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 Post subject: Re: bumpy soil problem
PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:59 am 
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Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:12 am
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Although I would not rule out frost heaving, I tend to think that it is something else. Reasons against frost heaving:
1) The first 10 years we lived here, there was no problem. Then the problem started about 10 years ago. We had some severe winters in the first 10 years, including two years with 3+ foot snow accumulations.
2) The problem first started in one section of the yard and has expanded over the years so that now only a small section of the yard is not affected.
3) The images on google don't match up very well with what I've got. I've got individual bumps, or mounds, that are randomly spread out.

Thanks you for your input and I look forward to any other ideas you might have.


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 Post subject: Re: bumpy soil problem
PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:09 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:09 pm
Posts: 1917
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
Do you have a USDA Agriculture extension agent in your area? They usually operate at the county level and this might be the kind of question they could answer. If that is the case, I hope you share whatever answer you get with us.

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 Post subject: Re: bumpy soil problem
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:40 am 
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OK, I received this reply from the extension office and I think its correct:

This question is asked often. Bumps in the lawn that make it uneven, hard to work on and plain unsightly, could, sometimes, actually be a god thing. From the enclosed pictures it appears that you have an army of earthworms and night crawlers providing”biological aeration” for your lawn. These little acorn-like hardened structures are called ‘castings’ with a tiny hall in the middle that allow air to get deeper down. Thinning of the lawn can also be a sign, among else, of more compacted soil. Earthworms too need oxygen to survive and take some (for many of us) unexpected steps to overcome air deprivation… they chew through the sod and thatch, come to the surface for a breath of fresh air. You may see more activity in spring and fall with increased rain events. The excess moisture will cause them to move towards the surface to get more air. Believe it or not, these bumps are an indication of improved soil texture…below each one of those castings there is about ¼” diameter hole/tunnel left behind. Now, the question is what to do about it? Your lawn would benefit from dethatching whether you use the dethatching rake or have the core-aeration done by lawn maintenance firms. After that application, over-seeding is strongly recommended followed by regular fertilization program to keep your lawn strong and thick so the bumps will not be much of a problem.

I am planning to rent an aerator/coring/machine and I am also interested in the organic program you mentioned earlier. I welcome your advise on how to proceed. Thank you


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 Post subject: Re: bumpy soil problem
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:22 pm 
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Thanks for sharing that answer with us.

One of the moderators has talked about using shampoo to aerate soil, you might want to look at popular posts from the last six months and you'll find that discussion.

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