Whats the most effective way to control grub worms?
R.T., Dallas It’s important to understand that many grub worms are beneficial. Only about 10 percent of the grubs in the soil eat plant roots. The rest feed on dead and decaying organic matter and aerate the soil with their movements. Grubs are the larvae of various types of beetles. The natural control is to grow nectar and pollen plants that attract native predators and parasites and to apply beneficial nematodes to the soil. Organic control, if necessary, includes applying compost and molasses to the soil and using light traps to catch adult beetles. We have built a retaining wall that stands about 20 inches above the ground. We plan to add fill dirt near it and then plant grass. The root zones of several trees would be covered by the fill dirt. What should I do to make sure the trees don’t die? T.F., Emory If the trees are important to you, adding soil would be a serious mistake. Piling fill dirt above the roots of trees is more damaging than cutting into the roots. Re-evaluate you
