Wednesday, May 2, 2018

How to Naturally Kill Grubs and Japanese Beetles with Milky Spore

When we bought our condo, the builder planted spirea bushes in front of all of the houses in the neighborhood. Those pretty pink flowers were quite attractive – to Japanese beetles and grubs.

Commercial grub killers from the big box store do not work for me which I only tried as a last resort. I was leery of what the 90% OTHER INGREDNETS listed on the ingredients label actually were since they had a warning about not using the stuff around kids, dogs, and fish ponds.

The only thing that worked was using the all natural, people and pet safe organic grub killing combo of Milky Spore powder and Beneficial nematodes in my flowerbeds. (Disclosure: I am including a few big bold affiliate links in this post for your convenience because I couldn’t find any of these items for sale locally and figure you might be in the same boat too.)

Now if I was smart and applied Milky Spore to my grass and lawn when I did the flower bed years ago, the good Milky Spore bacteria would have been fruitful and multiplied in the soil throughout my property by now.

While the flower beds are naturally pest free but I found a grub in the yard recently and where there is one grub there are a dozen or more. Live and learn  should have applied my organic pest killer to the yard too. But my shortsightedness is your gain because I can write you a quick and easy tutorial.

How to Easily Apply Milky Spore to Your Lawn and Garden


Milky Spore an organic bacterium that multiplies in the soil over the years, attacks Japanese beetle and white grubs and kills them.

Milky Spore is not considered harmful to humans, birds, dogs, bees, and animals. This all-natural, organic treatment will not destroy insects that are beneficial to your garden (in fact, Milky Spore is often used with Beneficial nematodes to eradicate other garden pests) or will not harm wells, ponds and rivers.

Beneficial nematodes are a type of roundworm that feed on insects while leaving people, animals, and plants alone (unlike other roundworm species.) Depending upon who you talk to, beneficial nematodes may or may not kill Japanese beetle grubs. That’s why most organic gardeners use it along side Milky Spore.

If you can open a shaker jar and stamp your foot, you can do this project.


How to naturally kill Japanese Beetles and Grubs in one application
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You will need:

Milky Spore powder - I bought mine through this link

Milky Spore dispenser tube - I bought mine through this link

Step by Step How to Do It Tutorial


1. Remove the end of the Milky Spore dispenser tube.

How to use Milky Spore organic pesticide in your garden
The bottom lifts right out similar to a mailing tube.


2. Fill the Milky Spore dispenser tube with Milk Spore powder and replace the end of the tube. Be careful not to breath in the Milky Spore dust!

3. The top of the Milky Spore dispenser looks just like the shaker top on a big cardboard container of salt or seasoning. Rotate the shaker to the side, punch out the plastic cover (I gave it a tap with a nearby screwdriver) and rotate the shaker back into place.


How do I use Milky Spore to kill grubs in my yard
Shake it up!

4. Now we’re ready to roll! With the shaker side of dispensing tube pointed toward the ground, lightly tap the dispenser on a spot on the yard, garden, or lawn where you want to apply the Milk Spore. You’ll see a little mound of powder. It’s as easy as that!


kid, pet, bee, and bird safe Japanese grub and beatle killer
Tap once and done!

5. Apply a tap of Milk Spore in approximately 4 foot increments in rows in throughout your landscaping, lawn, and garden.The Milky Spore will start working on any grubs near the surface of your soil and will take two to four years to thoroughly spread its beneficial bacteria throughout an area

6. Wait approximately 36 to 48 hours to water the Milky Spore powder into the soil with plain water. I lucked out and was able to time my application right before it rained. Thanks Mother Nature for completing this step for me!

Milky Spore is a lazy gardener’s BFF because you apply it once and let it get to work.  Milky Spore is on the expensive side but I think it is totally worth it even if I weren’t into natural and organic gardening methods.

I don’t have to worry if Lacey tears through the yard or garden after a bird unlike a commercial pesticide. The big bonus for me is I only have to put them down once a year (or less) because I forget to reapply things after it rains.

Worth. It.


For more ways to kill Japanese Beetles in your garden check out the following ideas - and more! below!


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