Brown patches in your lawn – keep an eye out for brown patches that never turn green. Those dead patches of grass may be due to grub feeding that occurred the previous fall or other lawn pests. Lift a piece of your turf to check. If grubs are the present, the dead patch will roll up like a carpet, or you’ll be able to pull up the grass and see that it has no roots.
Symptoms of a grub problem:
- Brown patches that don’t turn green (even in the spring)
- Your grass has become spongy
- Irregularly shaped dead patches
Most people think that grubs are a type of worm. They are technically the larva of a variety of beetles, most notably, the Japanese beetle.
They are white and black in color with a brownish head. Their defining characteristic is their C-shaped bodies with legs only toward the front. They are often found in gardens and in yards, and can create lots of problems for homeowners or businesses trying to keep their yards clean and green.
They are found beneath the turf, which makes them difficult to detect until the color of your grass turns brown. If you peel back the top layer of grass and see these creatures, there could be an infestation in your yard. Seeing a couple is normal, but upwards of 10 in a small section of sod means that swift action should be taken to ensure the survival of your lawn.
Usually there are signs of beetles throughout the summer, then brown patches will appear late in the summer, which means that grubs me be the issue.
Grubs prefer very moist soil with thin grass. The best time to water your lawn is in early morning between 5 and 7 am.
Although there are certain products that can be used to help with grub problems, it’s always best to enlist the help of a local lawn pest expert to make sure the correct issue is treated in the most effective way.