Grub & Armyworm Control in CHURCHILL FARMS, Thompson's Station, TN

Here in Thompson’s Station, the two most dramatic lawn pests are white grubs and fall armyworms, and the damage pattern in Churchill Farms tells me which one you’re likely facing. Grubs feed on roots underground, leaving turf that feels spongy and pulls up like loose carpet. In our neighborhood’s newer construction soils, where gravel can already stress fescue roots, a grub infestation pushes a lawn over the edge. The other pest, the fall armyworm, is a different story. Moths lay eggs along shrub lines, and the larvae work outward. When populations explode, they can consume an entire lawn overnight; the ground can look like it’s moving. The key for both is timing. For grubs, you must treat preventively. If you wait until you see damage, grubs are too far along for the bee-safe chemistry I use. Late treatment requires harsh chemicals I won’t apply. My standard plan applies that preventive, novel chemistry each season. It covers any insect that feeds on the plant itself, grubs eating roots, armyworms and sod webworms eating blades, even chinch bugs, which are a zoysia issue, not a fescue one here. It’s persistent, building up in the plant tissue year after year for compounding control. This is a core part of my philosophy: services that stack quality over time. For a neighborhood like Churchill Farms, where healthy turf is a priority and irrigation is common, this preventive layer is non-negotiable. It lets your tall fescue use its resources to survive our tough summers instead of fighting pests. Don’t wait for the damage. By the time you see it in Churchill Farms, the best, safest control window has already passed.