I have six areas of veggie patch 1 square meter by 1 square each, and I need to know what product I can use to kill curb grub as there are so many of them. Th
ere would be around 200 of them in one area and I have already planted my seedlings
Hello @eltham Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about curl grubs.
With seedlings already planted, you need something that works in the soil but won’t burn young roots. A good option available at Bunnings is the https://www.bunnings.com.au/ocp-100ml-eco-neem-concentrate_p2960315 , which is a botanical insecticide derived from the neem tree that controls chewing insects including curl grubs by stopping them feeding so they eventually die off. It’s designed to be mixed with water and applied to plants and soil, and it works by suppressing appetite and disrupting pest growth rather than acting as a harsh contact poison.
A “neem drench” simply means mixing the neem concentrate with water and soaking the soil around your seedlings, not just spraying the leaves. You’re effectively watering the garden bed with the diluted solution, so it penetrates down into the root zone where the grubs are living. This allows the active ingredient to contact the larvae in the soil and also be taken up slightly by the plant, which helps protect new roots and shoots. It’s much more effective than spraying the surface because curl grubs stay underground.
Because you’ve got very high numbers, the best approach is to first lightly scratch through the top few centimetres of soil and remove as many as you can by hand, then immediately apply the neem drench over the entire square metre. Mix according to the label, apply enough to thoroughly wet the soil, and then water it in gently so it moves down to where the grubs are feeding. Repeat again in about 5–7 days because eggs will continue to hatch. This approach avoids using strong lawn insecticides that can damage edible plants or young seedlings.
Another gentle emergency option if they’re really thick is to pour a mild dish-soap solution (1 tablespoon full of soap to 5 litres of water) over one area first, which forces the grubs to the surface so you can remove a large portion quickly, then follow up with the neem drench to clean up what remains. This combination works well when you’re seeing numbers like 200 per square metre and helps protect your seedlings without shocking them.
Here is a link to our best advice: How do you kill lawn grubs?
I suggest having a quick look at these discussions:
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
