Quick answer: To get rid of grubs in your yard, first confirm you have enough to matter (about 10 or more per square foot). If you do, treat in late summer to early fall, when young grubs are small and near the surface: use beneficial nematodes for an organic option or a fast-acting curative grub killer. To stop next year’s grubs, apply a preventive product in late spring to early summer, before beetle eggs hatch, and water it in.
Do You Actually Have Grubs?
Signs: irregular brown patches that do not green up with water, turf that peels back like loose carpet because the roots are eaten, and skunks, raccoons, moles or birds tearing up the lawn at night or early morning.
The 1-square-foot test:
- Pick an area at the edge of a damaged patch, where green grass meets brown.
- Cut three sides of a 1 × 1 ft square about 2–3 in deep and fold the sod back.
- Count the C-shaped, creamy white grubs in the soil and roots.
- Check 3–5 spots around the yard.
| Grubs per sq ft | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0–5 | No treatment. A healthy lawn tolerates this. |
| About 6–9 | Treat only if the lawn is stressed, unirrigated, or animals are digging. |
| About 10 or more | Treatment is usually justified. |
Brown patches without grubs? Check for drought, dull mower blades, disease or fertilizer burn instead.
Timing Is Everything: The Grub Calendar
Most lawn grubs are the larvae of Japanese beetles, masked chafers, European chafers or June beetles. Adults lay eggs in midsummer, the young grubs feed hard near the surface in August and September, move deeper for winter, and feed briefly again in spring. Large spring grubs are hard to kill and do less new damage, so late summer is the main window for curing an infestation.
Option 1: Organic and Natural Grub Control
Beneficial nematodes (best organic option)
Microscopic Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes hunt grubs in the soil. They are living organisms, so handling matters:
- Apply in late summer to early fall when soil is warm (generally above about 55–60°F).
- Water the lawn before application, apply in the evening or on a cloudy day, and water again right after to wash them into the soil.
- Keep the soil moist for about two weeks.
- Use them before the expiration date; store them cool as directed.
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Milky spore
Milky spore disease affects only Japanese beetle grubs, takes several years to build up in the soil, and has given inconsistent results in university trials, especially in cooler regions. It will not control chafer or June beetle grubs.
Bt for beetle grubs
Products based on Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies galleriae target beetle grubs and are an option for organic programs. Apply to young grubs and water in.
Cultural controls that help
- Mow higher (3–4 in for cool-season grass) so the lawn tolerates more root feeding.
- Water deeply but less often; beetles favor lush, moist turf for laying eggs in July.
- Overseed thin areas in fall; see when to fertilize your lawn to help it recover.
Option 2: Chemical Grub Control
| Type | Common active ingredients | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preventive | Chlorantraniliprole; imidacloprid and other neonicotinoids | Late spring to early summer (about May–July), before eggs hatch | Long-lasting; must be watered in. Chlorantraniliprole has low toxicity to bees; neonicotinoids are toxic to pollinators, so mow flowering weeds such as clover first. |
| Curative | Trichlorfon; carbaryl | Late summer to early fall when damage appears | Fast but short-lived; water in right away. Less effective on large spring grubs. |
Granular grub products go down with the same spreader as fertilizer; see our best lawn spreaders and calibrate to the label rate.
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Safety: keep kids and pets off treated areas until the product is watered in and dry, never apply on pavement where it can wash into storm drains, and do not use lawn grub insecticides in vegetable beds unless the label allows it.
Grubs in the Vegetable Garden
- Hand-pick grubs when you dig or till and drop them in soapy water, or leave them out for birds.
- Apply beneficial nematodes to beds in late summer or spring when soil is warm.
- Rotate crops and avoid planting root crops right after breaking up old lawn, where grubs are often concentrated.
- Keep beds weeded; dense grassy weeds attract egg-laying beetles.
- Building new beds over lawn? Lay cardboard first; see how to fill a raised garden bed cheap.
Repairing Grub Damage
- Rake out dead turf once grubs are under control.
- Loosen the top inch of soil and add a thin layer of compost.
- Overseed in early fall (cool-season) or late spring (warm-season), or patch with sod.
- Keep seed moist until it is established, then feed on schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to kill grubs?
A curative insecticide such as trichlorfon or carbaryl, watered in right after application, works within days on young grubs in late summer.
How do I get rid of grubs naturally?
Apply beneficial nematodes in late summer to early fall, keep the soil moist, and strengthen the lawn with higher mowing and fall overseeding.
When is the best time to treat grubs?
Preventive products: late spring to early summer. Curative treatments: August to September, when grubs are small and near the surface.
Do grubs turn into Japanese beetles?
Many do. Japanese beetle grubs are among the most common lawn grubs, along with masked chafers, European chafers and June beetles.
Will grubs go away on their own?
Populations rise and fall, and a healthy lawn tolerates a few grubs. Heavy infestations usually return each year without treatment.
The Bottom Line
Count before you treat, act in late summer when grubs are small and shallow, and use preventive products only where grubs have been a repeat problem. Nematodes are the best organic choice; curative products work fastest. For other lawn pests, see our lawn insect control tips.
