About St. Gabriel Organics
St. Gabriel Organics makes natural, organic home-and-garden pest control built around naturally occurring materials rather than synthetic chemicals — a beneficial soil bacterium and mined diatomaceous earth that target the pests you want gone while staying safe around your family, pets, and the beneficial insects your garden needs. At Eartheasy, we carry the St. Gabriel Organics products gardeners reach for most: Milky Spore for Japanese beetle grubs and Insect Dust food-grade diatomaceous earth for crawling insects, plus the dispenser tube that applies them both.
Milky Spore — Natural Japanese Beetle Grub Control
If you've watched Japanese beetles strip your roses and ornamentals every summer, the problem usually starts underground. The adults lay eggs in your lawn, and the grubs feed on grass roots before emerging the next year. Milky Spore is a naturally occurring soil bacterium (Bacillus popillae) that breaks that cycle. When grubs feed in treated soil, they ingest the spores, the bacteria reproduce inside them, and within 7 to 21 days each grub dies and releases millions of new spores back into the ground, which multiply and go on to kill other grubs.
Milky Spore is produced to USDA standards and is approved by the EPA. It is safe for people, pets, wildlife, beneficial insects, and soil microorganisms, and it does not affect streams, ponds, or groundwater. We stock two sizes:
Milky Spore Powder, 10 oz ($44.95): Treats up to 2,500 square feet.
Milky Spore Powder, 40 oz ($114.95): Treats up to 10,000 square feet.
Apply one teaspoon to turf every 4 feet in rows 4 feet apart so it forms a grid, then water it in lightly so the spores reach the soil where grubs feed. Milky Spore requires only one application, lasting ten years or more, because the bacterium multiplies in the soil with each grub it infects. Apply in summer or early fall when the soil is above 65 degrees F and grubs are actively feeding. Please note Milky Spore is not registered for sale in Washington or Oregon.
Insect Dust — Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
For crawling insects above ground, St. Gabriel Organics Insect Dust is made from natural food-grade diatomaceous earth — the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It controls fleas, ants, ticks, cockroaches, bed bugs, silverfish, carpet beetles, spiders, earwigs, spider mites, house flies, and slugs and snails mechanically rather than chemically: the microscopic, sharp diatom particles cut into an insect's waxy coating, causing it to dehydrate and die, typically within about 48 hours. Because it works physically, insects can't build up resistance to it the way they can with chemical sprays.
Insect Dust is OMRI-listed for organic use and is safe enough to sprinkle around your vegetable patch or rub right into your dog's fur. Use it outdoors as a barrier around patios, door frames, foundations, plants, and garden beds, and indoors in cupboards, behind and under appliances, along baseboards, and near drain pipes. Diatomaceous earth works while it is dry, so reapply after heavy rainfall. We carry the 4 lb bag ($16.95), which treats 1,800 square feet.
Lawn & Garden Dispenser Tube
The Lawn & Garden Dispenser Tube ($16.95) is the simple applicator that makes both products above easy to use. Fill the tube with the amount of Insect Dust, Milky Spore powder, or fertilizer you want to use, open the end to the desired size, and dispense it evenly around your yard. The tube is 32 inches long and 2.25 inches in diameter.
Which St. Gabriel Organics Product Do You Need?
Japanese beetles or grubs damaging your lawn: Use Milky Spore (10 oz or 40 oz), spread across the lawn and watered in.
Fleas, ants, ticks, cockroaches or other crawling insects: Use Insect Dust (food-grade diatomaceous earth), applied indoors and outdoors as a dry barrier.
Applying either product cleanly and evenly: Use the Lawn & Garden Dispenser Tube with Milky Spore or Insect Dust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Milky Spore really work on Japanese beetles?
Milky Spore controls the grub stage of the Japanese beetle, which lives in your lawn's soil. As grubs feed on treated soil they ingest the bacterium, die within 7 to 21 days, and release millions more spores — so the treatment builds up in the soil over successive seasons. It works best as a long-term, whole-lawn strategy and targets grubs specifically rather than acting as an instant knockdown spray.
How long does Milky Spore last in the soil?
Milky Spore requires only one application, lasting ten years or more. Once it's established, the bacterium continues to multiply in the soil with each grub it infects. Apply when the soil is above 65 degrees F and water it in lightly so it reaches the grubs in the root zone.
Is Milky Spore safe for pets, kids, and beneficial insects?
Yes. Milky Spore is approved by the EPA and is safe for people, pets, wildlife, beneficial insects, and soil microorganisms. It targets Japanese beetle grubs and does not affect streams, ponds, or groundwater.
What is food-grade diatomaceous earth, and what pests does it kill?
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a fine powder made from the fossilized remains of diatoms. The food-grade Insect Dust controls fleas, ants, ticks, cockroaches, bed bugs, silverfish, carpet beetles, spiders, earwigs, spider mites, house flies, and slugs and snails. The sharp microscopic particles cut through the insect's waxy coating so it dehydrates, usually within about 48 hours.
Is St. Gabriel Organics Insect Dust safe to use around my home and pets?
Insect Dust is natural food-grade diatomaceous earth and is OMRI-listed for organic use. Used as directed, it's safe enough to sprinkle around your vegetable patch or rub right into your dog's fur. Apply a light, even layer and keep it dry — DE only works while it's dry, so reapply after heavy rainfall.
Is St. Gabriel Organics organic?
Yes. St. Gabriel Organics specializes in natural, organic home-and-garden products. The Insect Dust diatomaceous earth is OMRI-listed for organic use, and Milky Spore is a naturally occurring soil bacterium produced to USDA standards.
Related Collections
Looking for more chemical-free ways to protect your yard? Browse Eartheasy's Non-Toxic Pest Control, Natural Lawn Care, and Composting collections to build out a healthy, organic garden.
