Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Spring turf insect activity

The warm temps this week have gotten everyone thinking spring, even the turf insects. With the frost line rising due to the warm temps, the dreaded "white grub" is rising also. I have a Massachusetts Pesticide Applicators license and I am allowed by the state to apply fertilizers and pesticides to our customers properties.

We will not be putting anything down for grubs until summer, in June/July. We have been using MERIT, which is made by Bayer (yup, same people that make bayer aspirin) and it has been extremely effective in controlling white grubs on our customers lawns.

But ocassionally we will get a new customer who has had a grub problem the year before and we are called in to get ride of the grubs and to redo the turf. For that type of problem we use a product called DYLOX. This is a "quick kill" pesticide and needs to watered in after application, and this also has done a very good job of eliminating grubs. Anyone using this product in Massachusetts, needs to be warned that it is not allowed by the state to be used on any school grounds.

Soon, I will be checking our properties for any grub damage from the year before, but I am sure our customers who had the MERIT application last year, will be all set.

2 comments:

  1. Is there any non chemical way to deal with the grubs??

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  2. Hi,

    Yes, and I can understand your concern, about pesticides, as I encounter many customers with the same feeling. You can use Milky Spore, but it takes about 3 years for it to work, if it works. You can check out http://www.umassturf.org for more info on it.

    Thats a long time. I have been using pesticides for 16 years and if used correctly
    and safely the are the best way to go. The MERIT we use is applied like a fertilizer, water it in and in 24 hours it is safe to go into the area.

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