Ok, so until now, I had no idea there was such a thing as a lawn physician. Biopsy, diagnosis, treatment plan, and cure all in one video. I’m a lawn geek and have been incredibly impressed not only with your knowledge, but your ability to disseminate it in layman’s terms. Love your channel. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us.
My 4 yr old was watching the grubs and just told me..... I wish we had issues..... he likes the bugs. He also just told me I really like watching this guy! I love it!
You my friend are a wealth of a homeowners needed lawn knowledge .You are my go to guy for info.and advice for lawn issues.Thanks for sharing your knowledge.saves myself time and money.
I’m amazing the way you tested the grass and explained the causes of bad conditions? I had a company for 21 years and never saw anything like that. You are very professional and honest. Congratulations 🎈
Hey Ginja, you have inspired me to up my lawn game. How about a video on how to take, and interpret, a soil test? From where exactly should I take the samples? When is it worth it to do multiple samples? Do you include the thatch layer in the sample? Who should I send the sample to for analysis? How do I treat the lawn given what I have learned? etc.. I would love to hear your take on all the ins and outs.
Sounds fun. I'll have to look into it. There are so many 3rd party companies now that do a full analysis and have all the explanations as well. I'll put this up on the white board. Thanks for reaching out.
Oh WOW I have had 2 different lawn guys that have killed my grass ! I need you to come to florida i have never seen my guys do these test on my lawn. Great video I can tell you love what you do.
Man, some area of my lawn ,I can pull a big patch ,but it is still green. I did aeration a week ago, and overseeded. Is it too late to apply insecticides. Waiting for reply. Thanks again...
Dude- great video!! Chock full of info. I follow many different “lawn guys” and you are fast becoming one of the best. Thanks for the info. Nate Dogg in Massachusetts
Love your channel Ginja! Being on a corner lot, which happens to be one of the largest lots in the neighborhood, I want to be the lawn to stand out! Your knowledge is helping me get there without paying for a service like everyone else. My lawn has been GINJA-FIED! 👍.
Ginja, I just found grubs in my lawn in northern Utah. I have a law care company coming to treat but I want to make sure 8m doing what I can to prevent them in the future as well as keep the lawn green throughout the year. The lawn is only 2 yrs old but has never been too green even with yearly treatment. What should i do to get deeper roots and avoid future bugs?
Here's my 2c. most turn insects become a problem because of debris or too much thatch. If you can control both of those that is the best preventive measure. I use the sun joe to remove the debris and use the sun joe scarifier attachment to help remove excess thatch. It's a process and won't be done over night. There are products out there like milky spore that introduce a spore into the lawn that targets grubs. Works well but you may need to do a few applications in the first year to get the spore to set in properly.
My first time watching your video was now and I have to tell you it was amazing. Informative and relatable. Kudos. I subscribed and I am now going to go see what else you have available to help me help myself fix my lawn. Thanx
Thank you for the great and helpful video. Help if possible. We have a Tall Fescue lawn in southern VA that looks great all year but the summer. We have many large, brown, really dead patches. I tried the pull test. Yep. The lawn has very shallow roots pretty much everywhere. We have a lawn company and they are not helping. :( I am trying all things you suggested but just did a watering test. The green part of lawn got like no water in the small cup in 25 mins. The brown part of the lawn got 1 inch of water in the small cup in 25 minutes. We only water 2 x per week. 25 mins. on each zone. I will check for grubs too. For now, two questions: 1. Could the brown be coming from overwatering? 2. How do we promote the grass to develop deeper roots? I read about Bountiful Harvest Bio Stimulant. Thoughts? Note: the grass was put in as sod about four years ago. We aerate and re-seed every Fall. Nothing is working. Thank you so much!
Sounds like you're doing a good job identifying the problems. Fescue should have 10" roots no problem. I would fix the sprinkler coverage issues. I would also checkout that bio stimulant. They take multiple apps.
Are shallow roots in clay soil usually from incorrect watering or are shallower roots just inevitable because of the density of the soil, many thanks for the videos love watching them and am learning loads many thanks
This is a fantastic question. Here's my opinion. I think there are many variables involved and can vary case to case. I think it's easy for us to blame the situation on soil. I think its convenient to think this way because it solves problems. My theory is even if we did believe that soil causes shallow roots it would be reasonable to also think that we can condition the soil to accept the roots. I know this is probably not what you're wanting to hear. In this particular case I feel the soil is fantastic. It has a sandy loam and at the bottom layers a clay that is accepting water without any issues. I feel the root cause, no pun intended, is most likely the sod's thatch and root layer most likely had already started growing upward from when it was cut and laid. I don't see this issue very often but I've seen it enough to know that some times the sod doesn't take root. I don't feel the soil in this case made it better or worse. IMO the only fix for this lawn is quarterly aeration during the growing months, overseed in the spring and fall, additional vitamin B and phosphorus coupled with micro nutrients every 8 weeks, spring mycorrhiza shot, soil conditioners every 3 months, and a spring and fall overseed for the next two seasons. It won't be easy but its doable.
Many Thanks for replying, I am here in the UK so access to lawn products is greatly diminished as land is so expensive gardens are smaller than in the US , I assume the only real way to improve the clay is to aerate regularly and top dress with a sandy/compost mix every year to try and break the clay up with organic matter and try to keep it moist my grass is green weed free but the roots only go max two inches some areas are less. its a fine fescue cool season lawn. I apologise for asking so many questions but its hard to find advice this side of the pond !
Anytime Techassyst. Keep studying. There are commonly ways around these "chemicals". Vitamine B and phosphorus will help root development. You can commonly get vitamin b in liquid horse supplements. They're pretty inexpensive as well.
Master Lawn Ginja, can you please tell me where you purchased that lawn SOIL PROBE? I have looked all over the net and can't find the one you use. Thanks for your videos and education in detail.
This is the exact one I use www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IBRZ52/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007IBRZ52&linkCode=as2&tag=pestandlawngi-20&linkId=abc10e8a00d272424f298a258ec08232
Got one, and it's my new favorite lawn tool! Been using it for weekly water depth in soil and it's a blast to to use, besides showing your own soil, thatch and water depth in different areas of the lawn.
I'm OCD methodical, so I really appreciate the methods as you go through each issue in this video and how you explain them step by step. I'm a little east of Richmond, VA (although I've been through Utah on vacation...loved it! What would you suggest for getting into this field professionally? I currently do roof cleaning and eventually I'm going to be old enough to not want to carry around heavy ladders and walk on roofs. Roof top work is usually ranked #3 or #4 on the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the USA so eventually I'm going to want to keep my feet on the ground, and lawn care (not mowing, but things like you do in this video - repair, restoration, weeding & feeding) really spark my interest. Short of becoming a full blown horticulturalist, what training would you recommend? The professional training I took for roof cleaning allows me to talk circles with facts around 95% of the competition because they received most of their training via UA-cam and forums and call themselves professionals. I'd like to be able to do the same above and beyond with professional knowledge in this field of expertise. I'd appreciate any direction you can give me. Thanks in advance!
All great questions. It all starts with understanding proper watering and soil ph. Check out the free online courses from Penn state university. Tons of free courses in turf management. Ultimately I leaned most doing and asking people until I found the right answers that could be backed up.
Trampolines attract worms via vibrations. The mole's primary source of food are worms. Voles are squatters and inhabit vacated mole and gopher runs. Boing! Great channel
Awesome video. I have been learning a lot while watching, but I did have a couple of questions. Can you overseed after applying these products or do you need to wait weeks versus days? If you can overseed should you overseed first or put the insecticide down first? Thank you for all you, I know you are helping me get a plan in place.
oddly you saying ok guys we got "'them holes with the voles" and laughing made me crack up. needed that laugh - keep up the good videos. you answered many questions in the video and especially with the comment & answer below about overseeding. thanks, ill now, in large part because of your help, will core aerate- curative and preventative grub control - and then overseed in about a week after (turf type tall fescue : chochise III) Thanks!
I found out I had grubs when an armadillo showed up and tore up most of my struggling patches. Good to know. I thought it was just this record-breaking hot summer in the South.
Hi Silvia, secondary kills are always a concern. The insecticides I listed shouldn't have secondary kills to them other than insects. They do not damage nematode activity or earth worms. Other insects will die if they are in contact when the solution is applied.
