grubs live underground.. and eat roots ..

they would not make a whole plant disappear ...

so now.. you have to figure out what ate the plant...

ken

Ok I'll work on that; perhaps it was another critter that ate the top. Any advice then on the THOUSANDS of grub worms that are in my vegetable beds, currently eating the roots?

Show us some pictures, please.

What are "grub worms"? Most everything I can find about something like them says they are the larva of the May or June Beetle and those do not gad about on the soil surface.
To be able to help we need a proper identification of what you have and pictures may be of some help.

need pix..

you .. we.. have to ID the bug... to give any useful advice ... each is his own little nightmare.. lol ..

this is all part of turning your thumbs green ... we dont live in some disney movie where everything is easy and pretty ...... we live.. we learn.. and we move on.. sometimes the whole crop fails ... and we learn by it.. and try again ...

besides .... its all an excuse.. to play in the dirt ... try to enjoy it all.. try not to turn it into a stressor ...

ken

Here's a picture (not mine--it's from the internet but this is what's out there. I will try to get a picture from my garden later). They are just underneath the surface and go down a few inches. If I dig them up they burrow back underneath the ground. From what I read they are beetle larvae, and it seems like they usually ruin lawns by eating the roots. I am guessing these things are all over my yard, and they are what killed off the grass that once existed in my backyard (when we moved in it was already just weeds and dirt, but I do know there was once sod, maybe 6 or 7 years ago). Now they are in my garden bed eating all the plant roots. I wish they could just eat the roots of weeds in my yard! Thanks to everyone for responding! I hope the picture helps if anyone has experience with these. I'm thinking since my entire yard is infested I might have to just spray the entire area with pesticides and start again next year. I'm wondering if anyone agrees that's the best option? I know a picture of the actual infestation might help so you can see how prolific these grubs are. I will get one later. Thanks again for any input.

Hi LD; I don't think anyone on this forum will want you to just start spraying "willy-nilly" with pesticides. So, please don't. Only when the actual pest has been identified as the one doing the damage, if there is noteworthy damage, should a pesticide be considered, specifically for that pest.
That being said, to control beetle grubs of this sort as you picture, application of Milky Spoor to the area might be the best solution, which works to kill feeding grubs such as this.
Read and follow label direction to the "T".

Thank you-I had not considered milky spore. I would much prefer a natural remedy over pesticides. I'll try that since the nematodes aren't going to arrive for another few days. There is almost nothing left of most of my plants, although the tomatoes look salvageable so I'll start there. Thanks again!

If the Milky Spoor is not effective in reducing the grub population in your raised beds , there are chemical control products available that are available Ie: Merit, Grubex, Menards Grub control. Also, parasitic nematodes are a possibility and less "harsh" than chemicals, A beneficial nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, attacks JB grubs.

Milky Spore Disease will not be of much use now to control these grubs, although it might help some for the grubs, larva, that hatch from the eggs these grubs will lay after they pupate. Gathering these grubs and feeding them to the birds is one method of control that is effective now. Parasitic nematodes probably will not be very effective at controlling these grubs that are close to pupating, either. Like Milky Spore Disease they are most effective on the grubs shortly after they hatch, in August.
While these larva do eat plant roots, and a large number of them can be a problem, they do not eat the parts of plants growing above ground.