Milky Spore and the Japanese Beetle

To reduce Japanese beetle pressure organically, start by targeting the grubs in your lawn and garden soil.  Controlling the larval stage helps interrupt the beetle life cycle before adults emerge and cause damage. 

Japanese beetle eggs are laid in small clusters in moist, well-irrigated soil, typically from late summer into September. Each female can lay 40 to 60 eggs during this time. The eggs are small, white, and oval-shaped, buried about 2 inches below the soil surface. They generally hatch within 10–14 days, and the grubs will feed until colder weather drives them deeper into the ground. 

Milky Spore is a naturally occurring bacterium (Paenibacillus popilliae) used as a biological control to kill Japanese beetle grubs in lawns and gardens. It is highly specific, meaning it only targets Japanese beetle larvae and does not harm humans, pets, beneficial insects, or other wildlife.  

The key to Milky Spore effectiveness is to identify the grub you find in your lawn or garden.  Japanese beetle grubs feature a brown head, 6 legs and V-shaped rear end spines. Other white grubs have orange or grayish heads, 6 legs, and a round/bloated rear end.

If you’re unsure, bring us a sample of the grubs present in your lawn and we’ll identify them.

Japanese beetle grubs ingest the spores while feeding on grass roots. Once ingested, the bacteria multiply rapidly inside the grub, causing the grub’s hemolymph (insect blood) from clear to milky white that kills within 7 to 21 days. 

As the infected grub decomposes, it releases billions of new spores back into the soil, naturally spreading the treatment. In areas with large Japanese beetle grubs, the spore can become self-sustaining.

Milky Spore treatment focuses primarily on lawns because turfgrass serves as the main breeding ground for Japanese beetles. The dense root systems found in grass provide an ideal food source for grubs, making turf grass the area where the beetle population is typically greatest. As a result, treating your lawn directly addresses most Japanese beetle grubs living locally.

It should be noted that while Japanese Beetle grubs are primarily turf pests, they may also be found in other moist, root-rich areas, including, garden beds with ornamental grasses or turf-like plants, compost-rich, well-watered soils where plant roots are available, areas around ornamental trees and shrubs with shallow or accessible roots

In these non-turf settings, grubs may damage ornamental plants, garden crops, or non-turf grasses. Their feeding pattern is similar wherever they occur: they chew on fine roots, creating patchy and irregular damage. The key is the availability of roots. If there are fine roots available for grubs to feed on, chances are there are grubs nearby. 

Along with Milky Spore, it is important to strengthen lawn vigor with proper watering, mowing, fertilization and aeration; a healthy turf tolerates moderate grub feeding.

If you’re dealing with a variety of white grubs in your lawn, including Japanese Beetle grubs, you might consider using a broader spectrum insecticide, such as Hi-Yield Grub Free Zone.

Some Things to do in the August Garden

 

August brings a full list of garden tasks, from harvesting and weeding to watering wisely and preparing for fall. Whether your garden is in containers, raised beds, or the ground, steady maintenance now helps plants stay productive and makes the seasonal transition easier.

August is typically the month when all your hard work comes to fruition. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, and other garden favorites are starting to ripen now, so keeping up with harvesting is especially important. Harvesting regularly not only lets you enjoy your produce at its peak but also encourages plants to keep producing.

When you pick ripe fruits, vegetables, or herbs, it tells the plant that it needs to produce more. Harvesting at the right time also ensures better taste, texture, and nutritional value and prevents crops from going to seed, which prolongs their productive phase. 

 

While you’re harvesting, take a hard look at your tomatoes and vegetables. Removing dead and diseased leaves on your tomato plants will put more energy into fruit production. Recognize common tomato problems such as blossom end rot (use Ready-To-Use ferti-lome Yield Booster or concentrated Cal-Mag to increase calcium levels) cracking (be consistent with watering).  

Heat, wind, uneven watering, poor soil, over fertilizing, insect damage can also cause tomato leaves to curl and twist. The best thing to do at this point is to work in your garden every day, maintain an even watering schedule, and keep using an organic fertilizer every two weeks.    

 

It's not too early to think about planting a fall crop. As you harvest, start to prepare the garden or raised bed for cool weathers crops. Remove any spent foliage left over from summer’s crops. Next, work two to three inches of compost and worm castings into the top six inches of the planting site.   Rake the bed to level it and you’re ready to plant. Fall crops can be planted from seeds or plant starts or a combination of the two.  

 

If you’re not planning a fall crop, consider planting a cover crop, such as peas and oats or winter rye. 

A cover crop will help improve soil structure, soil fertility, and protect the living portion of your soil, including micro-organisms. 

 

Irrigate, don’t water. Conserving water is always important, so whether you water with a hose or a drip system, it’s important to water at the ground level not overhead. By positioning the drip system emitter or hose end sprayer where it’s needed, you’ll optimize plant water consumption and reduce water waste due to evaporation.  

 

Get in the habit of carrying a pair of light pruners with you as you make your rounds. As you spot a blossom beginning to fade, snip it off.  In gardening terms it’s called deadheading, which simply means pruning off the old flowers. This keeps the garden neat and promotes additional blooms on perennials such as Hardy Hibiscus, and Butterfly Bushes.   

 

Do the same for your container plants, including hanging baskets. Fertilize your baskets and containers every two weeks with ferti-lome 20-20-20.   

 

Check your roses and remove any spent blossoms. Mid-August is the time to feed your roses for the season. Water each rose bush, then apply the fertilizer and water thoroughly.  

 

Keep an eye out for summer weeds. They take advantage of cultivated garden soil to grow vigorously and can produce several generations during the summer season.  If they're in the vegetable bed, pull them or use a horticultural vinegar to help control them before they seed out.

 

Powdery mildew may be seen on squash, pumpkins, as well as peonies and other ornamentals. Organic fungicides such as Sulfur will help contain the spread. Once the season is over, it’s important to do a thorough cleanup. Leaving spent vegetation in place will encourage mildew and other diseases to winter over and reinfect your garden next spring. 

Taking care of these issues as you find them is the best way of preventing bigger problems next season.      

Keep a detailed record of your garden by starting a gardening journal. Note specifics like planting dates, varieties chosen, weather patterns, pest or disease problems, and how much you harvest from each crop. Throughout the season, take pictures to visually track plant growth and the overall progress of your garden.

Reviewing your notes and photos at the end of the season can make next year’s planning far more effective. For example, you’ll be able to remember which varieties gave the best yields, pinpoint spots that received ideal sunlight, and identify when pests or diseases first appeared so that you can implement preventative strategies or adjust planting times. With these insights, you can rotate crops more wisely, select plants better suited to your garden, and improve your harvest year after year.