Anyone else seeing skunk peel-back and spongy turf after last Thursday’s 2" rain? Planning chlorantraniliprole at label mid-rate with 0.25" irrigation, then roll and light topdress; would you core first or wait a week on KBG/rye with soil temps around 68°F?
I’d hold off coring for 5–7 days — get the chlorantraniliprole down with that 0.25" irrigation, roll, then light topdress so the canopy knits; coring now will just make the “skunk peel-back” worse, . If you’re seeing a bunch of live C-shaped grubs, consider a fast trichlorfon curative before/with Acelepryn per UMN: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/white-grubs-lawns. How many per square foot are you pulling after that 2" rain?
@jwright92 makes sense — if you need quicker relief from the digging, spot-treat the worst patches with trichlorfon for a fast knockdown (eviction notice) while the chlorantraniliprole does its slower work, then roll and topdress so the seams knit. Quick check: pop a 1 ft² flap and count; if you’re at about 8–10+ live grubs, I’d wait a week before coring. Are they mostly mid–late instars?
Before coring, pop a couple 1‑ft² checks and count grubs; if you’re under about 6–8/ft², skip a trichlorfon rescue and stick with your chlorantraniliprole, then roll while it’s slightly damp and pin loose seams with sod staples — seatbelts for sod (MSU: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/grub_control_in_home_lawns). How thick is the spongy layer — more thatch than 0.5 in?
With soil at about 68°F and that 2" dump last Thursday, I’d use a solid‑tine/slicer pass now instead of hollow cores, then run the chlorantraniliprole with your 0.25" water and roll when the thatch is tacky. If skunks are still peeling, a quick soap flush (2 oz dish soap in 2 gal over about 1 yd²) will confirm shallow grubs and justify a tiny Dylox spot on the worst seams. @jwright92 also good call to minimize disruption — brush the light topdress after the roll so you don’t slick the surface.
Split the 0.25" irrigation into two pulses for better movement; @jwright92, you seeing that help?
I’ve had better luck rolling right after the 0.25" water while the mat’s pliable, then holding hollow‑tine 5–7 days until the two‑finger peel test fails; a 0.10 lb N/M AMS spoon 3–4 days later helps re‑rooting. @natalie_west90 solid‑tine is fine if you need a vent, but keep it shallow to avoid lift — did your skunk peel‑back drop right after the roll?
Before coring, cut a few 1‑ft² checks at the peel margins — what counts are you seeing? If you’re over about 6–8 grubs/ft², layer in a trichlorfon spot for quick knockdown since chlorantraniliprole can be slow on older instars; I’m with @fionaR_87 on the “two‑finger peel test,” and wouldn’t hollow‑core until it fails to avoid more peel, like a bad sunburn.
We just dealt with this on KBG/rye: “and wouldn’t hollow‑core until it fails to avoid more peel, like a bad sunburn.” Agreed — pair the chlorantraniliprole with a light penetrant (about 2 oz/M) and give the mat a 60–90 sec pre‑wet so it moves off the leaf and into the thatch, then keep equipment off for a day; @jwright92, did the pre‑wet cut the skunking quicker for you?