Grubs!
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Did you know it is grub season? Well, it is, and I know it so well, and you want to know why? I have lost my front yard to grubs, not once but twice. You would think that after replacing my yard once, I would have learned. But September can sneak up on me, and then one morning I look at my yard and it is completely gray. Dead from the roots up. And do you know how to determine that the problem is grubs? Pull on the grass and a whole patch will easily come up in your hand. The grubs have eaten all the roots. And depending on the size of your yard, it is quite expensive to replace.
If you were smart in the spring, you used Beneficial Nematodes in your yard. It is an all-natural way to rid your yard of every type of bug. But you must have cool, moist soil. Nematodes are microscopic, but they will paralyze the bugs and eat them. Then you have no ants, or grubs waiting to attack your yard.
But say you are like me. That springtime lasted about two days in San Antonio this year, and grub protection got right past me. What do you do now? You must use a chemical to get rid of grubs because now they are getting big and are harder to kill. Use a product like Grub-Ex or Triazicide. I am using Triazicide. I like the hose-end formula because it is so easy to use. However, it does not list grubs, so even though I use it, I have to follow up with the granule. I have a small spreader that I use, DO NOT throw out this formula by hand.
You will need to water the ground first. Then spread out Triazicide. And then you will need to water lightly again to activate. Plan this so that you are not walking over the wet grass that has this chemical. I start at the very back of the yard and move towards the gate. In the front yard I start at the far corner and move toward the front door.
I know this is the last thing you want to do in this heat, me too. However, I will not pay for another sodding of my yard. Good luck and call the store if you have questions.
Now to the email…..
Question: I just had a new patio put down. It is a brick patio with mortar in between the bricks. When the mason was done with the patio and asked for payment it looked great and so I paid him. A few days later a haze appeared across several areas. What is this? Is it moisture? What do I do to fix this?
Answer: It is excess mortar. When they finished it looked like it was all clean, but when dry this slight haze can develop if mortar was left on the brick. There is a product called Sackrete Concrete Dissolver that will get rid of the haze. Just apply the Sackrete and then wipe off the haze with a rag. It will come clean immediately. I would give the contractor a call and see if he will clean it up for you.
Question: I have an all-wood ice cream maker. This last time I used it I noticed that it leaked from the bottom. Is there a product to seal up the bucket?
Answer: Sure, there is, Through the Roof in the caulk formula. Just caulk all the way around on the inside and the outside on the seam of the bucket. I do not know what kind of ice cream you like to make but Stonewall Kitchens has a Lemon Curd, and they have a recipe on their website. I promise it is yummy!
Question: We just bought a new sofa. The problem is it must go flat against the wall and that is where I have an electrical outlet for my lamps. I know it is not smart to push the plugs flat because it might cause a fire, so what can I do?
Answer: I had the same problem. And when I was at a Do It Best show I found Sleek Socket. It will fit flush against the wall with a 3-5 ft cord with three outlets. I have them all around the house.