Managing Lawn Pests This Fall

But as we move into fall, I’m noticing a rise in grubs and can’t seem to keep up with them… I’ve been using beneficial nematodes, but they don’t seem to be enough this year. Anyone have techniques or products that have worked well for you during this season?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌​⁠‌‌⁠‍​‌‍‍⁠‌‍​⁠‌​⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‌‌​⁠‌‌​⁠​​‌​‍⁠‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

, I totally get your frustration with the grubs. Last year, I tried milky spore and saw some decent results, but it took a couple of applications. Are you applying the nematodes when the soil is warm?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​⁠‌‍‍⁠‌‍‌‍‌​⁠‍‌​⁠​‌⁠​​‌‌‍‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‌‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌‌​⁠⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

But i tried using diatomaceous earth around my lawn last fall, and it really helped with grubs. Maybe give that a shot? Have you thought about it?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​​‍‌⁠​​‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌​⁠⁠‌​​‌‌​‍‌‌​​‌‌​​⁠‌‌​‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It might be worth trying a combination of milky spore and diatomaceous earth for a one-two punch against those grubs. Think of it like teaming up Batman and Robin — both can tackle the problem in different ways! Have you looked into adjusting your lawn’s pH, too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍​‌⁠‌⁠‌​‍⁠‌⁠‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌‌‍‌​⁠‌​‌​⁠⁠‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‍‌⁠‍​‌‍⁠‌‌​⁠⁠‌​‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​