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Do I have grub damage in my lawn?


Do I have Grub Damage in my Lawn this summer?


We receive many calls this time of year (mid-summer) for curing brown spots in the lawn.  Many homeowners assume that the brown spots are a result of grub damage.  However, this 
is not the case as grub damage will not show up for another several weeks after the eggs hatch and begin feeding on grass roots in August and September.  The brown spots are more commonly a result of heat stress on the lawn which often results in additional damage form diseases and insects in the lawn as the grass slows down growth due to the higher soil temperatures and less frequent heavy rainfall.  

Most lawns across the Northern Illinois area are suffering from heat related stresses this summer.  With more sunny days above 80 degrees in June and early July, soil temperatures jumped quickly resulting in stressed out lawns by mid-July.  Once a lawn begins to weaken or go dormant the disease and insects can quickly take over.  Grass blades stop growing and turn brown to save moisture loss for cool season grasses like fescues, ryegrass, and bluegrasses.  Once this process starts it takes a few weeks of cooler cloudy days and nearly 2 inches of irrigation or rainfall to correct.  

Watering will help deter the onset of dormancy as once the plant begins going dormant it only takes a few days to set in.  Keeping an eye on the weather and forecast will often help plan for proper irrigation needs.  Once the temperature breaks 80 degrees with 3 days of dry and sunny weather the lawn begins struggling to maintain adequate moisture levels.  If watering begins in this early stage of dormancy the grass can maintain a greener color through the stressful period.  Also, different grasses react at different temperatures and moisture levels as well.  Lawn Doctor has been providing a new service this summer called HydraGuard to help lawns maintain moisture in their root systems.  This service consists of an organic humic nutrient spray to the lawn which attaches to the roots of the lawn and draws moisture to the root hairs from air and soil humidity.  This process helps lawns prevent the early stage of dormancy and give more time to begin watering once the temperatures and weather begin slowing plant growth.



Grubs are turf damaging insects that begin hatching from eggs left behind in the lawn from many types of beetles.  June beetles, Japanese beetles and masked chafers are most common beetles in the local area leaving behind eggs in the lawn during the month of July.  The thousands of hatching eggs then chew on grass roots resulting in extensive damage to the lawn.  This will result in large dead turf areas that can easily be picked up like sod from the lawn in late August through early October.  In severe cases grubs can devour thousands of square feet of lush green lawn in just a couple of weeks.




  For more watering and mowing suggestions please visit us online or feel free to contact us at Lawn Doctor of Antioch-Waukegan

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