How to Keep Grub Worms Away

Grubs may cause severe damage in the garden by attacking plants from under the soil.

Grubs look like plump white or gray worms. Grub worms live in the soil, feeding on plant roots. If grub worms are concentrated in one area, they may do considerable damage to garden plants. When grubs are present, garden soil may feel wet and spongy, and plant leaves may inexplicably begin to look wilted and discolored. Because moles and other animals feed on them, grubs attract larger pests to the garden.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic bucket
• Soap

Instructions

1. Stop watering the lawn in July and allow it to go dormant. Grubs are less likely to live in a dormant, dry lawn, since they gravitate toward moisture.

2. Look for grubs on the undersides of leaves and around plant roots.

3. Pluck off grubs by hand and place them in a bucket filled with soap and water when you find them.

4. Treat the garden for grubs in late summer, when they are most vulnerable to control methods.

5. Apply nematodes or pesticides, which are available in garden stores, to the garden area in August. Both methods will kill grubs. Imidacloprid and halofenozide are effective chemical pesticides for grubs.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear gloves when working in the garden, particularly when handling grubs or chemicals.

References

• The Daily Puppy; Grub Worms in Vegetable Gardens; Ruth O'Neil
• Cornell University Extension: Grubs in Your Lawn?
• University of Illinois Extension: White Grubs in Lawns

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Everydays News: How to Get Rid of Grub Worm
• The Daily Puppy; How to Get Rid of Grub Worms in a Fruit Tree; Christopher Kimball