Hey bud I am rehabbing a lawn that was ignored for 4 years and was built over an old corn farm. My ph and soil testing shows me very heavy on phosphates and phosphorous and Potash. Extremely deficient with nitrogen. PH started very acidic but is now back to a 6.0 so almost there. Shallow roots, lots of weeds,many types of grass were planted with a landscapers mix (I use KB only). I have an aerator and have been adding nutrients but I need help still and fast !
I have been doing soil testing. Way low on nitrogen. When I did the math for my yard I need 900lbs of nitrogen, 60lbs of P and 30lbs of K. So my soil is way off.
I used lemon soap as I strucked to draw grubs to surface. Did another of digging and over seeding after a good dose of seven during late fall and now lawn looks like a golf course/baseball field. I was actually looking for mole crickets which was initially the problem that is when I discovered grubs. I have seen a couple of new nest in different area and will treat that as well. I have plenty of worms I don't want to harm. I noticed when you showed grubs patches, there were no worms. Did the grubs have anything to do with that?
Great video Ginja, lots of good info. I previously had a grub problem, and when I did I also had moles, which were " grubbing down" on the grubs. I have a way of getting to rid of moles, it's just not too humane. Ginja, are the grubs attracting the vols ? Thanks for the lawn tips!
Hey Ginja, have two questions, one, is it too late to put down a preventative for poa annua here in Michigan? and two, I was out in the yard reseeding a couple of small bare spots and found a grub, do I need to treat my lawn this fall still or wait till spring? I bow to your mighty knowledge o great sage!
The debate behind being too early or too late is if the pre emergent is sensitive to cold weather and temperatures. There are many chemicals that break down due to cold weather. From the research I've done and some of the reps I've spoken to I'm under the impression that prodiamine does not break down in cold weather. I recommend putting it down early fall and early spring before the ground temps hit 50 degrees. This will help make sure the pre emergents stay active. It's important to remember that pre emergents disrupt weed seed germination. They do not kill the weed seed. The seed has to start the germination process for it to work. As for treating for grubs the time depends on the type of insect the grubs come from. Check out the Michigan state extensions department for suggestions on when to treat in your local area. No bowing necessary hahaha.
@@pestandlawnginja if I try prodiamine and use my 2 gallon tank sprayer how much do I lay down? Do I just spray till the grass is wet or do I saturate the ground? Never tried this before but I really want to take more control of my lawn care.
Watch todays video and it will show you. You need to calibrate your handheld sprayer. Mark out an area and spray it with water. The spray needs to be even and consistent. Since everything is mapped out per 1000ft2 on herbicide labels I would spray 1/4 gallon over 250ft2 on your driveway. This will show you proper technique. You need to use all liquid.
We live in Northeast Wisconsin and started noticing large areas of dying grass with chunks that looked dug out here and there. All around the missing chunks of grass it is dying. We have nearly 4 acres and our lushest lawn has always been in the front of the house and side yard. Much of the rest is mostly sand and clay. What type of pest can cause small chunks of grass to appear dug up all while killing the grass around it?
I'm sorry I didn't see this comment. Great question. I've seen both insects and rodents do damages like this. It's best to get in the lawn and poke around and see if you can find hard evidence of what the causation is.
I used koppert beneficial nematodes to get my grubs under control. There was quite an epidemic here in Macomb county Michigan about 15 years back. Just wished I'd had the neighbors get in on it, because their lawns were wiped out the next year.
Amazing how that happens. Well done using beneficial nematodes. Here where I live we have grubs that come from Billbugs. A lot of grubs come from japanese beetles. Super interesting subject.
Love your video's, I've sprayed for grubs. My question is I have some small dead spots. Their are area's around that brown spot that I can put up. The only thing is that grass is fairly green. Will it re root and be alright? I hate to pull it all up and reseed. Thanks, Tom
I started freaking out yesterday doing research and realizing that I've been over watering my back and front yard everyday twice a day for 8 min. Each time since beginning of spring, obviously I'm brand new to the lawn care ecosystem , I got overwatering issues, got chinch bugs and brown spots, today I put down granular pesticide and water it in with liquid fungicide. Should I expect my lawn to get better and stronger? Or should I fertilize it to push grow ? I'm in Texas dealing with bermuda grass on May 15th 2020
Ginja! Im going to be scarifying and overseeding this weekend ive noticed i have some minor grub damage that i thought was dog problems at first and caught it being the grubs kinda late Since its oct and winter is approaching within the next 2 months should i just apply the cyonara for now until next spring? Also is it safe to apply the cyonara and seed at the same time?
depends on if you have japanese beetle based grubs or billbug grubs. in either case I would use a curative like cyonara and seed at the same time. I'd consider putting down milky spore as well this fall and next spring.
Hi Hit Man. The fertilizer portion will be different depending on your area. if you're seeding you want to avoid heavy doses of nitrogen so as an industry standart a 10 10 10 or 11 11 11 is recommended at lower doses meaning 3 lbs per 1000 sq ft.
Generally, shallow roots is due to daily watering. In this video specifically, I think he is aerating mostly to feed nutrients to the grass and to get the insecticide working as fast as possible. To avoid shallow roots, do heavier waterings, less often.
Love your channel. Here is what I am dealing with, moss in the lawn is taking over. How can I kill it and do I have to rake it out and what is causing this to happen this year? I did recently kill off a large patch , raked it up and tilled in some gypsum along with compost and lime. Since it is winter here in MD I was going to wait until March to seed. What are your thoughts on this?
Great question Nancy! The issue has to do with moisture. chances are you have a clay soil that is holding onto moisture and not letting it pass. This is common for lawns that have heavy shade. You need to manage your watering schedule and frequency. You want 6" to 8" of water saturation in the soil and water no more than 2 to 3 times per week. Frequent aeration will help. I recommend using a scarifier spring and fall. That is the primary issue. The secondary issue is how to get rid of the moss. Ferrous sulfate iron is your best bet. Be careful using it as it does stain concrete. keep it on the grass. I would highly recommend a soil test with cec values so you can see what elements your low on and attack those so you can balance out the soil.
You talked about watering and it looks like they had a poor watering system and I thought you said Daily Watering caused the shallow roots. Would you recommend watering 30 minutes every other day per zone?
Hey Mickie. The overall watering was ok..... My issue with the overall watering is that the soil wasn't wet. It was damp but not wet. This generally tells me that the water has been sitting on the top layers of the soil and being used up by the grass. Grass IMO will be conditioned to what we do. In this instance I feel that the roots have no incentive to dig deep. With my own lawn I water 3 days max during the hot months and 2 days a week max during the rest of the season. My watering recommendation isn't about time its about how many inches of water go down per week. For instance, during the hot months in my area you would need 1.5" to 1.75" of water per week to keep up with evaporation. On my controller this takes almost 2 hours of water per station 3 times per week. I have hunter MD slow flow heads. On the person's controller across the street, who has rainbird heads, it would take 45 minutes per station three times per week. The time is only relative to the output. To figure out your output you would need to setup some like sized tupperware, tuna cans etc between each sprinkler head in each zone and run a 20 min cycle, measure the amount of water in each tupperware / tuna can and record the data. Long story short, more minutes less days.
Hey ginga! Been following your whole series of lawn care videos. Very informative! I dig it. What would you recommend as a good product for grub control ?
Hey Morgan. Check the description area of the video. I've listed all the products I recommend for grub control with a direct link to amazon. Hope that helps.
Looks like I just needed to wait a couple days to get my answer about this instead of reaching out on Facebook, but thanks for answering on Facebook even though you had this in the pipeline.
I may have missed it, but how do you get the grass roots to grow down deep? Watering deep 2 or 3 times a week and aerating doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. I also just found a grub today while installing some Belgium block around a garden in CT mid-October. Would you recommend treating for grubs this late in the season?
some species of grass likes to creep. to re establish, if you've already tried changing watering habits and softening the soil, would be to overseed a new cultivar of grass after a thorough power rake and aeration.
@@pestandlawnginja thanks for the reply. I have blue, Fescue, and rye. How do you recommend softening the soil? I have sandy loam, according to the soil test results I had received.
There's a couple on here. Most of the customer issues I deal with are water related and aren't quiet as exciting. I am going to do a followup on a few of them in the near future. Stay tuned. Thanks for commenting and watching Kellz 9
This is a great question. From the studies I've done they claim both these chemicals have minimal impact on earthworms. The only insecticide I've even read about having an adverse reaction, not even sure I believe it, is carboryl 4L. It's the most basic contact spray and it only lasts a few hours before the active ingredient has completed its cycle. Interesting stuff. Thanks for asking.
