Once the snow has melted, many of you are looking at your lawns in despair. Huge dead patches have appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Perhaps there are moles making their tunnels through your yard or the skunks are digging away at your lawn at night. Unfortunately, the reality is that you probably have grubs and the only effective method of eradicating grubs is nematodes.
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Quick Facts | Nematodes and How They Work
What exactly are nematodes?
Nematodes are microscopic beneficial insect that are a natural predator to grubs.
How do they work?
Nematodes travel through water particles beneath the surface of your lawn and attack grubs who are feasting on your lawn’s roots. Nematodes will continue to multiply until all the grubs are gone.
When do I apply them?
Nematodes are most effective when the soil temperature reaches about 15C. This is weather dependent year to year but it is usually around mid May. When you see them available in your local garden centers, it is the correct time to apply them, not before.
Do they need to stay refrigerated?
Absolutely! Nematodes need to be refrigerated until you are ready to apply them. They have about a 4 week shelf life. Once mixed you must use all the nematodes in one application.
How do I apply them?
Nematodes travel ONLY through water particles so it is very important to make sure that your lawn is thoroughly wet before application (after a good rain is best). If it hasn’t rained, you need to put out a sprinkler for a good length of time to ensure the ground is moist. Here at Gemmell’s we have hose-end sprayers available that you place the nematodes into, attach to a garden hose then spray directly to the areas affected by grubs, working your way out towards the rest of your lawn. You may not see any damage but grubs may still be beneath the surface. After application keep your lawn watered well for a few days.
How much will one container cover?
One application of nematodes covers about 3000 sq ft.
Can they harm my children or pets?
Absolutely not. Nematodes are 100% safe to apply to your lawn and once the grubs are gone the nematodes die off and compost into the soil. They are safe for people, pets, plants, and even earthworms!
Reserve Your Nematodes Early in the Spring (or Fall). We will call when they arrive and it’s the proper time to apply them. Be sure not to delay picking them up as they only have a 4 week shelf life. An application of lime and over seeding, with a fescue grass mix, will help restore your lawn to it’s former glory and help prevent further grub infestations.
Feel free to drop in if you have any questions that you need answered or send us a message. We’re here to help!
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