Scott's GrubEx - Don’t Apply(Shoot) Til You See The White’s Of Their Bodies(Eyes)
Written: Oct 05 '02 (Updated Jul 30 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Eliminates grubs that can completely devastate your lawn, patch by patch...
Cons: Expensive, especially if your lawn is of any size
The Bottom Line: I beat the $110.00 cost of a professional application, still but it still can be expensive but necessary, it really does work, don't wait.
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| michiman1's Full Review: Scotts Grubex |
I fully realized I was ignoring a problem for and I’m glad to say it only took several bags of Scott’s Grubex and a couple of weeks to repair the damage caused by my laziness.
A Mini-lesson – White Grubs 101
White grubs are the larvae of a variety of insects including scarab beetles, southern or northern masked chafers, green June beetles and in my case, Japanese beetles. The eggs are usually laid in late June or early July, hatching sometime in the month of July. From this point until fall, they will feed on the roots of your lawn and eventually burrow deep in the soil until spring. They generally return to the surface in March and emerge throughout May and June. The process then begins again, thus, timely application is helpful for best results. One sign of grub infestation the presence of moles which make a steady diet of grubs. You may also notice birds or other animals digging into turf, leaving noticeable holes where they have been searching for these pests. Even though I was lucky, once you begin to notice any of these signs, be prepared to wage a battle because waiting too long may cause so much serious damage to your lawn that sod replacement could be necessary.
Trouble Under The Ground
The past several years, I filled a number of Japanese beetle traps with carcasses of these pests. I was aware there was a connection between the beetles and grubs and I thought I had really did a number on the grub populations. Unfortunately, this summer I was over-run with the Japanese beetles as well as a worsening of my grub problems. It turns out, these traps may have even done more harm than good by actually attracting additional populations of beetles. Over the past several years I had noticed an increased number of both white grubs and Japanese beetles in my yard. The grubs in particular were becoming more noticeable with every shovel full of dirt in my landscape beds and beneath our grass. My weeping cherry tree and Althea bushes were also increasingly, being attacked by Japanese beetles on a daily basis.
My continued answer, “Yeah, I’ll have to pick up some of that stuff” had gone on long enough. As I was mowing my yard in mid July it became evident the time had come to wage war on the insect that had left 5 or 6 large patches of dirt and dead grass in my back yard. The grubs residing in my otherwise thick, green lawn had devoured enough of the lawn’s root system that running a rake over the worst areas left only a dirt patch and a rake full of dead thatch. My lawn service had recently evaluated my lawn and offered to treat my lawn and rid my yard of these pests at a cost of $110.00. Of course, I had crumpled up that bid and slam-dunked it into the waste bin weeks ago.
”Don’t Apply Til You See The White’s Of Their Bodies”
I made a special trip to the local home store and purchased two bags of Scott’s Grubex and got to work. Since I had given away my drop spreader some years ago, I had to apply this product with my newly purchased Scott’s Handygreen® II but that’s another Epinion in itself. Based on my knowledge I had now received, I was convinced the time was right for application of Scott’s Grubex. You may apply this product from late spring when these guys are working their way to the tender roots of your newly sprouting grass until July when the insects emerge from your lawn. Your second opportunity will come anywhere from July when eggs are laid and hatch until fall as they continue to feed. Ideally, apply during the June/July period for best results.
I purchased the Scott’s Grubex in the 11.5 lb. Sized bag, the manufacturer claims this is enough to treat 5,000 square feet. Since our lawn is larger than the 10,000 feet my two bags were to cover I stretched my buck by applying heavier in the shaded areas of my back yard and lighter in the sun-soaked front and side yards because grub populations in sunny areas seemed less. There are several things you may need to know about this product’s application for best results.
1. Mow your lawn first to help the maximum amount of granules to reach the soil immediately.
2. Maximum effectiveness is achieved if you can apply before grubs hatch or if recently hatched(July-August)
3. Try to apply with the proper spreader setting as per instructions(of course the directions only list Scotts spreaders)
4. If you are applying during a particularly dry period, water the Scott’s Grubex into your lawn.
Of course you will be placing a chemical in your lawn so all the usual caveats exist. Do not apply directly to water or areas that drain directly into bodies of water. If swallowed, contact a physician or poison control center immediately. This product contains halofenozide which is effective against the Japanese beetle and grubs but generally poses little or no toxic threat to mammals or birds which are natural predators of grubs.
After use for a number of years, I have to say this product is most effective. The beetle population has waned over the past several years and I have had no further problems on my lawn with regard to grub infestation. I highly recommend this product's use although there are several others on the market that may be as effective. As I write this review in early October, your opportunity for application this year may be waning. If so, be prepared in the spring to drop an application of Scott’s Grubex and avoid the problems associated with these pests.
For more information on this product, you may contact Scott’s Consumer Hotline:
1-800-543-TURF
or contact via regular mail at:
The Scotts Company
14111 Scottslawn Rd.
Marysville, OH 43041
Recommended:
Yes
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michiman1
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Member: Mark Dakhlian
Location: Hockeytown - Go Red Wings!
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Proud owner of four high quality domestically produced vehicles - Buy American!
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