Sandy: (with heavy Scottish brogue) Carl, I want you to kill all the gophers on the course. Carl: Correct me if I'm wrong, Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers, they'll lock me up and throw away the key.
It’s early September in Maryland and I was just thatching and found active grubs even though I threw down grub ex this year. My question is, can I do a full dethatch, aeration and then seed and fertilize soon or do I need to make sure grubs are gone first? When is it ok to seed?
I have a 8ft by 15 ft sink hole that is forming from removing an old tree stump. Would you use top soil to fill or fill with sand 1st then top soil and seed?
I would do a blended sand and top soil. probably 40% sand and 60% top soil. Sand is great for compaction but not great for holding nutrients. In the long run you'll want something that will hold the nutrients and that's where top soil is great. This way you'll get the best of both worlds.
Should you put a grub control down every year? When should you put a grub control down? (Kentucky bluegrass in Nebraska) I usually wait until I see a problem but it seems I have grubs even when I'm not seeing the yellowing or obvious problems.
This is a great question. The answer will depend on your local area and the weather. Grubs go into feeding at different times in different climates. It also depends on the type of insect you're dealing with. In my local area we deal with Billbugs where as you're most likely dealing with the japanese beetle. My suggestion to everyone is to check their local extensions department, an extension to the agriculture department, and get their advice based on longitudinal data from your local area. Here's a link to your local extension department and an article about grub control: lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/2013/Grubs.shtml
Hi Ginja, love your very informative and entertaining videos. I have learned so much! Am determined to get a green lawn back. I live on the Maine Coast and we have had nearly drought conditions all summer. I have not been good about taking care of the lawn as it wasn't healthy in the first place. The crabgrass pretty much took over in August. I sat down and hand dug as much of it out as I could, and have been applying topsoil to level it out and fill in the bare spots (using the back of the rake like your video -- works great!), in preparation for seeding. Now I find that the dead grass is not due to the drought, but to grubs! The two products for grub control that is readily available here is Grubex and Milky Spore. What can you advise about these products, or should I try to find the actual same products you show, probably on line. Many thanks.
Hey Mary! Thanks for reaching out. I wasn't aware of either of these products. I researched a bit and here's what I can tell you. The active ingredient in Grubex is classified as a non-repellent. Most non repellents have a slow kill and not a fast kill. Many of them also work systemically, in return the insect would commonly need to eat the grass first. The milky spore is very interesting. Its a preventive biological control agent. It can take 1 to 2 years before the organic spore has enough kick in the soil to do what it needs to do to kill the larvae. IMO if I had a current insect problem I would apply the fastest knock down agent I could find. If you have a tendency to get grubs I would also apply either one of the above products. Just understand that the milky spore needs to be applied at regular increments up to 1 to 3 years.
Tracy S very good question. Yes, this will also work with other plants. The imidicloprid works systemically. The only problem with using a systemic only is that they take a while to get into the plant and that's why I like to add the contact spray.
Awesome video! I always learn a ton. You showed here the sandy soil being a potential problem with the watering. I'm planning to do a sand-leveling project this fall. Is that a problem if I don't have an irrigation system? I'm in western PA and have a pretty lush lawn of mostly KBG, but it's very bumpy. I watched your other videos about leveling the lawn with sand. My lawn treatment guy said to be careful as sand will drain the water away too fast without a proper irrigation system. What are your thoughts?
Hey Regis! sounds like a fun project. To answer all your question the answer will depend on the base layer of soil you have. if your primary soil is clay or top soil you don˜t have anything to worry about. Iṽe gone super agressive with my soil and I˜ve been pretty happy with it. no wash out and things are going really well.
Ginja, I have a question: in one of your videos you suggested the RTF seed from Barrenburg, does that seed really work? If so, can I overseed my current TTTF lawn with it? I currently use the vigoro TF RTF, but it doesn’t self repair as advertised. Please advise
Pest and Lawn Ginja thanks a lot. I bought a 25 lbs bag, I will drop it and pray for the best. I just did my lawn repair, but I still have a lot of bare spots. I usually slice seed, but elected to just drop the seed with a spreader this time around.
Hey Ginja, awesome video as always I am a lawn noob. My lawn is riddled with all sorts of weeds and I was hoping to understand from you what is the best weed killer to use before I resort to tenacity. I have already put weed and feed down, but does not seem to help.
Is the only solution for shallow roots over seeding? Would infrequent proper watering help to encourage them to reach? Additionally what about more PK fert? For their health? And micro nutes to help?
It's not the only solution. In this case I suspect the grass is genetically prone to creep on top. It was a consistent issue through the entire lawn. You're idea on overall health and water management is spot on.
Hey Renee. this might surprise you but rolling original juicy fruit gum into a worm shape is a nice organic control method. It's important to remember that moles eat worms. You're next step is to use Talprid mole bait. My suggestion is to be 100% positive its moles. this solution will not work for gophers. Gophers leave open visible holes, moles leave mounds of dirt with no visible hole. Hope that helps. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002B9COD4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002B9COD4&linkCode=as2&tag=pestandlawngi-20&linkId=770240a575798a5a3552413310540e7b
I'm having isolated short root problem in wasatch lawn. Pulls up like carpet, or sheets of pizza. Still green though. Only water 3 per week during the heat, half inch each time. Followed local water guide. Only once did I find black worm. Other times no insects. I've fert on schedule. De thatch last year. Core aerate 2 to 1 times a year. Any idea? Should I RIP out the spots and re seed?
Makes me wonder what species of grass you have. This doesn't happen very often but when it does its really difficult to change. IMO the best thing to do is to aerate and over seed on a regular basis. I feel that power raking helps. The tough part is the grass has created a thatch layer of roots above the soil.
@@pestandlawnginja northern mix of rye, TTF, mostly KBG. I over sead last year after 20+ year old lawn likely first ever power rake. I also core aerated twice last year, and will core aerate this spring.
Do you know what grass is the dominant grass? Commonly when I see a shallow root problem the way you're describing it is because the rye has taken over.
hmmmm. During the late fall I would aerate it a few times over and drop grass seed. I would allow the seed to sit over the winter. Some people will disagree with me on this one saying the seed will die over the winter. There will be some die back, but in my opinion we will get some good organic growth out of the grass seen in the spring. As long as you do this when the daytime temps are permanently below 55 degrees the seed won't start to germinate. What kind of soil do you have? Are you supplementing the grass with phosphorus to help stimulate root growth? Is there anything you are doing to help stimulate root growth?
Hey frank. I wouldn't peel the grass up. There have been plenty of times the grubs have been overwintering and have not caused damage yet. I would do your insecticide treatment and I would followup with a fertilizer high in Nitrogen phosphorus and potassium. I'd also hit it with mycorrhiza and micro nutrients. Hopefully this will force enough growth to help repair some of the damaged areas. You'll find out in the weeds to come what areas will need to be replaced.
So here’s how I use the probe. I put my body weight on it. How far it goes is commonly an indication of how much water is present in the soil. I dealt we want 6”-8” of water saturation ie a 6-8” plug. In your case I’d recommend increasing your watering habits and try again
It’s my understanding that pentra bark is formulated for woody plants for lenticel penetration/absorption. Grasses and other herbaceous plants species do not have lenticels. Is use of this product overkill? Wouldn’t use of standard adjuvants be cheaper and more effective?
Hey Ginja, I want to be proactive and preventative w grub control. I've put out Duocide by Anderson's. Is being preventative mean a treatment each month thru September? (I'm in Georgia) or is it a one time treatment ?
Hey there. Thanks for the comment. The best and fastest way is to make sure your water plan is 2 to 3 days per week max encouraging deep watering. Aeration and overseed every spring and fall for the next two seasons
Good morning Steven. Curative granular for insects shouldn't disrupt the seed. If you can avoid doing it that's always best but if you're in a bind its better to do it.
Hi Ginja! We can find many articles about Lambda-cyhalothrin (Cyonara), claiming as not effective, because the active ingredient binds with organic material and will not move down to where the grubs are feeding. What is your experience?
Cyonara is a quick release and designed to hang above the soil. It does not penetrate and sink by where the roots are. I use it as a quick release and nothing else. My long term is the imidicloprid which indeed sinks below the soil surface and is taken up through the roots and into the plant. As for binding with organic material........ debatable. I still preach that most materials can be bound up in the layer most people call thatch, which is most commonly a reference to mismanage mulch that hasn't broken down. I have had few issues with my concentrations being bound up. I use these solutions on thousands of lawns and have little to not issues with solution failure. I will do a followup on this lawn to show that it indeed works. Great questions. Thanks for asking.
