So, you think you’re a true “green thumb” and can’t take advice from your good old friend The Blue Thumb Gardener? Think again—as I wish one of my best friends would have done last year. Those of us who were not blessed with a “green thumb” tend to do the simple things well, anyway. Here is my tale:
My friend always had one of the loveliest lawns you could find; it was always lush and green. He knew when to water his lawn, how to cross-cut it to perfection, and he always fed it at exactly the correct time. However, somehow he forgot or overlooked something he had done for the past 15 years: He forgot to treat for grubs!

When you get up there in years, it’s easy to overlook certain things; but that was not his excuse. We are all busy juggling our hectic lives. As you know from past articles, I like to keep it simple. I’ve always taken a scientific or factual approach in reading and in following the directions no matter what I do. If you’ve read my features in the past, you know I’m a lawyer and it is my job to deal with problems on a daily basis. My friend’s particular problem had a simple solution—don’t forget to apply grub control every single year. Or, like I tell my clients, don’t get into trouble in the first place! Forgetting to do so, simply put, will cause you to start from scratch. You will have to treat the infested yard, kill all of the existing grass (if any is still alive after the grubs have had their way), reseed and hope for the best.

My friend took a different approach. He simply removed the grass—root and all. He brought in new topsoil, had his yard graded and had a hydro-seed spray applied. Wouldn’t you know, after last seeing his yard late September in such a state of disarray, this spring it is simply awesome. Only a true “green thumb” could have pulled that one off.

The jury, however, is still out on this one. I’ve talked to people who have said that you do not have to remove the grass and roots as my friend did. But how can you argue with the results? If it would have happened to me, I would’ve considered sod; but I’d have to leave that one to the professionals. In true “blue thumbese,” I keep going back to how I must represent my case to you: Don’t forget to treat your yard for grubs this year and every year. It will keep you out of trouble—the same way I wish some of my clients would!

Lawns have plenty of insects living in them, most of which won’t cause any problems. Grubs are different. They are larvae of beetles that have white bodies and brown heads. They have very tiny legs and you’ll usually find them curled into a C-shape. Examining your yard for grubs is something most of us do not do, but should. If your lawn is infested with grubs, you will know. I asked my friend how he found out that his lawn had been infiltrated by these pesky little pests.

”Believe me when I tell you,” he said laughing, “you will know!” One morning he noticed a brown spot in the center of his lawn that was not there the day before. He immediately approached the 3' x 3' spot, and, to his amazement, the grass and turf simply pulled right up, releasing from the soil when he tugged on it. Then he could see the nasty little pests that had done the dirty deed.

It turns out that his entire lawn was infested. He went to every corner of his yard and, when he lifted the turf, there they were. He said the grass looked fine but the grubs were literally in every square foot of his yard.

During the course of my investigation I found that, in addition to grub problems, you could eventually find moles in your yard. That’s because moles consider the grubs a delicacy. I asked my friend if he had also found moles in his yard.

“Yes councilor,” he replied, again laughing. “And I eradicated those as well.” You’d think the moles eating the grubs would be a good thing. Not so. Since moles tunnel to find their dinner, it actually causes further damage to your lawn.

So what’s the solution? It’s simple: Get rid of the grubs and the moles will look for them in someone else’s yard. The experts suggest you apply biological controls like milky spore disease or nematodes. (Huh?) That is exactly what I said. In my humble “blue thumb” opinion, I’d try using one of the synthetic commercial grub killers. And as always, remember to carefully read and follow all the directions.

Hopefully you’re like me and those nasty little grubs haven’t found their way to your lawn—yet. Hopefully, if you’ve not applied grub killer to your lawn this spring, you’ll be able to “dodge the bullet” again this year. My advice is simple: Keep it simple!

Go to your local lawn care center and ask for the best way to control grubs in your region. Once you’ve found out which product will work best for you, read the directions and follow them. And, most important, don’t ever miss a grub control application. Not even for one season, as it could be the one that the grubs decide to feast on your yard.