DIY Lawn Grub Killer vs. Grub Control Services: Which is Best?

Ok, we have to warn you on this one. This topic is a gross one.

What do you want in Northern Virginia? A nice, vast, brilliant green lawn that is thick and lush – perfect for lounging, playing, or just enjoying.

But grubs that can invade your lawn are pretty disgusting to discover. As fat, juicy, C-shaped, milky white creepy-crawlies, they not only look ugly, but they can make your lawn ugly, too. They are clearly out to ruin your goal.

What’s worse is you might not even be about to see these nasty pests. Your lawn can look A-OK on the surface, but grubs are slowly eating their way through your lawn roots, cutting off vital nutrients and water. Unfortunately, your lawn doesn’t stand a chance.

You might be wondering how you can destroy these invasive bugs. As you’re breezing through the local hardware or home improvement store, you might even see products that advertise grub control and wonder if you can easily banish these pests for good. Could DIY grub control products do the trick? What about professional services? Is one option better than the other? Which one actually gets rid of grubs and can save my lawn?

Let’s discuss the best treatment to get rid of grubs so you can gain more knowledge about these common, destructive lawn pests and how to get them out of your lawn for good.

A Look at Grubs in Northern Virginia

Learning how to get rid of lawn grubs starts with understanding more about them.

Ever heard of Japanese beetles? June beetles? Yep, they are notorious, right? Well, guess what? In their larval stages, they are these white, C-shaped grubs. Your mind is blown, right? Another one is the northern masked chafer, but that name isn’t as recognizable.

And while you may see Japanese beetles for about one month in the summer. If you see the beetles crawling around your plants, like your roses for instance, then it’s a warning sign that they may be laying eggs nearby in your lawn. This is how white grubs come to be. Then they feed on your lawn roots the rest of the summer and into fall before going deep into the soil to overwinter. They continue feeding in spring until they turn into adult beetles in later spring.

The other problem with grubs is that they are thick, tasty protein meals for animals like birds, raccoons, moles, skunks, and other animals. And if they’re hungry, they’ll dig up your lawn to get to their treats.

Signs You Might Have Lawn Grubs

Not sure if you need grub control treatments in Northern Virginia? There are some signs you want to look for that could be clues to grub infestations.

• Is your lawn weak or yellow or underperforming? Is your lawn’s growth sluggish during the months of May, June, and July? Do you see brown spots or dead patches of grass?
• Do you see moles, rodents, raccoons, skunks, and birds digging in your lawn? Since grubs are meals for these critters, you may find them leaving spots they’ve dug up looking for tasty treats.
• Does your lawn seem like a carpet that isn’t tacked down? Does it have a loose appearance? If you grab a handful of lawn and pull on it, could you roll it up like a carpet? This is a sign the lawn roots are no longer in place.
• When you take a walk on your lawn, does it feel spongy? This is another sign grubs may be lurking under the surface, eliminating your lawn’s roots.

What is DIY Grub Control?

Go ahead and do a quick online search for DIY grub control treatments. You will probably find a lot of remedies for sale at your local hardware stores or even recipes for home concoctions you can whip up that use household ingredients like dish soap or lemon juice.

You might want to try tackling your grub problem on your own with a random mix suggested by people online, but you have to be cautious. Without proper research, timing, or understanding of the specific pest you’re dealing with, you could end up spending a lot more money fixing your lawn after the fact because you didn’t control the grubs before or when they were doing the most damage to your lawn.

Grubs can destroy your lawn by eating the roots. On top of that, lawn grubs draw moles and other rodents to your yard, tunneling in your lawn and digging under its surface.

When you know how destructive these pests and their predators can be, you want to ensure you get rid of them successfully the first time versus wasting time trying tactics that offer a lot of promise but no real solution.

Why Can DIY Grub Control Be Unsuccessful?

Sure, DIY grub control may sound easy. It may seem so simple after reading about it in an article online that you think you can completely handle it yourself. After all, learning a new skill is admirable.