CouldShallow roots and thatch is primarily caused the dirt under your grass being to compacted when your house is built? Can it be fix by Replace the top 12in of you dirt with soil.
Compaction can definitely cause shallow root issues. I commonly probe the soil to see if that's an issue. Its most common around concrete areas. However with that said I don't find many of them that would cause this level of shallow roots.
What's your favorite product to fight grubs? Would longer watering sessions once or twice a week fix shallow roots? Lastly is it ok to bring warm season grass out of dormancy or will it causs damage down the line? Asking thoss questions since my grass isn't vibrant, I always bring patches of grass pulled due to per activity and I have found grubs on occasion.
aceleprine by syngenta is the best overall grub preventive product on the market today. shallow roots can be caused by daily water. sometimes its just the species of grass. I find that dethatching it, thinning it out, aeration and overseeding with a better species is the quickest and best overall way remedy a problem.
Hey I really found this video informative and entertainjng! Great work! Thanks a bunch! For moles (never had any voles) I started with diazinon to kill the bugs the moles were eating but in the end I wound up using used cat litter. Put it right down the holes. Moles hate cats. I wonder if it would work for voles too.
Tried out nitrolime to get rid of leatherjacket larvea, but should also work on grubs. Should give a good feed, lime, pre emergent herbicide control, grubcontrol, and it is dirt cheap. Never hear about nitrolime on the youtubes. Is it illegal in the US for use on residential laws?
Hey ginga I had a question on watering,recently after aerating my lawn I realized that I have shallow roots and grubs . I treated for grubs but also have new seed . Before seeding I soaked lawn pretty good down to 8-10” should I continue daily watering until new seed is established then water 2 times a week. Also have new lawn in back yard been watering 2-3 times a day but now temps have been much cooler at what point do I back off . Similar situation in the back lawn ,over seeded with JGBBU
Thanks for reaching out. I like to water daily for the first 3 to 4 weeks. The first two weeks I water less minutes multiple times per day. Week 3 i water one in the night and once in the day. Week 4 once daily. Minutes will depend on how saturated the soil gets. I don't like it swampy just damp.
Pest and Lawn Ginja thanks for your reply as for shallow root problem do you recommend anything to help get those roots to go down such as mycorrhizae or essentials 101 or will will proper watering be the fix once new grass is established
@@jayteixeira5014 watch my playlist this is my lawn. I'm dealing with shallow roots at my new house. The essentials helps with overall health. Mycorrhiza helps with root spanning and nutritional uptake. The watering 2 to 3 times a week stresses the roots to go down.
Thanks for watching today's video. Check out the description to see the products I used today. If you're looking for the best treatments for your lawn, check out my favorite products:
Fertilizer
🛒 Propeat Fertilizer
(Home Depot): tinyurl.com/vfmrs480
Yard Equipment
🛒 Sun Joe Scarifier and dethatcher (REQUIRES 12Gaugae Extension Cord)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2MPTHQG
🛒 12gauge 100ft extension cord
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2MQ7hn3
🛒 Thatch Rake
Amazon (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/rimz6luc
🛒 Spyker hand held spreader
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3jAMP6V
🛒 Levelawn
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/31Ry6e9
🛒 Rain Gauge 10 pack
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3dWEoQU
🛒 Thermometer (Taylor digital thermometer)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/30fvZ7v
🛒 FlowZone Typhoon 2V
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3rH6ncR
DoMyOwn (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/423najqv
🛒 FlowZone Storm Backpack Sprayer
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3aTOeSt
DoMyOwn (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/53g8qmog
🛒 Solo Handheld Sprayer 2 Gallon w/ fan nozzle
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2O2ApHy
Herbicides for Cool Season Grass
🛒 Speedzone (For hard to kill weeds)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2UkBVpC
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/y3emhy5a
🛒 T-Zone Herbicide (For hard to do weeds)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2ZWLy3L
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/y4tqhy3o
🛒 Tenacity (Crabgrass and annual grass control)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2L9xzP0
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/y2go983a
🛒 Non-ionic Surfactant (to be purchased with Tenacity)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2LduNIk
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/y653upkf
🛒 Methylated Seed Oil Duo Stick (Purchase with quinclorac products like drive xlr8)
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/yxt5q2zo
🛒 Drive XLR8 Quinclorac (annual grass killer / crabgrass killer)
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/48b8jssy
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2ZWZI4N
🛒 Quinclorac 1.5L (annual grass killer / crabgrass killer)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/31ywx53
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/m48nud7m
Herbicides Warm Season grass types (READ LABEL FOR GRASS TYPE / WEED TARGET)
🛒 Weed Free Zone (general weed killer)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3aPRdeB
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/4tlraqeq
🛒 Dismiss NXT (annual grass killer)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3qbtBaB
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/10xoaovn
🛒 Certainty (annual grass killer/crabgrass killer)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/3d0Lt4c
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/14o52u3i
Bug Sprays
🛒 Demand CS (Great to control most pests inside and out)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2muP9Ue
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/v133017a
🛒 Transport mikron (Great for ant control and general pest)
Amazon (PAID LINK): amzn.to/2ntfDW8
Domyown (PAID LINK): tinyurl.com/2de4vs6f
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links marked as “PAID LINK” are affiliated.
I'd like to know where you got the core sampler. I see a lot on Amazon but none appear as good as yours.
Ok, so until now, I had no idea there was such a thing as a lawn physician. Biopsy, diagnosis, treatment plan, and cure all in one video. I’m a lawn geek and have been incredibly impressed not only with your knowledge, but your ability to disseminate it in layman’s terms. Love your channel. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us.
Thanks 🙏 love it when people get it and apply it
My 4 yr old was watching the grubs and just told me..... I wish we had issues..... he likes the bugs. He also just told me I really like watching this guy! I love it!
Hahaha. Nobody wants the grubs other than fisherman ;)
BEST video! So comprehensive! This is the issue for newbies-trying to diagnose WHY the lawn looks like crap. Thank You Thank You!!
You’re welcome !
You my friend are a wealth of a homeowners needed lawn knowledge .You are my go to guy for info.and advice for lawn issues.Thanks for sharing your knowledge.saves myself time and money.
Wow, thanks
I’m amazing the way you tested the grass and explained the causes of bad conditions? I had a company for 21 years and never saw anything like that. You are very professional and honest. Congratulations 🎈
Thank you so much for the compliment. I've spent a good decade developing my process
Hey Ginja, you have inspired me to up my lawn game. How about a video on how to take, and interpret, a soil test? From where exactly should I take the samples? When is it worth it to do multiple samples? Do you include the thatch layer in the sample? Who should I send the sample to for analysis? How do I treat the lawn given what I have learned? etc.. I would love to hear your take on all the ins and outs.
Sounds fun. I'll have to look into it. There are so many 3rd party companies now that do a full analysis and have all the explanations as well. I'll put this up on the white board. Thanks for reaching out.
I love how you pay such attention to detail!! You're the best lawn service out there absolutely!
Thanks! Miss you guys
I don’t have grass and I’m watching this cause your very good at your job
Thanks for the support! appreciate you watching and commenting
Oh WOW I have had 2 different lawn guys that have killed my grass ! I need you to come to florida i have never seen my guys do these test on my lawn. Great video I can tell you love what you do.
ooofff, yoly that's no fun. i'm a man on a mission trying to save the world one lawn at a time ;)
Man I love these videos. So informative and you do an amazing job of showing all the steps needed to diagnose lawn issues. Thanks for doing this.
You're welcome Charlie!
Man, some area of my lawn ,I can pull a big patch ,but it is still green. I did aeration a week ago, and overseeded.
Is it too late to apply insecticides. Waiting for reply. Thanks again...
@@rugensclement4356 I would throw down some curative insecticide like a bifenthrin active ingredient
Dude- great video!! Chock full of info. I follow many different “lawn guys” and you are fast becoming one of the best. Thanks for the info.
Nate Dogg in Massachusetts
Too kind. Thank you so much
Love your channel Ginja! Being on a corner lot, which happens to be one of the largest lots in the neighborhood, I want to be the lawn to stand out! Your knowledge is helping me get there without paying for a service like everyone else. My lawn has been GINJA-FIED! 👍.
hahaha Ginja-Fied. You may have just started something
That was excellent and it’s obvious you know your business; thank you very much!
