chemical care
deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin for grub
control," Smitley says. "Products containing only
these ingredients will not work for grub control
because the active ingredient binds with organic
material and will not move down to where the
grubs are feeding."
Timing is critical when it comes to preventive
grub control. Apply a product too early, and it
will degrade or move through the soil and be
gone before grubs hatch. If you're too late, grubs
will be larger, rendering your product ineffective.
Always consult the product label for instructions
on when to apply but know weather can influence the timing, too.
You want to get the product watered in a few
weeks before grubs hatch, unless you're using a
product with the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole, which, according to Smitley, is less watersoluble and will stay in the soil longer.
"It is best to apply a product containing
chlorantraniliprole as early in the spring as possible … for it to be the most effective when grubs
hatch in July and August (in northern areas),"
Smitley says.
Joe Weiss, owner of Green Rx Lawn and Pest
Solutions in St. Louis, offers grub control as part
of his standard lawn care program and has built a
reputation for getting grubs.
"We do preventive control of grubs to hit them
when they are younger and easier to control,"
says Weiss, who attributes much of his success to
application timing. "We put down product in early
summer, and that's usually a rainy time around
here, which helps."
For prevention, Weiss and his crews use imidicloprid (AmTide) liquid treatments. Unless he picks
up a client late in the season, he doesn't have to
bother much with curative treatments. When he
does, he opts for trichlorfon (Dylox).
"When you offer a full program, it's better to
pay a little more for something you know is going to work than go with something cheaper and
have to hope it works," Weiss says.
D E C E M B E R 2 013
Tot alL an dsc ap eC are.c om 15
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