Lawn care
How to get rid of grubs in your lawn
Brown patches that peel up like carpet? You’ve likely got grubs, and timing your treatment is everything.
If sections of your lawn are turning brown and the dead turf lifts up like a loose rug, grubs are a prime suspect. These fat, C-shaped beetle larvae live in the soil and feed on grass roots, and by the time the damage shows, they’ve usually been at work for a while. The frustrating part is that treating grubs is almost entirely about timing, spray at the wrong point in their life cycle and even the right product underperforms. Here’s how to identify them and treat them the way that actually works.
How to know if you have grubs
A few telltale signs point to grubs rather than drought or disease:
Turf that peels up easily. Grubs sever the roots, so damaged sod rolls back like carpet with barely any resistance.
Spongy, irregular brown patches that don’t green up with watering, often in sunny areas first.
Animals digging up the lawn. Skunks, raccoons, and birds tear up turf to eat the grubs underneath, that secondary damage is often the giveaway.
The dig test. Cut a one-foot square of turf and peel it back. More than about 5 to 10 grubs per square foot usually means treatment is worthwhile.
Timing is the whole game
This is where most people go wrong. Grubs are easiest to control when they’re young and feeding near the surface, which means treating before or during egg hatch rather than after damage appears. For most regions that’s the May through mid-August window, timed ahead of the beetles’ peak egg-laying. Watching for adult beetle activity (like June beetles) in your yard is a good local cue. If you wait until the lawn is already browning, the grubs are large, deep, and much harder to kill.
The product for the job
Grubs Away Granular
A systemic granular insecticide (0.5% Imidacloprid) built for exactly this job. No mixing or spraying, you spread it with a regular lawn spreader, water it in, and the active ingredient moves into the soil and up through the grass roots, so grubs feeding below the surface ingest it. One 30 lb bag covers a standard residential lawn, and it controls 50+ turf pests beyond grubs, including mole crickets, chinch bugs, billbugs, and sod webworms.
1.4 to 1.8 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. · water in to activate
How to apply it
Measure your lawn (length × width) so you can apply the right amount, 1.4 to 1.8 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Spread evenly with a broadcast or drop spreader, calibrated to the right setting for uniform coverage.
Water it in. Irrigate after applying to move the Imidacloprid down into the soil and thatch where grubs feed, this step is essential for it to work.
Time it right. Apply between May and mid-August, before egg hatch, for the best control.
A few label rules to know
Grubs Away Granular is for lawns and landscape ornamentals, it’s not labeled for vegetable gardens or for use around fruit trees, so keep it out of edible areas. Don’t exceed the yearly limit of 80 pounds of product per acre. It works best when grass is actively growing so the roots take up the active ingredient. And as with any lawn insecticide, keep children and pets off the area until the granules are watered in and the lawn is dry.
Common questions
How do I know if my brown lawn is from grubs or something else?
The clearest test is whether the dead turf peels back easily, grubs sever the roots, so damaged sod lifts like a loose carpet. Other tells are spongy patches that don’t recover with watering, and animals like skunks or birds digging up the lawn to eat the grubs. To confirm, cut and lift a square foot of turf and count the grubs underneath.
When is the best time to treat for grubs?
Between May and mid-August, timed ahead of egg hatch, is the window for most regions. Grubs are easiest to control when they’re young and feeding near the surface. Treating after the lawn is already browning means the grubs are older, deeper, and harder to kill, so prevention beats reaction.
How much Grubs Away Granular do I need?
Apply 1.4 to 1.8 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Measure your lawn (length times width) to figure the total, one 30 lb bag covers a standard residential lawn. Don’t apply more than 80 pounds of product per acre in a year.
Do I have to water it in?
Yes. Watering after application is what moves the Imidacloprid into the soil and thatch where grubs feed. Without it, the granules just sit on the surface and the treatment won’t reach the grubs. Water in after spreading.
Is it safe to use where my pets play?
Follow the label: keep pets off the lawn until the granules have been watered in and the grass has dried. Since the product is watered down into the thatch and soil, pets can re-enter the treated area once it’s dry. Keep the bag stored out of reach of children and animals.
Can I use it in my vegetable garden?
No. Grubs Away Granular is labeled for lawns and landscape ornamentals, not for vegetable gardens or around fruit trees. Keep it out of any edible growing areas and use a product specifically labeled for those spaces instead.
Ready to stop grub damage before it starts?
Contact Agrisel to find a reseller carrying Grubs Away Granular for your lawn.