematodes or grubs, just I felt so sorry for this little guy.)

Neal.

[Lesley]

It's always difficult to see an animal who's sick. I understand where you're coming from

My friend ordered her nemotodes online, the weather isn't ideal but she put them down this evening once the sun was off of the lawn. Even if they don't work 100% it should slow down the disgusting little bugs and she can zap them again in the spring. She's an organic gardener, she has cats and feeds a ton of wild birds so she's always careful what she uses.

[Neal]

Won't harm any pets or birds. The key is to water them in. Really, really water them in. They only move a thousandth of an inch (which is along way if your microscopic) in their lives. I have used them at for at least four years and they are fantastic. It's too bad that our weather extremes kill them. Too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. However once they infect a grub they multiply inside it and create more little nematodes. I'm glad your friend stayed with the organic philosophy. It will pay off for generations.