When to Apply Grubex in Ohio - Grub Contol for Ohio Turfgrass

Jan 03 2023 Written by Ivy

This spring, not all of the grub control products that are currently on store shelves will work. Here's how to pick and put the appropriate one to use on your lawn.

When grub worm activity in your lawn is at its peak, between early spring and late summer, is the best time to apply grub control. When using grub killers, start the treatment in the spring when you notice any signs of grass damage. Grub preventers should be applied between June and July right before the grubs hatch.

What's the Best Time to Apply Grub Control

The best time to use grub control depends on whether you're trying to prevent them or eliminate the ones that are already causing damage to your lawn. When the grubs are about to hatch in June and July, it is typically best to apply grub preventers. For the upcoming season, this will offer the best grub prevention.

Applying grub killer insecticide to your lawn as soon as you notice damage is the best course of action if you want to stop grub damage right away. This typically occurs between early spring and early August, when grub worms are most active in your lawn, eating and harming the grass.

How Can You Tell There Are Grubs in Your Lawn?

You won't have any trouble spotting the vast expanses of dead, brown grass if the grubs take hold, but you don't want to let it get that bad.

To identify potential problems, make it a habit to frequently and closely inspect your lawn.

You can only determine when to use GrubEx by doing this.

Watch for these three signs of grubs:

Brown, Dry Spots

Brown, dry patches: Your grass may dry out, wilt, and turn brown due to a lack of water during the hot summer months or during droughts, but if this happens during the cooler, rainier months, you should suspect grubs or other underground pests like moles and voles.

Damage in Sunny Areas

Grubs prefer warm soil, so they cause damage in sunny areas.

If you notice that your lawn appears to be showing more signs of damage on the south side than the other areas, grubs may be to blame.

Beetles

Beetles: In the early summer, you can tell that beetles are laying eggs if you see them scuttling around in your grass or flying close to it.

If you don't already have grubs, you soon will.

What is the Best Time to Treat for Grubs?

Precision in timing and application are crucial, so it's crucial to closely adhere to the instructions on the GrubEx packaging.

The best months to use this product are the early part of May, June, and July.

Keep in mind that beetles lay their eggs in the early summer.

In the middle of the summer, the little grubs hatch.

GrubEx functions as a preventative by preventing eggs from maturing and hatching, so you should apply it late in the spring and make sure it remains in the soil through mid-summer.

A single application can be used for roughly four months.

How Quickly Does GrubEx Work?

It's important to understand that this product doesn't function by grub-killing.

It functions as soon as eggs are present because it stops the maturation of eggs.

Prior to the beetles starting to lay eggs, it must be put in place.

How Should GrubEx Be Applied?

The pesticide should be spread evenly over the ground of your yard at a rate of 2.87 pounds per 1000 square feet using a rotary or drop spreader.

After that, water well to activate the product by providing it to your lawn.
Water for about 30 minutes, or to a depth of about 12 inch.
Until the grass has dried and the water has completely soaked into the ground, keep children and pets off of the turf.

How Do I Reseed My Lawn After Grub Damage?

It's a good idea to remove the grass and either reseed the entire lawn or lay new sod if your lawn already has significant grub damage before applying Grub Ex.

Sod installation is preferable to seeding if there are only minor damaged areas.

Can I Apply GrubEx and Fertilizer at the Same Time?

It is best to apply fertilizer when you reseed your lawn or lay down new sod and to apply GrubEx separately. However, you can apply the two products at the same time.

Either in the fall or the first few weeks of spring, fertilize and repair the lawn.

Follow these steps:

To get rid of dead grass, use a rake.
Use a spade to scrape off very thick thatch.
Remove the dead grass by composting it or another means.
To loosen and aerate the soil, use an aerator.
Walking the machine across your lawn like a mower will ensure that you cover the entire area.
It will be easier for GrubEx to absorb into the soil after proper aeration.
In order to match your current lawn, choose your grass seed carefully.
To properly cover your square footage, broadcast the recommended amount of seed according to the packaging instructions.
The seed should be sown over the damaged areas, and it should then be lightly raked into the soil's top layer.
To help the seed stay in place and to protect it from birds, lightly scatter straw on the ground.
As soon as the grass has sprouted and established itself, water deeply and make sure to keep the soil moist.
As the grass ages, gradually cut back on watering.
Move on and mow it once it is 6 inches high.
You should fertilize the grass once it has reached maturity.
Apply GrubEx concurrently if it's late spring if you like.
Use pure fertilizer that has no additives, and make sure to.
Just before a scheduled watering, do this.

