He also predicts a bad grub year. Last summer, many lawns had grubs, but the damage was masked by the high rainfall. European chafer grubs start feeding on grass roots heavily in April. Krauskopf recommends that as soon as grass starts growing again, roll back a section of turf to check for grubs. Higher numbers may require treatment.
Grub damage is most severe during droughts.
Keeping turf deeply watered when there is no rain helps it grow roots to replace injured ones. In fact, MSU turf experts say frequent irrigation may be more effective than insecticides in preventing grub damage to lawns. If you use fertilizers, avoid applying them in dry weather, when they may burn the plants. Use fertilizers based on need, not in blanket applications. If a plant shows good color and healthy growth, it probably doesn't need much fertilizer.