Awesome video... I have Grubbs moles and voles .... Great coverage on how to deal with all those things. Keep these visits coming. Thanks man
Alliston Rental, sorry to hear you also have the trifecta issue hahaha. What's up with that? Now go get em and slay that lawn.
Ginja,
I just found grubs in my lawn in northern Utah. I have a law care company coming to treat but I want to make sure 8m doing what I can to prevent them in the future as well as keep the lawn green throughout the year. The lawn is only 2 yrs old but has never been too green even with yearly treatment. What should i do to get deeper roots and avoid future bugs?
Here's my 2c. most turn insects become a problem because of debris or too much thatch. If you can control both of those that is the best preventive measure. I use the sun joe to remove the debris and use the sun joe scarifier attachment to help remove excess thatch. It's a process and won't be done over night. There are products out there like milky spore that introduce a spore into the lawn that targets grubs. Works well but you may need to do a few applications in the first year to get the spore to set in properly.
My first time watching your video was now and I have to tell you it was amazing. Informative and relatable. Kudos. I subscribed and I am now going to go see what else you have available to help me help myself fix my lawn. Thanx
Thanks Mel! Slay that lawn!
Really like listening to you. Very informative and clear. You explain and show what you mean which is really a plus. Thank you
I appreciate that! Glad it was helpful!
What a great video! I like how I continue to pick up great tips every time I watch one of your vids. Awesome stuff Ginja!
Thanks for watching my vids. appreciate the feedback.
Thank you for the great and helpful video. Help if possible. We have a Tall Fescue lawn in southern VA that looks great all year but the summer. We have many large, brown, really dead patches. I tried the pull test. Yep. The lawn has very shallow roots pretty much everywhere. We have a lawn company and they are not helping. :( I am trying all things you suggested but just did a watering test. The green part of lawn got like no water in the small cup in 25 mins. The brown part of the lawn got 1 inch of water in the small cup in 25 minutes. We only water 2 x per week. 25 mins. on each zone. I will check for grubs too. For now, two questions: 1. Could the brown be coming from overwatering? 2. How do we promote the grass to develop deeper roots? I read about Bountiful Harvest Bio Stimulant. Thoughts? Note: the grass was put in as sod about four years ago. We aerate and re-seed every Fall. Nothing is working. Thank you so much!
Sounds like you're doing a good job identifying the problems. Fescue should have 10" roots no problem. I would fix the sprinkler coverage issues. I would also checkout that bio stimulant. They take multiple apps.
@@pestandlawnginja - Thank you so much. Definitely going to work on it. Thanks for your help and videos. Super helpful.
@@nicolechaplain4149 you're so welcome! Have a great weekend.
Are shallow roots in clay soil usually from incorrect watering or are shallower roots just inevitable because of the density of the soil, many thanks for the videos love watching them and am learning loads many thanks
This is a fantastic question. Here's my opinion. I think there are many variables involved and can vary case to case. I think it's easy for us to blame the situation on soil. I think its convenient to think this way because it solves problems. My theory is even if we did believe that soil causes shallow roots it would be reasonable to also think that we can condition the soil to accept the roots. I know this is probably not what you're wanting to hear.
In this particular case I feel the soil is fantastic. It has a sandy loam and at the bottom layers a clay that is accepting water without any issues. I feel the root cause, no pun intended, is most likely the sod's thatch and root layer most likely had already started growing upward from when it was cut and laid. I don't see this issue very often but I've seen it enough to know that some times the sod doesn't take root. I don't feel the soil in this case made it better or worse.
IMO the only fix for this lawn is quarterly aeration during the growing months, overseed in the spring and fall, additional vitamin B and phosphorus coupled with micro nutrients every 8 weeks, spring mycorrhiza shot, soil conditioners every 3 months, and a spring and fall overseed for the next two seasons. It won't be easy but its doable.
Many Thanks for replying, I am here in the UK so access to lawn products is greatly diminished as land is so expensive gardens are smaller than in the US , I assume the only real way to improve the clay is to aerate regularly and top dress with a sandy/compost mix every year to try and break the clay up with organic matter and try to keep it moist my grass is green weed free but the roots only go max two inches some areas are less. its a fine fescue cool season lawn. I apologise for asking so many questions but its hard to find advice this side of the pond !
Anytime Techassyst. Keep studying. There are commonly ways around these "chemicals". Vitamine B and phosphorus will help root development. You can commonly get vitamin b in liquid horse supplements. They're pretty inexpensive as well.
Master Lawn Ginja, can you please tell me where you purchased that lawn SOIL PROBE? I have looked all over the net and can't find the one you use. Thanks for your videos and education in detail.
This is the exact one I use
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IBRZ52/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007IBRZ52&linkCode=as2&tag=pestandlawngi-20&linkId=abc10e8a00d272424f298a258ec08232
Got one, and it's my new favorite lawn tool! Been using it for weekly water depth in soil and it's a blast to to use, besides showing your own soil, thatch and water depth in different areas of the lawn.
I never knew about brown patches and Earth worms thanks for video
You're welcome Ricky. Thanks for watching
I'm OCD methodical, so I really appreciate the methods as you go through each issue in this video and how you explain them step by step. I'm a little east of Richmond, VA (although I've been through Utah on vacation...loved it! What would you suggest for getting into this field professionally? I currently do roof cleaning and eventually I'm going to be old enough to not want to carry around heavy ladders and walk on roofs. Roof top work is usually ranked #3 or #4 on the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the USA so eventually I'm going to want to keep my feet on the ground, and lawn care (not mowing, but things like you do in this video - repair, restoration, weeding & feeding) really spark my interest. Short of becoming a full blown horticulturalist, what training would you recommend? The professional training I took for roof cleaning allows me to talk circles with facts around 95% of the competition because they received most of their training via UA-cam and forums and call themselves professionals. I'd like to be able to do the same above and beyond with professional knowledge in this field of expertise. I'd appreciate any direction you can give me. Thanks in advance!
All great questions. It all starts with understanding proper watering and soil ph. Check out the free online courses from Penn state university. Tons of free courses in turf management. Ultimately I leaned most doing and asking people until I found the right answers that could be backed up.
Subscribed! Best lawn diagnosis video! Can’t wait to watch more videos!
Appreciate the support
Great video! Thanks for providing a "how-to" for diagnosing lawn issues.
Glad it was helpful!
Trampolines attract worms via vibrations. The mole's primary source of food are worms. Voles are squatters and inhabit vacated mole and gopher runs. Boing! Great channel
Thanks for sharing
Great video! Gave me a great deal of information and answered many questions I had.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video. I have been learning a lot while watching, but I did have a couple of questions. Can you overseed after applying these products or do you need to wait weeks versus days? If you can overseed should you overseed first or put the insecticide down first?
Thank you for all you, I know you are helping me get a plan in place.
Yes the insecticides will not interfere imo
Thank you so much
You're welcome
oddly you saying ok guys we got "'them holes with the voles" and laughing made me crack up. needed that laugh - keep up the good videos.
you answered many questions in the video and especially with the comment & answer below about overseeding. thanks, ill now, in large part because of your help, will core aerate- curative and preventative grub control - and then overseed in about a week after (turf type tall fescue : chochise III)
Thanks!
You're welcome Nicholas. Reminds me of whack a mole hahaha
I found out I had grubs when an armadillo showed up and tore up most of my struggling patches. Good to know. I thought it was just this record-breaking hot summer in the South.
Glad you figured it out!
he wants to go out right now and see if he can find grubs and voles in our lawn!! He's totally into this! So funny. Can someone comment too much?
Just be sure he follows my diagnosis steps ;)
Awesome! Well detailed information. Will note down the insecticides but I’m afraid will they hurt the birds? Lady bugs, good bugs, etc?
Hi Silvia, secondary kills are always a concern. The insecticides I listed shouldn't have secondary kills to them other than insects. They do not damage nematode activity or earth worms. Other insects will die if they are in contact when the solution is applied.
Hey bud I am rehabbing a lawn that was ignored for 4 years and was built over an old corn farm. My ph and soil testing shows me very heavy on phosphates and phosphorous and Potash. Extremely deficient with nitrogen. PH started very acidic but is now back to a 6.0 so almost there. Shallow roots, lots of weeds,many types of grass were planted with a landscapers mix (I use KB only). I have an aerator and have been adding nutrients but I need help still and fast !
Loved the video btw! I am in Michigan
Hey there. I'd check your cec levels. If I were in your shoes I'd start there. Use some nitrogen and sea kelp to start.
Pest and Lawn Ginja CEC?