Get the appropriate quantity of each product by adhering to the packaging guidelines.

Ensure that the entire lawn is covered when using a drop spreader.

After applying fertilizer or GrubEx, don't forget to water.

When is It Too Early to Apply Grub Control?

Early spring would be the wrong time to apply a grub preventer to your turf if you were treating your lawn to avoid grub damage for the upcoming season.

By the time the grubs hatch in July through August, the pesticide will easily break down in the soil and lose its effectiveness.

You can control the grubworm infestation in the following season to an extent of about 80% if the timing is right.

When using grub killers, you can almost immediately stop lawn damage if you use the pesticide according to the proper application instructions on the label.

Is Grub Control Necessary Every Year?

Unless there is damage from grubs, you do not need to apply grub control every year. If you've been using a grub preventer and killer on your lawn for a few years running, it may be time to stop until you notice the signs of grubs and European chafers once more.

Although it's theoretically possible to completely eradicate Japanese beetle grubs from your lawn one year and prevent them from returning the following, it's not very likely.

Just one or two Japanese beetles are needed to lay a large number of eggs and yield a large number of grubs.

Your best option is to include the application of GrubEx as part of your yearly lawn care routine because it does not have a repellent effect on the beetles.

Is GrubEx Safe for Vegetable Gardens?

Only lawn maintenance should use this product.

Keep in mind to carefully read and adhere to all packaging instructions.

The label is the law.

Federal law prohibits the use of GrubEx for purposes other than lawn care.

What to Look for in Grub Preventers

When they notice signs of an infestation, most homeowners intend to kill grubs. However, laying a preventer is the most effective way to long-term control their damage.

A good grub control preventer will contain any one of these active ingredients:

Imidacloprid
Chlorantraniliprole
Thiamethoxam
Clothianidin

They are excellent at killing grubs at a young age, typically as soon as they hatch, which is why you should look for them.

GrubEx is the Best Choice for Japanese Beetle Grub Control

There are many pesticides (such as Milky Spore) that will kill grubs, but one major issue with them is that they also kill helpful insects.

Earthworms, bees, predatory wasps, and other beneficial flora are all guaranteed to be unaffected by the insecticide GrubEx.

You shouldn't need to apply the product more than once per year if you strictly adhere to the directions.

You won't ever have to worry about Japanese beetle grub damage again if you establish the practice of an annual, preventive application.

How Often Should You Apply Grub Control?

If used at the appropriate time, grub treatments are effective. To completely get rid of grubs in your lawn, you might need to use the pesticide twice or three times in a row in some circumstances.

The majority of the time, however, you will only need to apply grub control twice in a season: the first time is a grub killer when you notice signs of an infestation, and the second time is a grub preventer in late June or early July to break their cycle.

Can GrubEx Be Applied in the Fall?

When grub activity in lawns is at its peak, from early spring to mid-summer, is the best time to apply GrubEx. Putting down grub control in the fall may not be the best idea.

Grubs burrow down into the ground between 4 and 8 inches, where they stay until the temperature starts to rise as the fall and approaching winter cause temperatures to drop.

If you apply GrubEx in October and November or throughout the fall, you might not have much success controlling lawn grubs and European chafers because it may be too late to treat for grubs.

Conclusion

The best time to apply grub control is between early spring and late summer when there is an increase in grub worm activity in your lawn. It's crucial to avoid using the product at the incorrect time of year. If you use it in the fall, it won't work in the first few weeks of spring.

Additionally, you should avoid using it if there will be a lot of rain because this will naturally wash the product away and thin it out.

FAQs

When to Apply GrubEx in Massachusetts

For maximum effectiveness against grubs, it should be applied between mid-April and early-june because it takes 60 to 90 days to fully dissipate in the soil. Applications made after early June may have reduced grub control efficacy, but they will still offer excellent caterpillar defense.

Is It Too Late to Treat for Grubs

Insecticide treatments after early October are not effective and are not recommended. You might not need to treat the entire lawn if you do. Treat grub "hot spots" determined by observation or sampling.