I am planning on cuttings away the turf where the raised beds will go and using this turf in the bottom of the beds (with some organic-based compost on top). If there are larvae in the turf then will it affect my vegetables and should I treat the turf before I do this? If applications is made at any time other than September or October, we would recommend applying a follow up application in September to ensure any newly hatched grubs are also eradicated. Key Points It is unlikely to infest your pots, but they do eat roots of all sorts of plants. There are some other grubs though which can look similar which do like feasting on plants in pots, such as vine weevils. So vigilance on plant health is always key and investigate whenever there seems to be an unknown problem. Cannot tell you how disheartening it was to discover them I. The lawn this morning as in previous weeks the lawn was looking really healthy and green.

I would then lay a dark tarpaulin or dark plastic cover over an infected section of the lawn. If it was windy, I would peg it down.

Seed your new lawn. You will have to wait a few weeks extra, but you can guarantee your lawn will be free from pests when it is laid and you will get the benefit of a much better lawn in the long run. The way I can get rid is by pouring boiling water on them. I think the birds must eat them as some I have killed disappear from the flagstones. September is too early as the grubs have probably not even hatched yet, let alone started feeding. I would leave it until much later on in the year.

Damage From Larvae: The young crane fly larvae start to feed on the roots of grass, continuing throughout Winter and into Spring. These application windows coincide with the larvae being at a young and susceptible life stage and the soil temperature being above 12ºC, which is the minimum point the nematodes are at their most active in the soil. During the spring window the larvae will have grown to a stage where effective control of any type is significantly reduced. As a result it is important to note that the required application rate is higher for the spring window compared to the late summer into autumn window. The lawn may be used after application and the fertiliser, weed/moss killer applied as normal. The nematodes will not be affected.The garlic spray method does seem to have a good effect at encouraging the grubs to leave the lawn. However, if there is a huge population or the grubs have nowhere to go, this method may only move them around! Please note: these are a live product and have an expiry date usually about 2 weeks - this product is non returnable. Other steps that I’ve found can help are; reduce your watering regimen during the autumn, mow the lawn frequently, dethatch and collect grass cuttings. The below infographic is designed to inform the user as to the life stage of the organism throughout the year. So, if your lawn has been devastated this winter, don’t despair. Remember R.R.P … Reduce, Repair, Prevent. Follow these steps and you’ll have a great lawn this summer.