The bedbugs of turf grass... GRUBS

And yet another knot in the unraveling ball of yarn that is the 2010 growing season. With each changing season, Mother Nature has offered a new set of challenges. Challenges that continue to remind us all that no matter what we think, we have absolutely no control over some things. For all the gadgets that help us through our daily life, in nature there is no instant gratification or back-up file. We need to set down our BlackBerries and iPhones and rely on our eyes and common sense to help us untie the knots.

Spring was off to a good start and as with most here in Iowa we received plenty of rain. The rain doing it’s usual job helped to thicken the lawns and repair any damage as result from the winter’s snow and ice. Unfortunately the rain didn’t let up until the first week of August.

When turf grass grows for a prolonged period in overly wet conditions it becomes shallow rooted (see information within this site describing proper watering techniques). Without brief periods of dryness the root system never has to search for moisture by growing and extending deeper into the soil. When this happens turf may succumb to any number of possible health issues, most caused by simple and unexpected factors.

Mid-season the wetness combined with our usual temperature and humidity. These hot and steamy conditions caused fungus to grow in many lawns. The Dollar Spot and Summer Patch became evident as smaller spots and rings of various sizes. The disease first caused the effected areas to brown and to die out when severe conditions were persistent.

Although climate conditions were the ultimate cause, otherwise minor factors such as compacted soil, low fertility, injury from mowing, construction and even foot traffic, along with the shallow rooted turf caused the disease to rapidly worsen. As the turf grass struggled, the weeds established quickly in the summer’s heat. The excessive precipitation causing a depletion of nutrients and lower fertility reduced the turf’s ability to regenerate during and after disease.

Although water was the main cause of problems leading up to August, things quickly changed. For the first time all season the rains would subside. Unfortunately, this would not bode well for the disease ravaged and shallow rooted lawns. Although the temperatures had become slightly cooler and the fungus breeding nighttime lows offered relief, without being deeply rooted the turf struggles still.

An early fall rain will make everything OK. With cooler weather, fertilizers are applied and nature repairs herself. Not so fast, now we have grubs! After all we’ve experienced yet another knot. With the onset masked by other difficulties, now as the lawns are expected to see improvement some are not.

The traditional method of control is to target the newly laid eggs with specific timing to reach a majority of the egg population, thus preventing the next generation of larvae.  The wet season and mild temperatures created an abnormal situation prolonging the presence of Japanese Beetles.  Attempts at control were futile against the extended cycle of feeding, breeding and egg laying.

We advise all of our customers to monitor their properties closely. If anything looks suspect call us immediately and we will inspect the site. If grubs are present an insecticide application will be required. The treatment is granular and will need to be watered in, naturally, by irrigation system or manually. This needs to be done within 24 hours of treatment for efficacy.