When Is The Best Time To Water My Lawn
The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning. The 2nd best time is RIGHT NOW! Watering in the morning is best because this allows the water to soak deep into the soil and allows the leaves of the grass plant to dry before the water evaporates as it gets warmer in the day. If you cant water in the morning, evenings are OK, just try to do it earlier! .
What Are All Those Bumps On My Lawn
Jul 30, 2010 | Lawn & Landscape Tips |
We get asked this question a lot. What are all these little bumps in my lawn? If you have bumps in your lawn its generally a good thing, as it indicates earthworm activity in your soil, this could help out your garden a lot.
Earthworms chew their way through the soil and eliminate behind them. The eliminations are called castings. The castings are usually moist and look like little mud balls. As the castings dry, it hardens and makes little mounds of dirt in amongst the turf. If you flick off the top of the dirt mound youll usually find a small hole. Nightcrawlers are the little guys that make the biggest mounds. Generally, you can see holes up to 1/4 after removing the casting mound.
Its a good thing what they do in that they are helping aerate your soil. This helps improve soil structure by relieving soil compaction, improving air circulation, moisture penetration and it also increases microbial activity, which in turn helps decompose thatch. Without boring you will all the other compounding benefits, just know that worms are a good thing and any pesticides applied to your lawn will not affect them.
Taking the time to diagnose what is really going on with your lawn is the first step in protecting your investment for the long haul.
The Wrong Kind Of Mowing
Thats right, mowing your lawn the wrong way can also lead to lumpiness. One common problem is if you use the exact same pattern on every occasion that you mow.
The weight of the wheels of the mower and the path of your footsteps can push down and eventually compact the soil over time.
Its good to have at least two mowing patterns that you can follow. This way you can change it up every time you mow.
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Removing Worm Castings In Lawn
The little mounds may pose a tripping hazard and small dead spots in the lawn destroy the beauty of a well cared for grassy area. If these details send you over the edge and you need to kill the earthworm population, think twice! There are chemicals you can use to kill worms, but they generally kill other beneficial soil organisms too.
You can use a heavy roller to smooth out the hills and then core aerate to decrease the compaction. Worm mounds in yard sites can also just be knocked over with a rake. Spread out the nutrient rich casting to benefit more of the sod area and prevent the concentrated burning.
If you want to minimize worm activity on the surface of the soil, reduce watering. Moisture is attractive to the worms and they are busiest when soil is soggy. The best and easiest idea is to just sit back and enjoy the work of these wonderful organisms and the benefits they bring to the rest of your garden.
What Causes Bumps In My Lawn
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Besides, how do you fix a bumpy lawn?
Apply scoops of fresh topsoil to low areas of the lawn using a shovel. Keep the new dirt no more than 1/2 inch thick so the existing grass can grow through it. If it’s too deep, the dirt will kill the existing grass. Spread the dirt slightly with the rake if the dirt gets too deep.
Beside above, how do you level a bumpy lawn? These are the basic steps:
Beside above, what are the bumps in my lawn?
If you have bumps in your lawn it’s generally a good thing, as it indicates earthworm activity in your soil, this could help out your garden a lot. Earthworms chew their way through the soil and eliminate behind them. The eliminations are called castings. The castings are usually moist and look like little mud balls.
Should I roll my bumpy lawn?
We never recommend rolling a lawn. The best thing you can do is to aerate regularly, topdress and overseed when needed, manage pest infestations proactively and keep the lawn thick and healthy. Bumps are usually the result of uneven growth and poor health.
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Should You Fix Your Bumpy Lawn
There are several reasons for fixing your bumpy lawn. A smooth lawn provides more opportunities for fun activities and yard games. Most importantly, it ensures the safety of your family and friends.
If your lawn is bumpy, you know how frustrating it can be to play yard games. Bumps and holes throughout the yard cause balls to get stuck. Sometimes the equipment needed for the game is unable to stand up due to a bumpy lawn. This takes the enjoyment out of a very fun afternoon.
However, a bumpy lawn is more than just an afternoon inconvenience. Faulty rainwater drainage or pesky pests can be the cause of the bumps in your lawn. Either of these causes could wreak significant havoc on the rest of your yard or even on your home.
