Grub Damage in a Lawn

Picture this…. It’s August or September; you’re outside grilling, enjoying the warm days and cool nights that come with late summer. While out in your yard, you notice part of your lawn is turning brown where it was perfectly lush before. What could that be?? If you consider yourself one of those people who are diligent about watering their lawn, making sure it is always moist… you might actually be over-watering your lawn and unknowingly created a happy environment for grubs!

Why did I get grubs in my lawn?

In rare occasions in Boulder, Fort Collins, and other Northern Front Range cities, we see wet conditions over the spring and summer that create a healthy environment for these grubs to thrive. However, our semi-arid climate typically makes for dry summer months with low humidity. Because of this, we rarely see grub damage in lawns unless they are being over-watered. Insect pressure from grubs, along with many other lawn care problems, can be prevented by practicing proper cultural practices, especially proper watering.

How can I prevent getting grubs in the future?

By following the 1,2,3,2,1 lawn watering technique, you can prevent lawn damage from pesky grubs. Grubs are the common name of the larvae stage of several different insects, the most common in the Boulder and Fort Collins area being Japanese beetles and European chafers. These insects lay their eggs in the lawn around July, one of the hottest months of the year. This watering technique allows for the lawn to dry out between watering days. By allowing the lawn to dry out, the eggs laid by Japanese beetles and European chafers will not be able to survive in the dry soil. An over-watered lawn in Colorado poses the perfect environment for lawn grubs to hatch and start doing damage to your beautiful lawn. You can learn about proper lawn watering here: https://organolawn.com/lawn-care-tips/watering…

How can I tell if I have grubs in my lawn?

Unfortunately, we cannot see grub damage until they have eaten the roots of the lawn and killed those sections of turf. A telltale way to know if you have grubs is if the turf is easily pulled up, like a freshly laid piece of sod. Since the grubs feed on the roots of the lawn, there will be nothing holding it down. Often times when you pull up the grass, you will be the grubs underneath. Another sign of grubs is other animal activity like raccoons, skunks, birds, etc. These critters are going after the grubs, but they can often do their own damage to your lawn while trying to dig for the insects.
If you find yourself with grub damage, we do offer a treatment to kill lawn grubs. Once this treatment is done, we will want to make sure the lawn is being properly watered to avoid this problem in the future, by doing a sprinkler audit.

Bacillus popillae-Dutyk – the unsung hero!

Our goal here at Organo-Lawn is to create a healthy, living soil. A healthy soil teaming with microbes keeps everything in balance in your lawn, and grubs are no different. One of the beneficial microbes we find in a healthy lawn is Bacillus popillae-Dutyk. These bacteria kill grubs! Imagine your lawn is the night club and the microbes are the bouncers!