@@RockedOnDetroitLions yes. Maps out how much micros are in the soil
I have been doing soil testing. Way low on nitrogen. When I did the math for my yard I need 900lbs of nitrogen, 60lbs of P and 30lbs of K. So my soil is way off.
I used lemon soap as I strucked to draw grubs to surface. Did another of digging and over seeding after a good dose of seven during late fall and now lawn looks like a golf course/baseball field. I was actually looking for mole crickets which was initially the problem that is when I discovered grubs. I have seen a couple of new nest in different area and will treat that as well. I have plenty of worms I don't want to harm. I noticed when you showed grubs patches, there were no worms. Did the grubs have anything to do with that?
My climate has earth works but we are also desert climate. Lawns that have been managed properly have a decent amount of worms 😀
Great video Ginja, lots of good info. I previously had a grub problem, and when I did I also had moles, which were " grubbing down" on the grubs. I have a way of getting to rid of moles, it's just not too humane. Ginja, are the grubs attracting the vols ? Thanks for the lawn tips!
Those are some CRAZY shallow roots!
Shocking right!? this is not common and I don't run into it very often.
Your like the Billly Gibbons of lawns, ah, how,how,how... great videos 🤟
LOL thanks!
Hey Ginja, have two questions, one, is it too late to put down a preventative for poa annua here in Michigan? and two, I was out in the yard reseeding a couple of small bare spots and found a grub, do I need to treat my lawn this fall still or wait till spring? I bow to your mighty knowledge o great sage!
The debate behind being too early or too late is if the pre emergent is sensitive to cold weather and temperatures. There are many chemicals that break down due to cold weather. From the research I've done and some of the reps I've spoken to I'm under the impression that prodiamine does not break down in cold weather. I recommend putting it down early fall and early spring before the ground temps hit 50 degrees. This will help make sure the pre emergents stay active. It's important to remember that pre emergents disrupt weed seed germination. They do not kill the weed seed. The seed has to start the germination process for it to work.
As for treating for grubs the time depends on the type of insect the grubs come from. Check out the Michigan state extensions department for suggestions on when to treat in your local area.
No bowing necessary hahaha.
Thanks Ginja!
anytime!
@@pestandlawnginja if I try prodiamine and use my 2 gallon tank sprayer how much do I lay down? Do I just spray till the grass is wet or do I saturate the ground? Never tried this before but I really want to take more control of my lawn care.
Watch todays video and it will show you. You need to calibrate your handheld sprayer. Mark out an area and spray it with water. The spray needs to be even and consistent. Since everything is mapped out per 1000ft2 on herbicide labels I would spray 1/4 gallon over 250ft2 on your driveway. This will show you proper technique. You need to use all liquid.
We live in Northeast Wisconsin and started noticing large areas of dying grass with chunks that looked dug out here and there. All around the missing chunks of grass it is dying. We have nearly 4 acres and our lushest lawn has always been in the front of the house and side yard. Much of the rest is mostly sand and clay. What type of pest can cause small chunks of grass to appear dug up all while killing the grass around it?
I'm sorry I didn't see this comment. Great question. I've seen both insects and rodents do damages like this. It's best to get in the lawn and poke around and see if you can find hard evidence of what the causation is.
I used koppert beneficial nematodes to get my grubs under control. There was quite an epidemic here in Macomb county Michigan about 15 years back. Just wished I'd had the neighbors get in on it, because their lawns were wiped out the next year.
Amazing how that happens. Well done using beneficial nematodes. Here where I live we have grubs that come from Billbugs. A lot of grubs come from japanese beetles. Super interesting subject.
@@pestandlawnginja yes it is. So much damage these little things do.
Love the video my man! Keep it up! That 801 love! Woot woot. Are you ever around Herriman?
I'm in that area once or more a month!
That's awesome! Keep up the good work my man!
Love your video's, I've sprayed for grubs. My question is I have some small dead spots. Their are area's around that brown spot that I can put up. The only thing is that grass is fairly green. Will it re root and be alright? I hate to pull it all up and reseed. Thanks, Tom
time will tell. I'd hit it with a bit of fertilizer and force some growth.
I started freaking out yesterday doing research and realizing that I've been over watering my back and front yard everyday twice a day for 8 min. Each time since beginning of spring, obviously I'm brand new to the lawn care ecosystem , I got overwatering issues, got chinch bugs and brown spots, today I put down granular pesticide and water it in with liquid fungicide. Should I expect my lawn to get better and stronger? Or should I fertilize it to push grow ? I'm in Texas dealing with bermuda grass on May 15th 2020
Ginja! Im going to be scarifying and overseeding this weekend ive noticed i have some minor grub damage that i thought was dog problems at first and caught it being the grubs kinda late Since its oct and winter is approaching within the next 2 months should i just apply the cyonara for now until next spring? Also is it safe to apply the cyonara and seed at the same time?
depends on if you have japanese beetle based grubs or billbug grubs. in either case I would use a curative like cyonara and seed at the same time. I'd consider putting down milky spore as well this fall and next spring.
@@pestandlawnginja thanks!
You're welcome
Nice tips. I watched from beginning to end. Subscribed! Shallow roots is due to drought? Fix is to aerate, overseed and fertilize with high potassium?
Hi Hit Man. The fertilizer portion will be different depending on your area. if you're seeding you want to avoid heavy doses of nitrogen so as an industry standart a 10 10 10 or 11 11 11 is recommended at lower doses meaning 3 lbs per 1000 sq ft.
Generally, shallow roots is due to daily watering. In this video specifically, I think he is aerating mostly to feed nutrients to the grass and to get the insecticide working as fast as possible. To avoid shallow roots, do heavier waterings, less often.
Love your channel. Here is what I am dealing with, moss in the lawn is taking over. How can I kill it and do I have to rake it out and what is causing this to happen this year? I did recently kill off a large patch , raked it up and tilled in some gypsum along with compost and lime. Since it is winter here in MD I was going to wait until March to seed. What are your thoughts on this?
Great question Nancy! The issue has to do with moisture. chances are you have a clay soil that is holding onto moisture and not letting it pass. This is common for lawns that have heavy shade. You need to manage your watering schedule and frequency. You want 6" to 8" of water saturation in the soil and water no more than 2 to 3 times per week. Frequent aeration will help. I recommend using a scarifier spring and fall. That is the primary issue. The secondary issue is how to get rid of the moss. Ferrous sulfate iron is your best bet. Be careful using it as it does stain concrete. keep it on the grass. I would highly recommend a soil test with cec values so you can see what elements your low on and attack those so you can balance out the soil.
@@pestandlawnginja Can I add this iron product to what I have already put down, what is this product suppose to be doing to the problem?
ferrous sulfate should have an adverse reaction to the moss
What is the name of your company? My mother-in-law lives in Utah and has some lawn problems.
Myallgreen.com
You talked about watering and it looks like they had a poor watering system and I thought you said Daily Watering caused the shallow roots. Would you recommend watering 30 minutes every other day per zone?
Hey Mickie. The overall watering was ok..... My issue with the overall watering is that the soil wasn't wet. It was damp but not wet. This generally tells me that the water has been sitting on the top layers of the soil and being used up by the grass. Grass IMO will be conditioned to what we do. In this instance I feel that the roots have no incentive to dig deep. With my own lawn I water 3 days max during the hot months and 2 days a week max during the rest of the season. My watering recommendation isn't about time its about how many inches of water go down per week. For instance, during the hot months in my area you would need 1.5" to 1.75" of water per week to keep up with evaporation. On my controller this takes almost 2 hours of water per station 3 times per week. I have hunter MD slow flow heads. On the person's controller across the street, who has rainbird heads, it would take 45 minutes per station three times per week. The time is only relative to the output. To figure out your output you would need to setup some like sized tupperware, tuna cans etc between each sprinkler head in each zone and run a 20 min cycle, measure the amount of water in each tupperware / tuna can and record the data.
Long story short, more minutes less days.
Hey ginga! Been following your whole series of lawn care videos. Very informative! I dig it. What would you recommend as a good product for grub control ?
Hey Morgan. Check the description area of the video. I've listed all the products I recommend for grub control with a direct link to amazon. Hope that helps.
Thanks man! Just ran to Hardwear store and picked up a thatching rake and aerator! Hope to see more green in my future! Thanks again!
Awesome Morgan! Great to see you're taking action. Keep me up to date on the progress.
Looks like I just needed to wait a couple days to get my answer about this instead of reaching out on Facebook, but thanks for answering on Facebook even though you had this in the pipeline.
