# Fertilizer, Grub Control, what do you do???



## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

*I've asked a few GRF members about what they do for their lawns. I'm just curious what other do or don't do. Normally, I don't hardly do anything to my backyard where Gunner spends his time. However, this year I have a terrible grub problem. I've been told I need to put the grub poison down to kill them. They claim that you put it down, water it in and that your dog can go on the grass after 24 hours. This still scares me. What do you do?*


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm not a lawn expert, but can't you use nematodes to control grubs?


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

We had grubs, last year, just over night, the lawn, was totally tore up, we had to use the poison, it was in the front yard, the dogs rarely go there.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I think I would take this question to the vet with the list of ingredients on the bag and let him/her determine is 24 hours is enough.

The other thing you can do is put it down right before a rainy stretch when he won't be out much anyway. Leash walk him for potty breaks in a the front yard.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

We use grubex and fertilizer in spring (like in May) and just fertilizer in late fall. If you don't want too many Japanese beatles, you need to put grubex down.

As far as the dogs, we time it so that it is just before a lot of rainy weather and just keep the dogs off the lawn for a few days.


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## rabidyankee (Sep 7, 2011)

*Grub Control and Goldens/Pets*

We live in rural PA and without grub control, our property looks like Divet City from all the skunks digging holes to eat the grubs. We get weed control, fertilizer, and grub control--fertilizer once in spring and once in fall and grub, crab grass, weed control once in spring and once in fall. We have kept our goldens off the yard for 2-3 days each time it is treated. Our first lived to be 12.5 and we just lost our second, who was 15.5. We would never use the companies that come on a regular basis--first they charge rip-off prices and second, their employees have a myriad of health problems related to the chemicals they constantly use.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I have used nematodes successfully. I need to apply them again, but it has been over 15 years !! And they are safe for the dogs, people, beneficial insect etc. They can even control fleas


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## dexter0125 (Mar 20, 2011)

We have to put fertilizer out every year, otherwise our plants and yard will get eaten up.. 24 hours has always been enough time.


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## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

Okay - so what's nematodes?

I've heard (never really had trouble with grubs except in the garden) that you can put down a shallow pan of beer.

For fertilizer, we use an organic and then just spot treat weeds.


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

*This is what I did....*

This is what I ended up doing. I put a fence up around the grass and put cardboard up to keep the poison from going on my driveway or patio. Then, after putting the grub X down, I watered it for about 45 minutes. I took the cardboard down before I watered. Gunner can go behind my garage to a small area of grass to go potty (no poison here) till I feel safe to take down the fences. I will be replacing my sod in the next week or so.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Nematodes are roundworms, but the kind you put on your laws are not able to parasitize humans or dogs (or any chordate), and they're microscopic. They are parasites interested in the larval stage of bugs. So by scattering them around on the lawn, you target just the grubs (and a few other species of larvae) with their natural parasite. They're totally harmless otherwise.

It's sort of like releasing ladybugs for aphid problems.


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

Where do you purchase them and when do you put them down/how often?


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't actually know, as we've never used them. Anything I said would be something I looked up online. I'd assume that once a season would probably do it.


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## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

Thank you, Brian! That's an awesome idea. I have scattered lady bugs and praying mantis for aphids. I would imagine that nematodes would also take care of cut worms, etc. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, maybe next year. It'll give me time to research.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Like I said, I've never used them personally. I only know about them because I came across them in researching lots of organic garden options. Now that we have a proper lawn and garden, I'm interested in things that can help stuff look great without using pesticides.

I'm pretty sure whatever store you buy them from can tell you the list of larvae they're known to parasitize. Different species of nematodes specialize in different kinds.


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