CB:

One of the explanations of the Milky Spore life-cycle that I have read says that Milky Spore actually requires that there be grubs in the soil to establish the "disease". The grubs become infected, die and burst, releasing more Milky Spores. Most of what I have read says it is a 2-3 year process to fully establish MS into the soil at sustainable and protective levels - IF there are normal grub populations. I'm no expert on MS, but without grubs to infect (you grub killer, you!) it may take much longer to become useful.

That makes sense. I guess I'll just keep it on hand and check for grubs. If I see evidence of them, then I'll break out the milky spore. One good thing is it wasn't very expensive. I might offer it up to my next door neighbor who's interested in organic gardening since their daughter was born.

I do also have some compost on hand, so that will go out too.

Thanks for the ideas guys!

I just applied the Spectracide insect killer today after a family of racoons did a number of my backyard last night. I'm talking chunks of sod ripped out, some about 8-10 inches in diameter (although they aren't a nice circle). I've got the EZ Flo critter control going into the area as well as I water the stuff in. I also put down 25 lbs of SBM.

JG - what were the racoons after, grubs?

I am officially grossed out by the grubs. About an hour or two after putting down the stuff and watering it in, they all seemed to emerge from underground. I guess it was their last death throws. I counted about 25 - 30 of them at one point, then left because it was too disgusting to watch.
The only thing I can think of that they did do that I could consider a positive is they aerated the heck out of the soil where they were living. There are all these holes now where they were climbing out of the soil to die.

I wonder what they've been up to because the past few days more and more of them were heading from the back yard lawn onto the driveway and heading up towards the front yard. Most didn't make it before they were fried on the concrete. I guess they were attempting to migrate up front.
The good news for me is I only saw one coming out to die in the front. So perhaps my front dead/dormant spots were just from dryness/heat...who knows.

Take that grubs!!!

cberhomengarden wrote:JG - what were the racoons after, grubs?

I am officially grossed out by the grubs. About an hour or two after putting down the stuff and watering it in, they all seemed to emerge from underground. I guess it was their last death throws. I counted about 25 - 30 of them at one point, then left because it was too disgusting to watch.
The only thing I can think of that they did do that I could consider a positive is they aerated the heck out of the soil where they were living. There are all these holes now where they were climbing out of the soil to die.

I wonder what they've been up to because the past few days more and more of them were heading from the back yard lawn onto the driveway and heading up towards the front yard. Most didn't make it before they were fried on the concrete. I guess they were attempting to migrate up front.
The good news for me is I only saw one coming out to die in the front. So perhaps my front dead/dormant spots were just from dryness/heat...who knows.

Take that grubs!!!

Earlier this year the racoons dug up a section of my front shade lawn which I new I was going to overseed, so it didn't bother me that much. I applied Sevin at a pretty heavy rate and they no longer tore up the grass. Every once in a while I'd see them nibbling around (the motion sensor light would go off and I saw three of them sniffing around). The squirrels still dig their little holes, but the racoons do wholesale damage. I think my rear yard and front shade hold moisture better than my front because they have a higher organic content and get less sun.

My other theory as that the areas are darker, between my lights and my neighbors there is a light of some sort or another in the front of my property most of the evening. My light at my back steps would go off at 11:30 PM, I changed it to go off when the front lights go off (1:30 minutes before sunrise). I also ordered one of those motion sensor sprinklers.

Next year I might do a preventative grub control application (or might do nematodes again).

cberhomengarden wrote:Sorry guys, I was so grossed out by all these grubs (and how big they are) that I skipped organic for now. I want these guys dead, and fast! Considering I've not put any chemical pesticides/insecticides on my lawn since I moved in 6 years ago, I figure once in 6 yrs isn't going to create an EPA superfund site anytime soon.

Certainly not. Using a Grub-X equivalent also isn't going to be an issue yearly. I do, and I'm otherwise organic--grubs are the one thing I can't control that way. I never had any luck with Milky Spore.

So am I bad organic wannabe?
I do the whole milorganite, grains (or ringers, whichever is easier to procure at the time), molasses with beer, mow high, water all at once when it needs it etc etc., and generally leave it be otherwise.

Nope. Organics are wonderful for maintenance and prevention. When something rises to the level of an emergency, well...there's a reason they sell creative chemistry.

I used the granular form of this, how does it compare to the real "Grub-X" which we can't buy on LI?

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