![]() Remember, milky spore will only help your lawn if the problem is Japanese beetle grubs. How to tell if your lawn has Japanese beetle grubs But it will reduce the grub population below the damage threshold (10 to 12 grubs per square foot), thus preventing further damage to your lawn. Milky spore will never completely eradicate all grubs in your soil. And so the cycle continues for 10 or even 20 years, as long as there are grubs for the spores to infect. When the grub dies, the spores inside of it disperse into the soil to infect more grubs. As they reproduce, they turn the insect’s internal fluids to a milky consistency. Here’s how it works: The grub eats the spores, which reproduce inside of it. When Japanese beetle larvae (aka grubs) ingest the spores of this bacterium, they get a fatal disease known as milky disease or milky spore disease. Milky spore ( Paenibacillus popilliae) is a bacterium that has been used for Japanese beetle control since the 1940s. Water every area where you applied the milky spore product.Īs soon as you’ve watered the product into the soil, you’re free to walk on the grass and mow the lawn as usual. Set your sprinkler system or a spray nozzle on your garden hose to the gentlest spray setting possible, then water the lawn for about 15 minutes. Step 5: Water milky spore into the groundĪfter you’ve covered your lawn with the milky spore product, you need to water the whole lawn to help the milky spore soak into the soil, where it will reach the grubs. Set the spreader to the correct setting, then roll it across your lawn slowly to ensure even coverage. Here’s a video showing how to use a dispenser to apply milky spore powder:įor milky spore granules: The package of the specific product you buy should include instructions telling you which setting to use on your drop spreader. With a dispenser, simply tap it on the ground every 4 feet to release an appropriate amount of powder. You can spoon out each teaspoon by hand or use a lawn and garden dispenser to save yourself the stooping. If you fail to cover the whole lawn, the grubs can simply migrate from the treated area to an untreated area.įor milky spore powder: Release about 1 teaspoon of milky spore powder every 4 feet in a grid pattern, covering your entire lawn. Whether you’re using powder or granules, you want to cover your entire lawn with milky spore, not just the area showing signs of grub damage. Step 4: Cover the whole lawn with milky spore If using a drop spreader for milky spore granules: Park the spreader on a flat, even surface, make sure it’s dry, and fill the hopper with milky spore granules. Slowly pour your milky spore powder through the funnel into the top end of the tube. If using a lawn and garden dispenser for milky spore powder: Use a funnel to fill the dispenser. ![]() It’s so lightweight that the wind will carry it away if you try to broadcast it. Never use a broadcast spreader for milky spore. Since you have to apply milky spore all over your lawn, the easiest way to do it is to use a lawn and garden dispenser (a long, tube-shaped device with holes in the bottom that you can build yourself or find online for around $10) or a drop spreader. Step 3: Fill your spreading device with milky spore product ![]() Wear gloves, too, so you don’t get the substance on your hands and then transfer it to your face. So, it’s a good idea to put on safety goggles and a face mask before you apply milky spore. However, milky spore powder or granules can cause irritation if you get them in your eyes or mouth during application. Milky spore won’t harm any living thing other than Japanese beetle grubs. One of the benefits of organic pest control products like milky spore is that they’re completely non-toxic to humans, pets, and beneficial insects. This is another reason why fall, when temperatures are cooler, is the ideal time for milky spore applications. ![]() The ideal soil temperature for milky spore is between 60 and 70 degrees. You can apply milky spore in spring and summer, as well, because grubs are present pretty much any time the ground isn’t frozen. ![]() Grubs have to eat milky spore for it to infect them, so the best time to apply milky spore is in early fall when grubs feed most actively.
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