Xtremehorticulture

Controlling Grubs Is a Big Topic

Q. I have just been told that I have “Grubs” here in Las Vegas, NV.  What do I do to get rid of them? Grubs from compost A. You have two approaches to controlling grubs; conventional pesticides or organic controls. The conventional pesticides are usually much more effective and fast in getting rid of the problem. Organic controls are slower to work and may not give you the same kind of control you can get with conventional pesticides. I would suggest purchasing a conventional insecticide in granular form and watering and in around the base of your plants. There are several products on the market that will give you good control. You can also use a liquid but you would applied as a drench, diluting it as the label recommends and pouring it around the base of the plant where the irrigation water is applied. You would lightly water both of these products into the soil. Do not over water or you can push the chemical beyond the depth where the grubs are feasting. Any of the conventional pesticides that are labeled for grub control will give you good control. Because these grubs are immature forms of flying insects, they may be back in future years and you will have to re-treat. Organic controls rely on other living organisms to give you some measure of control. There are three posts on my blog that refer to controlling grubs. The links should take you to these posts and you can read more about them if it fits your particular circumstances. Grubs in Container of Garden Soil Killing Plants Jul 21, 2012 Q. I have discovered over 200 huge grubs in a 15 x 24 inch container that is about 2 ft deep. I had filled this container with a bag of garden soil from a garden center and planted strawberry plants. Of course the plants all died, … Is Grub Guard Safe to Use in my Landscape?  May 18, 2014 Q. I ran across an item called Grub Guard in the catalog. It contains beneficial nematodes. Would these be the same kind of nematodes that attacked my tomatoes last year? A. These are entirely different nematodes. These are … Poor Growth of Lantana Due to Grubs – Xtremehorticulture of … Aug 14, 2014 These are the immature of one of the scarab beetles such as June beetles, metallic June beetles, dung beetles and rose chafers which we have here. Another one that attacks lawn grasses is the “white grub” or sometimes just …

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Poor Growth of Lantana Due to Grubs

Q. This season our Lantana has done poorly. For each plant we dig up there appears a bunch of grubs. What’s going on? A. Nice detective work! I would not have guessed this was the problem if you had just sent me a picture of a dying lantana. These guys are decomposers normally and people will find them in their compost piles. Green june beetle which attacks soft fruit like figs But these critters will also feed on small, living roots. In large numbers they can cause alot of damage or even death. In small numbers and feeding on roots the plant might appear normal with no apparent damage. The dose makes the poison! One of the chafers or June bugs they are sometimes called These are the immature of one of the scarab beetles such as June beetles, metallic June beetles, dung beetles and rose chafers which we have here. Another one that attacks lawn grasses is the “white grub” or sometimes just called “grubs”. One very famous and devastating scarab is the Japanese beetle which we have not yet seen in southern Nevada.  When you find these immature larva feeding in one localized area around a living plant it is a very good sign they are feeding on it. They are fairly easy to kill with insecticides such as the conventional insecticide Sevin used as a soil drench or organically using a treatment of bacterial spores. It is marketed under different trade names but if you look in the insect control section of your favorite nursery or garden center you should be able to find it. Frequently the bacterial spores are referred to as “milky spore” insecticide. There are also nematode good guys that you can apply. I am not sure it is carried in Las Vegas but certainly over the internet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarabaeidae

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