I didn't want to spoil the surprise Tyler! 😂😂😂
I may have missed it, but how do you get the grass roots to grow down deep? Watering deep 2 or 3 times a week and aerating doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. I also just found a grub today while installing some Belgium block around a garden in CT mid-October. Would you recommend treating for grubs this late in the season?
some species of grass likes to creep. to re establish, if you've already tried changing watering habits and softening the soil, would be to overseed a new cultivar of grass after a thorough power rake and aeration.
@@pestandlawnginja thanks for the reply. I have blue, Fescue, and rye. How do you recommend softening the soil? I have sandy loam, according to the soil test results I had received.
@@ErikAsquith spring aeration would be recommended for compaction issues and regular humate and calcium treatments.
Love your videos and explaining root cause and how to fix the issue.
Thanks 07SATS!!! appreciate you watching.
Hey Ginja. Do you ever record and make videos of the work you do to your customers lawns? Would like to see those on UA-cam
There's a couple on here. Most of the customer issues I deal with are water related and aren't quiet as exciting. I am going to do a followup on a few of them in the near future. Stay tuned. Thanks for commenting and watching Kellz 9
Yo, Ginja! Any idea if grub killers like this have any adverse effects on earthworms?
This is a great question. From the studies I've done they claim both these chemicals have minimal impact on earthworms. The only insecticide I've even read about having an adverse reaction, not even sure I believe it, is carboryl 4L. It's the most basic contact spray and it only lasts a few hours before the active ingredient has completed its cycle. Interesting stuff. Thanks for asking.
Sandy: (with heavy Scottish brogue) Carl, I want you to kill all the gophers on the course.
Carl: Correct me if I'm wrong, Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers, they'll lock me up and throw away the key.
AHAHAHAHAH. Good old Caddyshack.
It’s early September in Maryland and I was just thatching and found active grubs even though I threw down grub ex this year. My question is, can I do a full dethatch, aeration and then seed and fertilize soon or do I need to make sure grubs are gone first? When is it ok to seed?
Kill the grubs first
I have a 8ft by 15 ft sink hole that is forming from removing an old tree stump. Would you use top soil to fill or fill with sand 1st then top soil and seed?
I would do a blended sand and top soil. probably 40% sand and 60% top soil. Sand is great for compaction but not great for holding nutrients. In the long run you'll want something that will hold the nutrients and that's where top soil is great. This way you'll get the best of both worlds.
Will do! Thanks for the response.
You're welcome. Good luck!
Should you put a grub control down every year? When should you put a grub control down? (Kentucky bluegrass in Nebraska) I usually wait until I see a problem but it seems I have grubs even when I'm not seeing the yellowing or obvious problems.
This is a great question. The answer will depend on your local area and the weather. Grubs go into feeding at different times in different climates. It also depends on the type of insect you're dealing with. In my local area we deal with Billbugs where as you're most likely dealing with the japanese beetle. My suggestion to everyone is to check their local extensions department, an extension to the agriculture department, and get their advice based on longitudinal data from your local area. Here's a link to your local extension department and an article about grub control:
lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/2013/Grubs.shtml
Apply in mid May
Hi Ginja, love your very informative and entertaining videos. I have learned so much! Am determined to get a green lawn back. I live on the Maine Coast and we have had nearly drought conditions all summer. I have not been good about taking care of the lawn as it wasn't healthy in the first place. The crabgrass pretty much took over in August. I sat down and hand dug as much of it out as I could, and have been applying topsoil to level it out and fill in the bare spots (using the back of the rake like your video -- works great!), in preparation for seeding. Now I find that the dead grass is not due to the drought, but to grubs! The two products for grub control that is readily available here is Grubex and Milky Spore. What can you advise about these products, or should I try to find the actual same products you show, probably on line.
Many thanks.
Hey Mary! Thanks for reaching out. I wasn't aware of either of these products. I researched a bit and here's what I can tell you. The active ingredient in Grubex is classified as a non-repellent. Most non repellents have a slow kill and not a fast kill. Many of them also work systemically, in return the insect would commonly need to eat the grass first.
The milky spore is very interesting. Its a preventive biological control agent. It can take 1 to 2 years before the organic spore has enough kick in the soil to do what it needs to do to kill the larvae.
IMO if I had a current insect problem I would apply the fastest knock down agent I could find. If you have a tendency to get grubs I would also apply either one of the above products. Just understand that the milky spore needs to be applied at regular increments up to 1 to 3 years.
@@pestandlawnginja Thanks for getting back to me. I'm going to try the Milky Spore. It's non- toxic, except to the grubs, of course! which is a plus.
Keep in touch and let me know how it works out!
@@pestandlawnginja will do!
awesome
Ginja, can you use same products to control billbugs on plants? I found some under a hibiscus that was dying...you da Man,...Thanks
Tracy S very good question. Yes, this will also work with other plants. The imidicloprid works systemically. The only problem with using a systemic only is that they take a while to get into the plant and that's why I like to add the contact spray.
Awesome video! I always learn a ton. You showed here the sandy soil being a potential problem with the watering. I'm planning to do a sand-leveling project this fall. Is that a problem if I don't have an irrigation system? I'm in western PA and have a pretty lush lawn of mostly KBG, but it's very bumpy. I watched your other videos about leveling the lawn with sand. My lawn treatment guy said to be careful as sand will drain the water away too fast without a proper irrigation system. What are your thoughts?
Hey Regis! sounds like a fun project. To answer all your question the answer will depend on the base layer of soil you have. if your primary soil is clay or top soil you don˜t have anything to worry about. Iṽe gone super agressive with my soil and I˜ve been pretty happy with it. no wash out and things are going really well.
Ginja, I have a question: in one of your videos you suggested the RTF seed from Barrenburg, does that seed really work? If so, can I overseed my current TTTF lawn with it? I currently use the vigoro TF RTF, but it doesn’t self repair as advertised. Please advise
I have seen it and the new blends post 2017 do move laterally like kentucky bluegrass.
Pest and Lawn Ginja thanks a lot. I bought a 25 lbs bag, I will drop it and pray for the best. I just did my lawn repair, but I still have a lot of bare spots. I usually slice seed, but elected to just drop the seed with a spreader this time around.
sounds like a fun project!
Hey Ginja, awesome video as always
I am a lawn noob. My lawn is riddled with all sorts of weeds and I was hoping to understand from you what is the best weed killer to use before I resort to tenacity. I have already put weed and feed down, but does not seem to help.
Weed and feed prevents germination, if the weeds have sprouted you're likely going to have to either pull them up or use a weed killer.
We have sow thistles and other wild lettuce variants, usually pulling them up works, just beware the thorns.
@@fartpluswetone8077 thank you!
nematodes for grubs do they work and have you used them???
they work. not speaking first hand. something I suggest overseas fairly often and have gotten great feedback.
subscribed
lots to learn from this guy
Love this comment. Thanks for the compliment.
Is the only solution for shallow roots over seeding? Would infrequent proper watering help to encourage them to reach? Additionally what about more PK fert? For their health? And micro nutes to help?
It's not the only solution. In this case I suspect the grass is genetically prone to creep on top. It was a consistent issue through the entire lawn. You're idea on overall health and water management is spot on.
@@pestandlawnginja thx very much
On bear grylls they eat grubs. What do you think they taste like? 🤔
chicken..... they taste like chicken..... ;) hahaha
@@pestandlawnginja fried snake 🐍
Oh boy..... hahaha
I HAVE THIS PROBLEM! I just aerated and overseeded when can I start the pest control throw down?
immediately
having sand on top of loam or clay soil is this ok or is it bad? can you please help me out with an answer ?
soil doesn't matter as much as people think.
Do you have any recommendations/videos for mole problems?
Hey Renee. this might surprise you but rolling original juicy fruit gum into a worm shape is a nice organic control method. It's important to remember that moles eat worms. You're next step is to use Talprid mole bait. My suggestion is to be 100% positive its moles. this solution will not work for gophers. Gophers leave open visible holes, moles leave mounds of dirt with no visible hole. Hope that helps.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002B9COD4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002B9COD4&linkCode=as2&tag=pestandlawngi-20&linkId=770240a575798a5a3552413310540e7b
Wow, you are speedy! Thank you so much I will try those!
You're welcome Renee! Have a great day.
I'm having isolated short root problem in wasatch lawn. Pulls up like carpet, or sheets of pizza. Still green though. Only water 3 per week during the heat, half inch each time. Followed local water guide. Only once did I find black worm. Other times no insects. I've fert on schedule. De thatch last year. Core aerate 2 to 1 times a year. Any idea? Should I RIP out the spots and re seed?
