Lawn grubs are a tiny creature that can cause major problems for your healthy lawn. That’s because grubs are born in the soil and feast on grassroots! As they do so, they can begin to kill large sections of your turf in the process.
We know that grubs are a source of stress and frustration for homeowners. But we don’t want you to have to worry.
You’ve got questions about lawn grubs and we’ve got answers. Every day we’re asked these common questions so we’ve rounded them all up into one helpful guide. As your partner in lawn care success, we want to help give you peace of mind that all of your grubby worries can be handled. Here are the most common questions about grub control:
- What are grubs?
- What is lawn grub control?
- How does grub control in Ohio work?
- When to apply grub control in Ohio?
- How often do I need to apply grub control?
- Does grub control get rid of moles?
- Can I use grub control when I seed?
- Is grub control safe for pets and kids?
- Is a lawn grub treatment safe for pollinators?
- How much does grub control cost?
- Is grub control necessary?
What are grubs?
Grubs are small, white, c-shaped creatures that are found in the lawn. They are actually the larvae of beetles, including those of the infamous Japanese Beetle—the pesky bug that can wreak havoc on your landscape in its adult form by eating your trees and shrubs.
Beetles lay their eggs in the summer, so the grubs are born in the soil and typically start feeding on the roots of your lawn around mid-August. Damage from these grubs can occur rapidly, so it is important for you to take the necessary steps to prevent them in the first place.
What is lawn grub control?
Grub control is any method or product used to prevent or eliminate grubs. Because grubs are a “sub-surface pest,” they are often tough for homeowners to spot. They are born in the soil and can be feeding on your grassroots beneath your feet.
This is why it’s important to consider lawn grub control whether you have a known grub problem or not. It’s simply not worth the risk.
Many people will also take the “wait and see” approach. They decide they won’t invest in lawn grub control until they spot a grub. But these tricky pests can often go unseen until the destructive result of their presence becomes so severe it may be too late to fix. At that point, when grubs have consumed your lawn roots, you may discover to your dismay that you can roll up the dead turf like a carpet.
How does grub control in Ohio work?
There are different grub control products that work in different ways.
At Oasis Turf & Tree, we use a granular product that is absorbed into the grass plant. As soon as the grubs begin to feed on it, they die. This prevents them from having the opportunity to do damage to the lawn.
These products are designed to work on grubs at their smallest size, when the least amount of product is necessary.
When to apply grub control in Ohio?
Knowing when to put down grub control is critical to your success.
We start our lawn grub control treatment in early June and July during our round three lawn treatments. This time period allows us to address grubs before they have the chance to grow and feast on your lawn.
How often do I need to apply grub control?
Grubs have a one-year life cycle. The beetles that you see flying around will lay their eggs on your turf in the early summer and then hatch and start feeding by mid-August. You only need to apply lawn grub control once a year to keep up with the one-year life cycle of this pest.
A bonus of getting rid of lawn grubs in this young stage is that you’ll prevent those grubs from becoming adult beetles that feast on your landscape plants.
Does grub control get rid of moles?
No, lawn grub control will not get rid of moles. This is probably the question that we get most often and we certainly sympathize with the concern. Moles can cause a lot of damage when they tunnel through your lawn looking for food (including grubs). So, many people assume that if you eliminate grubs, you’ll get rid of moles.
The trouble is, that grubs are just one food source for moles. Earthworms are another popular food source.
Here’s an analogy that people usually relate to: If every steakhouse in the city were to be shut down, there are still plenty of other food options available. While they might not all be our favorite choice, it certainly wouldn’t stop us from eating!
Because moles can be highly destructive, it’s important to keep an eye on your lawn and address problems quickly. The most telltale sign of a mole problem is the raised ridges that they create as they form tunnels close to the surface of the yard. You’ll also see the raised mounds of dirt where they typically enter or exit their tunnels.
If it turns out you have moles, there are professional services that can help you address this issue.
Can I use grub control when I seed?
The grub control product that we use will have no impact on seeding. However, we are typically applying grub control before you’d be seeding anyways. Fall is the best time to seed your lawn. As we mentioned, lawn grub control is generally applied in the early summer during our round three application.
There are times when that application might have been missed (such as a new customer that starts our program in the late summer or fall). If we are applying late-season grub control, it won’t have a negative impact on seeding.
Is grub control safe for pets and kids?
When applied properly, a lawn grub treatment is safe for pets and kids. At Oasis Turf & Tree, we use a granular product, which is never a concern for pets and kids. We are always paying attention to using safe and approved products and also applying them properly.
Usually, the biggest concern for any lawn product is access to it in storage. If a pet or child were to ingest a product you had stored in the shed or garage, this could be a concern. This is a key reason why having lawn treatments performed by a professional is the safest option. They will ensure proper application and you won’t be responsible for storing the leftover product.
Is a lawn grub treatment safe for pollinators?
People also want to know whether grub control is safe for bees, and other pollinators. The answer depends on what product you are using.
At Oasis Turf & Tree, we are equally as concerned as you are about preserving the health of pollinators. They are critical to the success of our natural environment. This is a key reason why we use a granular product that will not have an impact on pollinator populations.
This is something that we take seriously and we appreciate that it is also a concern of many of our customers.
How much does grub control cost?
There’s a lot of variation in the cost of grub control, depending on what type of product you’re using.
At Oasis Turf & Tree, lawn grub control is included for free in all of our lawn care programs. However, we know that many lawn care companies do this service as an add-on and therefore charge extra for it.
We think this is a detriment to homeowners as grub control is an essential service that shouldn’t be treated like an “extra.” We believe it’s vital to perform every single year. Because we care deeply about the health of our clients’ lawns and do not want to risk the chance of them having grub damage, we decided to make lawn grub control a free inclusion in our programs.
Is grub control necessary?
Yes, grub control is necessary. While some companies do not include it in their programs, after reading this article, you probably understand why it’s so important. Grub damage can be highly destructive to a lawn. If the grubs eat your grassroots, you could risk losing large areas or even your entire lawn.
Grub damage typically starts out as brown spots on the lawn, where grubs have destroyed the grassroots and the lawn has died. But if given the chance, grubs will just keep feasting as though your lawn is a 24-hour buffet.
Investing in a Grub Control Service
Grub control is an important service that we believe is imperative for a healthy lawn. It’s simply not worth the gamble to go without it. Too many times we have witnessed homeowners take the risk and be sorry down the line.
If you choose Oasis Turf & Tree as your lawn care provider, you’ll receive our free grub control service as well.
The biggest benefit of receiving lawn grub control through Oasis Turf & Tree is the fact that we offer a guarantee. That is certainly not something you’ll have with any store-bought product you apply on your own! Our guarantee states that, should your lawn suffer any damage from grubs after we’ve applied our grub control, we will repair it at no cost to you.
Having the assurance that your lawn is protected is the extra value that adding grub control to your overall lawn care program will mean for you.
If you’d like to find out more about our how our lawn care programs can protect your property, contact us for a free consultation or give us a call at 513-697-9090 so that we can answer any questions.
