When should grub killer be applied to control Japanese Beetles?

By Keith Funk

A:  April and May are excellent months for controlling Japanese Beetle grubs that overwintered from last fall.  My personal choice is Phyllom Grub Gone granules.  It’s a bacterial product, very specific to scarab beetle grubs only.  This means the product will not harm beneficials like bees, butterflies, and ladybugs. It’s even approved for organic vegetable gardening. 

Safe for children, pets, and birds it’s proven to be every bit as effective as chemical applications.  Don’t worry if the granules get into your flower beds or shrub beds.  Grubs feed there as well.  Once applied, water it in thoroughly so it penetrates into the soil where the grubs live.  It doesn’t do any good sitting on top of the ground.   We all know Japanese Beetles can fly so controlling the grubs in your own yard will not prevent beetles from flying in from outside your property.  However, you can rest assured that the roots of your lawn and valuable landscape plants are safe from damage.

Keith Funk is handling our Q & A this year. You may have visited one of Keith’s Denver area gardens on a tour or know him from his years at Echter’s and now at Nick’s Garden Center. For 30 years he’s been heard every Saturday morning from 7-9 with fellow Wise Guy, Jim Borland, on the Garden Wise Radio Show on Legends 810AM.