Are grubs the problem? - Ask Extension
I have dead spots in my lawn that I thought were caused by this summer's drought. I do not water lawns (except after new seeding) as we are on a well....
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Are grubs the problem? #887082
Asked October 03, 2024, 3:43 PM EDT
I have dead spots in my lawn that I thought were caused by this summer's drought. I do not water lawns (except after new seeding) as we are on a well. Today I was raking the dead material prior to seeding, and noticed a LOT of grubs - several visible per square foot. Apart from squishing the ones I see, should I be treating the lawn with BT? I have treated it previously, probably 3-5 years ago. are the grubs or the weather conditions the problem? Is BT the best option? I would rather not use any heavy chemicals.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
It could be overlapping factors -- such as drought stress plus a grub population -- that caused turf decline or dieback this year. Drought would definitely have been a factor, since it affected much of the state during summer; how impactful the grubs were by themselves is hard to say. Threshold levels of grub abundance, to decide when treatment is warranted, depends on the grub and turf type, but information to help make the decision for treatment can be found on the pages linked below. Bt is one of the lower-risk options for treatment, but there might be impacts on other organisms from its use (though that would be true for any pesticide ingredient, organic or otherwise).
Miri
Miri
You're welcome.
