Chafer grubs
flyingscotr22
Posts: 1
Hello all...
We are currently renovating our garden, which includes lifting the lawn to returf. It was largely healthy before but with removal of paths and changes to border shape etc it is being relaid for ease and aesthetics. When I started lifting the lawn I found chafer grubs and lots of them. 
We have built some large raised beds to start growing vegetables. To save skipping the turf/soil and to help fill the raised beds (they are approx 1800litres each) we wanted to turn the turf into the beds, cover over and allow to rot down, top the beds up with blended soil and compost and plant vegetables in this looser top layer. Then rotavate it to depth for next year when all the turf is rotted.
What I would love to know is, am I going to have problems with any grubs left in the cut turf munching on the newly planted vegetables in the beds? From what I read, they love eating grass roots and destroying lawns, less so vegetables but they won't definitely avoid them.
At the moment I'm looking at expensive methods of control using nematodes, but when the soil temperatures increase.
Many thanks for any help and advice.
Jim
Posts
I doubt there will be much problem. For a start, you've disturbed them and exposed them to predators. Secondly, they will be about to pupate and then emerge as adults in June time. The adults lay eggs in late spring and the young take three or four years to develop, so they are on a cycle (which you've disturbed). This lot will be probably fully grown anyway, no longer bothering your lawn. You've disturbed the cycle which may be enough to remove any problem.
H-C