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  • From: nancy szerlag <szerlag@earthlink.net>
  • To: gardenwriters-on-gardening <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [gwl-g] Jap Beetle Defense
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 20:09:06 -0500

Title: Re: [gwl-g] Jap Beetle Defense
I have very few Japanese Beetles – squashed two this year. They love to lay their eggs in short grass that is kept moist so if you give your turf a buzz cut every week and irrigate regularly, you’re creating a haven for these insects. My grass is cut at 2-1/2 inches and I do not water it, yet it stays green all summer.  I fertilize  Turf Nurture in fall and spring at about half the recommended rate. This fertilizer is 70 percent organic and contains humic acid and beneficial bacteria along with carbos to feed the good bugs. It was develop for use on golf courses.  It also works well on trees shrubs and perennials. Sid’s carries it in the Chicago area.  

Nancy Szerlag


Over the last three to four years JB's have become less and less of an issue for us in the three locations we garden.  I suspect that one reason is that we pay particular attention to controlling the beetle larvae in the turf and try to make sure we don't grow roses on lawn edges.  JB's take advantage of the ability to lay eggs in the turf where the grubs develop and feed on the grass roots then emerge to feed as adults on any roses that are nearby.  It's a viscous cycle that takes time to break and brake.  When we do see the beetles during the season we use only spot treatments of Pyrethrum with PPB.  This is best done in late afternoon as the sunlight degrades this botanical insecticide very quickly.  If you aren't squeamish about chemicals Merit will give you good grub control when applied at the right time...but it will not show up as JB control until the following season since there won't be any grubs to mature into adults.  Merit should be applied to turf areas and you can probably get away with applications two years in a row then skip a year...or more.

Andrew Messinger
The Hampton Gardener

The Hampton Gardener is a Registered Trade Mark
(Published every Thursday in the Southampton Press)









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