Additionally, a bumpy lawn poses a serious danger to your family friends, especially the children and elderly. Failing to fix the bumps in your lawn can cause a loved one to trip and fall. In some cases, a fall like this can lead to serious injury.
For all the reasons listed above, as well as others, we believe that it is crucial to fix the bumps in your lawn. Maintaining your yard properly each year will prevent you from needing to take drastic measures to fix a serious issue down the road. This saves you time, money, and unnecessary frustration.
Why Is My Lawn Uneven
Soil is amazing! Within the relatively small area of a domestic lawn there can be several areas with different soil types. Maybe theres a mineral seam running through the lawn, or an old river bed. Perhaps parts of the lawn have been used for different things in the past. One of my customers has grassed over her old vegetable garden but in certain weather conditions you can still see where they were.
If youve ever watched the TV program Time Team youll know that the soil in a garden can give us clues as to what was there hundreds of years ago. So maybe the dips in your lawn are a hint that theres treasure beneath ityou never know!
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Level Out Your Lawn By Topdressing
Perhaps the most common method of making your lawn less bumpy is topdressing. Leveling your yard by topdressing is rather simple, although it can be time-consuming. Topdressing is also the preferred method used by lawn care professionals.
The use of the topdressing method is most beneficial when the bumps in your lawn are less drastic. Topdressing is also the most effective method for preventing serious bumps in the future.
Causes For A Lumpy Bumpy Lawn
- In Spring, bumps often appear as frozen, dense clay soil thaws unevenly. It heaves and buckles like a bunched-up carpet.
- Animals, both wild and pets sometimes dig holes in lawns.
- Children at play can also dig holes causing your lawn to become lumpy.
- Depressions can be created if people or animals walk on lawns that are too soft .
- Some home gardening equipment can leave holes as well if misused.
If part of the lawn sinks and creates a depression the first thing to do is determine why. Removing the cause before correcting the effect is crucial. For any depression an inch or deeper, repair should involve removing the sod, correcting the cause of the sinking, and then backfilling with new soil with enough extra to allow for settling. The removed sod can be put back in place if it is still in good shape, or replaced with new sod or seed. A shallow depression in a lumpy bumpy lawn less than an inch deep can be corrected gradually by sprinkling top dressing over it. Compost-based mixes are good for this.
Bumps and rises also need to be diagnosed before correction. If caused by an object, it will need to be removed. If a bump is from burrowing animals, they will have to be removed before the area can be smoothed. It may be possible to flatten smaller bumps by stepping on them.
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What Causes Uneven Lawns
Before you start trying to fix your lawn, the best thing to do first is to try and figure out what is causing the problem.
There are a variety of reasons as to why your lawn could be uneven. It could be a result of uneven thawing in spring, depressions in the soil, settling, or even drainage issues.
Regrading A Severely Uneven Lawn
Sometimes spot-correcting just isnt enough. If your lawn has large slopes or deep, wide pits, regrading the whole area is the only way to get an even surface. This will cover your existing grass, so youll need to resod or reseed.
Creating a slope that ensures good drainage and easy mowing takes some planning. Your lawn should slope downward away from your house to prevent it from funneling water toward your foundation. A slope of around 6 inches every 10 feet is ideal, but anywhere between 2.5 to 12 inches every 10 feet is acceptable.
If youre unsure about calculating or creating an optimal slope, its worth hiring an experienced landscaper. This is especially true if you have a large lawn. A landscaper can bring in equipment, such as a site level and backhoe, to get the job done quickly and correctly.
First, establish your lawns slope by calculating its run and rise. This tells you the difference in height from the high point near the foundation to the low point near the storm sewer or gutter.
Place a stake at the highest and the lowest points of your lawn. Tie a rope between the stakes and hang line levels on the rope to ensure its perfectly level. Measure the full length of the rope to find your lawns run. Then go to the stake at the lowest point and measure the distance from the rope to the ground. This is the lawns rise. If the run is 100 feet long, there should be a rise of between 25 inches to 10 feet.
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Read On And Learn A Few Things That You Can Do To Fix Your Bumpy Lawn Make It Lusher And Fuller Again
What Causes A Bumpy Lawn
Some people get frustrated with their bumpy lawns because whatever they try to do the problem persists.
And lawns often remain bumpy because people try to carry out a quick fix instead of addressing the more serious issues.
