Disaster Control: How To Recover From Grub Damage

Lawn grubs can wreak havoc on even the healthiest lawn.  While a certain amount of grubs are unavoidable, a severe infestation can really impact the effectiveness of your Ottawa lawn care treatments.  The after-effects can leave your lawn looking like a patchwork quilt of dried up dead plants.  The road to recovery may seem like a long one but don't despair, Nutri-Lawn Ottawa's lawn care services are here to help with prevention and maintenance.

How to Spot a Grub Infestation in Your Ottawa Lawn
The first step is always admitting you have a problem.  However, is it grubs plaguing your lawn, or is it something else?  Here are some signs to look for:

• Irregular patches of brown grass: a sure-fire sign of grubs are patches of wilting, browning grass.  The patches of brown will have no distinct pattern to it.  Grubs typically do the most damage during mid- to late summer or early autumn.
• Beetles: lawn grubs are the larvae of certain beetle species.  So if you see beetles flying around your lawn in the spring and early summer, you may be witnessing the beginning of a grub infestation.  Adult females lay their eggs during May, June, and early July.
• Other animals like your lawn: if you see birds, skunks, moles, and raccoons digging in your lawn during mid-summer and early autumn, it’s because they’re feeding on the grubs lurking within it.
• Sod peels up: grubs like grass roots, so if you suspect a grub infestation, lift up the sod in damaged patches.  If the grass lifts up easily, like rolling up a carpet, it could be due to grubs.  Check the area underneath the sod for white c-shaped worms.  If you have more than 10 grubs per square foot, you need to take action.

How Do I Get Rid of Grubs?
The best way to tackle grubs is by using nematodes in your lawn. Beneficial nematodes can hunt down and destroy grubs in just a few days.  However, the sun can hurt these beneficial worms, so it’s best to consult with Nutri-Lawn Ottawa’s experts today to find out how to properly apply them to your property.

How Do I Get My Lawn Back?
So the grubs are gone, but your lawn is a wreck!  Never fear.  By following these steps, you can have a beautiful lawn again before the season is over.

• Dethatch and Power Rake:  The goal here is to rake away the damaged lawn, which will only detract from the clean look of your yard.  Next, you will also need to rough up the surface soil in order to reseed your lawn.  For a professional touch, consult with our experts about Nutri-Lawn’s Dethatching and Power Raking services.
• Reseed Your Lawn:  For those of you doing it on your own, you will want to rake in some fertilizer in order to promote a healthy root system for your new grass.  After that, sprinkle on a layer of grass seed so there’s about 5-7 seeds per inch.  For better results, we recommend incorporating Nutri-Lawn’s Hydro-Seeding into your Ottawa lawn care.  By mixing grass seed with water, mulch, and fertilizer, your grass seed will be protected as it germinates – as well as fertilizing and seeding all in one step.
• Water Your Lawn: You should water the area of your grass three or four times a day to keep the seeded area moist until it is able to send down roots to get its own water.  Once the grass is about 2 inches tall, you can reduce the watering to once per day.  If this seems like a lot of balls to juggle, consider including Nutri-Lawn’s Irrigation Systems into your lawn care regiment to automate the entire process.

Say goodbye to grubs with help from the turf experts at Nutri-Lawn.  To book your free, no obligation quote, contact Nutri-Lawn Ottawa today.