Could you please give me ideas on how to get rid of grass grub (brown beetle)? I have two acres in Queenstown and am considering growing organic strawberries. I have been given four suggestions to date - Invade, Dipel, Bt and potassium permanganate. Any information gratefully received as I am a total novice with regard to gardening. Cheers Strawberries in Queenstown will be planted in the early autumn I presume. Therefore you have plenty of time to prepare your soil for that planting. The required soil working and preplanting additions of compost and green cropping should get rid of any existing populations in the soil. It would be unusual for the plantings to be attacked significantly in the few years of cropping to follow. It will depend very much on your management procedures following planting and how long you intend to leave the plants in the ground. Two seasons would be a maximum unless you have other ideas. Bob Crowder
Christine Jones