But there are some considerations you have to keep in mind in order to gauge the true effectiveness of these various strategies.

Let’s review a few facts about DIY grub control treatments.

DIY Grub Killers Have Proven Ineffective

Unfortunately, there are many DIY grub control treatments that just haven’t proven to work as well.

For instance, if these homemade sprays need to be applied right on the grubs themselves, you will have a hard time reaching them. Remember, grubs hide deep down in your lawn’s soil. This means you’d have to get down on your hands and knees crawling around your lawn looking for grubs to spray. Even if you have eagle eyes and lots of time on your hands, you’re still going to miss quite a few grubs using this strategy.

Also, consider the ingredients, such as lemon juice and dish soap. While it may sound good, how can these products be effective at destroying such a menace of a pest?

You end up leaving more up to chance with this route than you likely prefer.

DIY Grub Control is Time Consuming

If it wasn’t evident from our description above, hunting down lawn grubs and trying to tackle each one with a DIY grub control treatment is extremely time-consuming.

And while you may have some time on your hands one month, the next month you could be completely slammed. And with a product like dish soap, you’re likely going to have to spend more than one weekend repeatedly applying the solution and searching for grubs.

DIY Grub Control is Done at the Worst Time for Thorough Elimination

If you know anything about grubs, once they hatch, they start feasting on your lawn’s roots. The damage starts this instant and just continues.

Most DIY grub control treatments are meant to be applied at this stage, which means you’re letting those grubs hatch and continue to feast and grow and feast some more on your lawn roots as you’re trying to gain control of them. And they just keep getting bigger and stronger. How hard do you think it will be to kill them then?

When you give grubs even the smallest chance to destroy your lawn, they’ll take it.

How Do Professional Grub Control Treatments Compare to DIY?

Even if you don’t have grubs now, grubs tend to become a problem because of the close proximity of neighbors in Northern Virginia. If your neighbor, for instance, has plants that beetles like, then your yard being nearby is a potential for future beetle babies.

Beetles, or adult grubs, look for nice stands of grass to lay their eggs as a great food source for their young. Grubs travel easier through uncompacted soil as well. So your yard really isn’t too far for them to continue laying eggs and growing.

Because grubs are most destructive once they hatch, the best way to control them is preventatively versus curatively. There is a precise window when preventative grub control treatments can be applied to ensure grubs never hatch.

Because grubs are so prevalent in Northern Virginia lawns, lawn care companies like Turf’s Up will include a preventative treatment in their program that they apply in June.

This application is done simply and swiftly with professional-grade products, and in just one treatment your problem is solved. Think about how much time and energy that saves you, not to mention amplifying your effectiveness to ensure less lawn damage and potential lawn repair.

Want to Kick Grubs to the Curb? Trust Turf’s Up

In your yard, the last thing you want to see is patches of roughed up lawn areas or spots. You certainly don’t want grubs gobbling your grass roots and ruining your lawn from the ground up.

You certainly have enough to worry about. And you probably have enough on your plate. Who has time to look for tiny C-shaped bugs crawling under your lawn? It’s probably not the best idea you have for a Saturday afternoon. If you choose to make better plans, we don’t blame you.

If you want to eliminate grubs, it’s OK to want to try a professional grub control treatment in North Virginia. An effective solution could save you time, money, and – most importantly – your lawn’s appearance, vigor, and health.

Grubs gobbling your grass roots is not a problem you want at the top of your to-do list. You have enough things to think about.

Turf’s Up would love to help. We can create a custom lawn care plan for you to ensure your lawn thrives, and you have your weekends back so you can enjoy them.

Ready to learn why Turf’s Up could be your totally awesome choice for grub control services in Purcellville, Waterford, and Round Hill, VA? We’re stoked to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can prepare a customized plan that is perfect for you and your yard.

Image Source: Grub, Mole Damage