Makes me wonder what species of grass you have. This doesn't happen very often but when it does its really difficult to change. IMO the best thing to do is to aerate and over seed on a regular basis. I feel that power raking helps. The tough part is the grass has created a thatch layer of roots above the soil.
@@pestandlawnginja northern mix of rye, TTF, mostly KBG. I over sead last year after 20+ year old lawn likely first ever power rake. I also core aerated twice last year, and will core aerate this spring.
Do you know what grass is the dominant grass? Commonly when I see a shallow root problem the way you're describing it is because the rye has taken over.
@@pestandlawnginja majority is KBG. Though I would say some of the patches are majority rye, but not all are rye
hmmmm. During the late fall I would aerate it a few times over and drop grass seed. I would allow the seed to sit over the winter. Some people will disagree with me on this one saying the seed will die over the winter. There will be some die back, but in my opinion we will get some good organic growth out of the grass seen in the spring. As long as you do this when the daytime temps are permanently below 55 degrees the seed won't start to germinate.
What kind of soil do you have? Are you supplementing the grass with phosphorus to help stimulate root growth? Is there anything you are doing to help stimulate root growth?
What is the solution for shallow roots? Space out watering? or is there more?
Watering habits and proper nutrients
Just wondering.. WHAT STATE or Part of the country are you in. I see the mountains in the back ground remind me of S. Cali.
i'm in utah!
I have a vegetable garden, how far away should I keep grub control
Imidicliprid are usually isolated to where you apply it. Stay a foot out to be safe.
I have the same issue with grubs. Should I peel up the lawn and apply grub to soil or put grub killer right on grass? Will the roots grow back?
Hey frank. I wouldn't peel the grass up. There have been plenty of times the grubs have been overwintering and have not caused damage yet. I would do your insecticide treatment and I would followup with a fertilizer high in Nitrogen phosphorus and potassium. I'd also hit it with mycorrhiza and micro nutrients. Hopefully this will force enough growth to help repair some of the damaged areas. You'll find out in the weeds to come what areas will need to be replaced.
Thanks bro.
Anytime Frank
Are you super strong or is that probe too good or is it the sandy soil? I can’t even stick my probe in the soil more than 3 inches !
So here’s how I use the probe. I put my body weight on it. How far it goes is commonly an indication of how much water is present in the soil. I dealt we want 6”-8” of water saturation ie a 6-8” plug. In your case I’d recommend increasing your watering habits and try again
@@pestandlawnginja Great. Thank you!
It’s my understanding that pentra bark is formulated for woody plants for lenticel penetration/absorption. Grasses and other herbaceous plants species do not have lenticels. Is use of this product overkill? Wouldn’t use of standard adjuvants be cheaper and more effective?
Anything will help. I prefer something more aggressive like this or an mso that is more aggressive at entering into the plant
Great info and advice. TY from Scotland
Jennifer from my mother land!!!! Thank you for saying hello! I need to get over there for a visit
Exact video I needed. Your videos are awesome. Thank you
You're welcome Mang!!! Glad I could help!
Hey Ginja, I want to be proactive and preventative w grub control. I've put out Duocide by Anderson's. Is being preventative mean a treatment each month thru September? (I'm in Georgia) or is it a one time treatment ?
Preventive products with imidicliprid last 9 to 12 weeks depending on how you put it down
hey can you treat the insects and aerate/over seed? which goes first. I have this same issue.
I would aerate first, insecticide and overseed you can all do the same day.
Love your videos but the shoes 😂😂
They are soo ugly but I love them!
So, what about shallow roots? How do you fix that problem?!!!
Hey there. Thanks for the comment. The best and fastest way is to make sure your water plan is 2 to 3 days per week max encouraging deep watering. Aeration and overseed every spring and fall for the next two seasons
Losttouchjs, Thanks....
Pest and Lawn Ginja, Thanks Ginja....
You're welcome. Follow my playlist "this is my lawn" . I have a severe issue with shallow roots that I'm fixing.
Good morning Steven. Curative granular for insects shouldn't disrupt the seed. If you can avoid doing it that's always best but if you're in a bind its better to do it.
awesome as always
Thanks Tim! Merry Christmas
Hi Ginja! We can find many articles about Lambda-cyhalothrin (Cyonara), claiming as not effective, because the active ingredient binds with organic material and will not move down to where the grubs are feeding. What is your experience?
Cyonara is a quick release and designed to hang above the soil. It does not penetrate and sink by where the roots are. I use it as a quick release and nothing else. My long term is the imidicloprid which indeed sinks below the soil surface and is taken up through the roots and into the plant. As for binding with organic material........ debatable. I still preach that most materials can be bound up in the layer most people call thatch, which is most commonly a reference to mismanage mulch that hasn't broken down.
I have had few issues with my concentrations being bound up. I use these solutions on thousands of lawns and have little to not issues with solution failure. I will do a followup on this lawn to show that it indeed works. Great questions. Thanks for asking.
CouldShallow roots and thatch is primarily caused the dirt under your grass being to compacted when your house is built? Can it be fix by Replace the top 12in of you dirt with soil.
Compaction can definitely cause shallow root issues. I commonly probe the soil to see if that's an issue. Its most common around concrete areas. However with that said I don't find many of them that would cause this level of shallow roots.
I love this channel!!!!
Thanks for watching Scott!
Very educational. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
What's your favorite product to fight grubs? Would longer watering sessions once or twice a week fix shallow roots? Lastly is it ok to bring warm season grass out of dormancy or will it causs damage down the line? Asking thoss questions since my grass isn't vibrant, I always bring patches of grass pulled due to per activity and I have found grubs on occasion.
aceleprine by syngenta is the best overall grub preventive product on the market today.
shallow roots can be caused by daily water. sometimes its just the species of grass. I find that dethatching it, thinning it out, aeration and overseeding with a better species is the quickest and best overall way remedy a problem.
So much good info. I have circles of dead grass, like stray. Maybe animal urine?
likely yes!
Like your video can I put those products on my Burmuda Grass but I do not Gopher hole
The insecticide treatments should be fine for bermuda grass.
great video that was a big help will try i hate grubs
You're so welcome!
Hey I really found this video informative and entertainjng! Great work! Thanks a bunch! For moles (never had any voles) I started with diazinon to kill the bugs the moles were eating but in the end I wound up using used cat litter. Put it right down the holes. Moles hate cats. I wonder if it would work for voles too.
I haven't tried straight cat litter. good question.
Good stuff ginga!👊🏻
Thanks!
Tried out nitrolime to get rid of leatherjacket larvea, but should also work on grubs. Should give a good feed, lime, pre emergent herbicide control, grubcontrol, and it is dirt cheap. Never hear about nitrolime on the youtubes. Is it illegal in the US for use on residential laws?
great feedback. to be up front I'm not familiar with that mixture.
Hey ginga I had a question on watering,recently after aerating my lawn I realized that I have shallow roots and grubs . I treated for grubs but also have new seed . Before seeding I soaked lawn pretty good down to 8-10” should I continue daily watering until new seed is established then water 2 times a week. Also have new lawn in back yard been watering 2-3 times a day but now temps have been much cooler at what point do I back off . Similar situation in the back lawn ,over seeded with JGBBU
Thanks for reaching out. I like to water daily for the first 3 to 4 weeks. The first two weeks I water less minutes multiple times per day. Week 3 i water one in the night and once in the day. Week 4 once daily. Minutes will depend on how saturated the soil gets. I don't like it swampy just damp.
Pest and Lawn Ginja thanks for your reply as for shallow root problem do you recommend anything to help get those roots to go down such as mycorrhizae or essentials 101 or will will proper watering be the fix once new grass is established
@@jayteixeira5014 watch my playlist this is my lawn. I'm dealing with shallow roots at my new house. The essentials helps with overall health. Mycorrhiza helps with root spanning and nutritional uptake. The watering 2 to 3 times a week stresses the roots to go down.
Are any of these products you listed, safe for pets (dogs.)??
Not directly. The use statements say keep off until dry. Overall most side effects are by injection and direct skin contact.
Voles are having a grub feast
could be
Brilliant video, really helpful thank you
You're welcome. Thank you!
@@pestandlawnginja I'm putting your advice to good practice here in the UK. Keep up the good work and inspiration
@@benpswift Love how many out of the USA peeps are commenting today! Feelin the love