Quick fixes for bumpy lawns rarely work.
The best way to manage an uneven lawn is to first look for the cause of the bumps and then go about correcting it.
Identifying the problem first will save you from wasting time on non-existing issues.
Its also important to think about a long-term solution so you dont have to face the problem again in the short term.
There can be many causes for a bumpy lawn, including:
- Burrowing animals.
- Large objects buried within the soil.
- Dense and frozen clayey soil can form lumps.
- High foot traffic on soft soil can also form lumps.
Its worth noting that bumps on your lawn will be most noticeable when your lawn is thin.
A dense lawn will hide the bumps much better than a thin one.
Some other causes of a bumpy lawn can include:
- Regular freezing and thawing conditions can cause your garden soil to heave up and leave bumps.
- Earthworm castings can sometimes cause an area of your lawn to be bumpy.
- Drought, disease, poor maintenance, and even too much shade can also contribute to a bumpy lawn.
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How Do You Smooth Out A Bumpy Lawn
You can use sand or topsoil, whatever you have and whatever is the most economical. When you start filling holes in your yard, youll quickly realize just how many problem spots there are to address. You may need several bags of topdressing or an entire truckload to deal with all the dips and ruts in your lawn.Contact a local nursery in your area and see if they deliver. Youll need a lot of soil or sand for leveling an entire yard.
Why Is My Lawn So Bumpy
Unfortunately, theres no one simple answer to this question. The truth is, a bumpy lawn could be due to a number of issues, including one or more of the following:
- Freezing and Thawing: A thin lawn that freezes and thaws can cause the soil to lift and heave, ultimately becoming bumpy.
- Earthworms and Nightcrawlers: Earthworms and nightcrawlers can cause a lawn to be bumpy because they create small lumps of dirt at the soil surface. These lumps are called castings and can leave the lawn quite bumpy.
- Animals Digging: Animals digging through your lawn may be another culprit of the unwanted bumps. While raccoons will roll up a lawn in search of grubs and other larval insects, skunks are known to make small holes while digging for insects to eat.
- Improper Grading: A poorly graded yard is a more serious cause behind a bumpy yard and can lead to bigger problems if water is running toward your home instead of away from it.
- Tree Roots: One or more trees on your property may have roots growing close to the surface. These roots may be causing your bumpy lawn problems.
- Mower Ruts: Are you constantly mowing in the same groove over and over again? A bumpy lawn may be the result of mower ruts created by mowing the same pattern again and again.
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Break Up The Bumps In Your Lawn
Once you have irrigated, fertilized and aerated your lawn, its time to break up those unsightly bumps!
Start by using a power rake to break down the bumps and soil cores. Once you have broken down the lumps and bumps, rake the thatch out of the lawn. Lawn thatch is a combination of living and dead organic plant matter that accumulates on your lawn.
Continue raking, and remove any thatch that continues to come to the surface.
The Many Possible Causes For A Bumpy Lawn
A beautiful lush lawn can get bumpy and uneven over the years. This can be caused by weeds, earthworms, and even as a result of our lawn equipment or footprints. Additionally, hard packed clay soils can expand and contract in freezing cold winter months, leading to bumpy lawns.
Excessive watering can also lead to a bumpy lawn, as the water will collect on one spot and then evaporate, causing uneven topography. In certain climates , grass grows too quickly for its roots to fully establish themselves into the ground below it. This leads to hidden pits in the ground that can be easy to trip over and injure yourself. Thats why its very important to maintain a level landscape around your home.
Though your bumpy lawn can still look pretty decent from afar, walking on it can be uncomfortable, or even dangerous if you trip and fall. If you and your family enjoy a lot of outdoor recreational activities, it may be a good idea to work on adding a top dressing of sand to level out your uneven law. Heres how:
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Why Is My Lawn So Bumpy Sensible Solutions For Homeowners In Allentown Pa
A bumpy, uneven, or rough lawn is not only annoying, it can be potentially dangerous if it becomes a trip-and-fall hazard. Plus, a bumpy lawn may also be very difficult to mow, making the task incredibly frustrating.
If you have a bumpy lawn then you might be worrying that someone is going to get hurt or that your problem is only going to get worse. Whether its a few areas or its most of your property, either way, you want to know what to do about my bumpy lawn.