Bumpy lawn question

[Stratosman]

Some parts of my lawn feel like there are golf balls under the turf, reel bumpy and such, any ideas what causes this? Infestation of some sort...and the best way to deal with it...I was thinking a heavy roller when the ground is soft or something...not sure what the deal is, we moved into the house last winter so only have had one summer in it, so not sure if it's a new problem or a constant one...

Thanks, Scott

[wishing for walleyes]

Your best night crawler hunting comes from that bumpy ground.

[vanwalleye]

I would try the heavy roller in the spring depending on th type of soil I would water a couple days get it soft but not to soft where you will sink in, if that does not work you could try a core areation in the fall to losen up soil and then try watering and rolling it again hope the points you in the right direction

[Quetico]

Ok if its night crawlers to the point of changing the contour of your lawn you will be aware of that fat quickly. I've seen lawns that are over run with night crawlers and the owners see them out there in the rain. If thats your issue, now this is a serious answer I researched heavily and have tried with success- cover the lawn in ground mustard. The mustard drives them nuts due to skin irritation. They'll be gone within a week.

My thinking without seeing it, you just have heads of grass that grew up. Start with a chemical weed control treatment to control these weedy grasses. The top dress the site by smoothing over new soil to level out the area.

[Stratosman]

Thanks for the tips, there are some crawlers, I tried picking a few times last year with moderate success, will they make it that bumpy?, I mean like where it's to the point where it's quite uncomfortable with bare feet. Like golf ball sized humps, maybe a bit smaller....Crawlers was my first thought, but seemed unrealistic to me.

[wishing for walleyes]

Crawlers will do that to a lawn.They really like shaded areas under trees because the ground stays cooler for them.

[Quetico]

With that sized bumps, its probably crawlers. In the spring grad a bag of cheap ground mustard. It should clear up the probably. Your wife my check you into a mental care facility for the idea but it works.

[Stratosman]

Thanks guys, I guess free bait is a good thing...

[IFallsRon]

Worms mean you have a healthy yard. Some companies sell worm castings as a lawn enhancer.

[titelines]

Great thread.

I have often wondered the same thing about our lawn. I was out one night this past Summer when it was "misting" and must've seen hundreds of crawlers in the lawn. My first thought was...Cool, look at all this bait!!

[Dave S]

I had a tilled area in a yard that was about 15'x15'. My first intent was to have a garden. One night after some rain I went out to see if there were crawlers and holy smokes.

14 dozen crawlers out of that small of an area. I couldn't believe it.

The ground mustard is an interesting thought. Might have to try that in some problem areas in the yard.

[fishuhalik]

Ground mustard, never heard that but sounds like a good idea!

I would stay away from putting a roller to it, it'll break the grass at the base and kill alot of it

[jkjkoda]

Crawlers!!!!

[VMS]

Hiya,

Stratosman, if you are still living in the same area as I am, I'm not so sure it's crawlers... I have a very bumpy lawn as well, but go down about 6 inches and I have sand...pure all the way down past the footings in the house 12 feet down. I know right across the street from me, they have clay to some extent as well.

I have searched high and low for crawlers, and there are very very VERY few along the pathway...

So...If it is crawlers, I'd love to come and help rid your lawn of them.

I've been aerating my lawn heavily in the fall and about the only thing I can figure is I need to do a good lawn rolling in the spring right at the end of spring thaw....but...I don't know if that is a good thing either since I would be compressing things...

I'm still on the fence yet...

Steve

[Charley]

They aerate you your yard.