Q: I have a major grub problem in my yard. My flowers always die and when I pull them out of the ground, I always find lots of grubs among the roots. I had been using beneficial nematodes but they haven’t helped. How can I get rid of the grubs without using poison?
A:Â You can try mixing diatomaceous earth into the soil of your garden. Diatomaceous earth contains the tiny remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae.
If that doesn’t work, try solarizing your flower bed. In that process you remove the plants from the bed, till the soil, and then water heavily to two feet down. Then spread clear plastic over the soil. Weight down the plastic to keep it in place. Leave the plastic over the area all summer, and by fall, the grubs should be gone.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
