Welcome to The Lawn Care Nut!
Grubs in the lawn can be a real problem, especially after a mild winter. Grubs damage lawns in every part of the country, from northern cool season lawns all the way down south to warm season lawns. Allyn had grub damage and had to resod parts of his lawn last year!
There are two ways to stop grubs in the lawn. You can prevent them early, or if you discover a problem later on, you can cure them. And that takes two different chemicals.
This product here, Imidaclorprid 2F is a preventative grub insecticide. This means it has to go down prior to the grubs causing an issue and it effectively stops them from doing any damage. In fact, if you apply according to the label, it will prevent grubs for up to 4 months which is plenty of time to protect your turf from grub damage.
Keep in mind, grubs are the larvae of various June beetles (June Bugs) the eggs are laid in the lawn through May, June and July, possibly into August. We recommend you apply imidacloprid in mid-May and get it watered in (must be watered in with ½” of rain or irrigation) and this will protect you from grubs through the months when they can cause damage.
This is the product that is cheapest and easiest to get, especially in this formulation which is the same one the professionals use.
This is a liquid concentrated product that you mix in water and spray out across the lawn as a liquid application. You will want to use a hand can or battery pump sprayer for this. Do NOT use a hose end sprayer like the Ortho Dial N Spray - it is not accurate enough and you will end up over or under applying.
We have 2 sizes: a 27.5 oz bottle and 1 gallon jug.
Most DIYers will not need a full gallon. The 27.5 oz bottle will be plenty for several years. Let’s do the coverage math for you:
The max rate for imidacloprid 2F is .6 fluid ounces per 1,000 sq ft. If you want to apply, you would mix .6 fluid ounces into 1 gallon of water in your sprayer, shake it up and this would be then sprayed across 1,000 sq ft of lawn area.
Looking at it this way, the 27.5oz gallon of imidacloprid will cover 45,000 sq ft! So this product would last you a VERY long time. Keep in mind though, it can be used to prevent other lawn insect problems. It works on chinch bugs for suppression and also mole crickets which are a problem in southern coastal areas. It can also be used to prevent lots of insect problems in your trees and shrubs.
When Allyn worked for TruGreen, they would use this on small ash trees to prevent emerald ash borer damage. That is just one example, there are many other plants that you can use it on listed on the label. In these instances you would soil drench the product according to label directions.
Download the Product Label Here
From the Manufacturer:
Imidacloprid 2F Select Termiticide/Insecticide is a multipurpose, non-repellent liquid concentrate that may be used as an insecticide and termiticide. It may be used on structures for protection because Imidacloprid 2F T/I Select creates a protective barrier that is long-lasting to successfully control termites of multiple species. It will also provide excellent control of ants. Imidacloprid 2F T/I Select provides a critical tool for professionals to protect ornamentals, turf, and structural property from damaging insects.
