What Causes Grass Bubbles? (And How To Fix Them)
A lawn or grass bubble looks like a blister under the grass.
It is caused by water that is trapped and does not drain away.
Because the water cannot drain, the grass floats on top, forming a blister of sorts.
Poor drainage in certain areas of the lawn is one of the main reasons they form.
That is why they trap water beneath the surface.
These grass bubbles are soft and squishy and filled with water.
They vary in size but often become quite large.
Some consumers have said that if you sit on a grass bubble it feels like a waterbed.
They often form on lawns and commercial properties that have laid plastic underneath the sod or grass put down.
They need to be removed because they can damage your lawn when not repaired or fixed.
What Factors Cause Grass Bubbles?
Water gets trapped beneath the grass because it cannot drain properly through the soil into the ground.
Heavy rainfall can cause grass bubbles or blisters, broken water pipes, or plastic beneath the planted grass or sod.
The soil is sometimes flat, rocky, and does not drain well, and water collects beneath the grass. When you have grass planted or sod put in, sometimes they use plastic underneath.
Grass bubbles can occur even in areas without any plastic.
Sometimes it is caused by methane gas from rotting vegetation or a compost pile.
Should You Pop A Lawn Bubble?
These bubbles ruin the lawn because there is a layer of water underneath the grass and above the topsoil.
The grassroots cannot get water or nutrients unless this pocket of water is drained.
The water and nutrients are what give your property a lush green lawn.
These bubbles are not dangerous but can harm your home or business property.
Your grass will suffer due to small or large lawn bubbles.
They can be found on residential and commercial property.
They are often found on golf courses and country club lawns.
Lawn Bubbles Can Ruin Your Home or Business’s Lawn
That unsightly lawn blister might have you tempted to pop it yourself.
If you do decide to pop the lawn bubble on your own, then you first need to dig some trenches to catch the water when it’s released.
Once you’ve got the trenches ready, just take a sharp pick or other gardening tool and puncture that lawn bubble.
- Don’t make more than one puncture in the lawn bubble
- Don’t make a really large puncture.
You should focus on minimizing the damage to your lawn, which is why you only need one small puncture to release the water into the trenches.
Or, you can always forget the DIY route and hire a lawn professional to take care of the grass blister.
Professional Help For Lawn Bubbles
Unless you are an avid outdoor gardener, you will want to get a professional lawn care service to help you drain your lawn bubbles.
It has to be drained and the water directed somewhere else without tearing up the grass.
A lawn care service can puncture it and drain it using professional tools and methods that work.
They might dig a channel to drain the water but you still might be left with muddy water and damage to that spot.
A professional lawn care service can repair the damage after the grass bubble is drained.
They might plant new grass seeds or add sod to the area.
It will need to dry out and they may have equipment that can assist in the process.
The lawn care service may find that an area of your lawn or commercial property does not drain well.
This will give them the opportunity to devise a system to help your lawn drain better.
Your local lawn service might aerate your soil or create a rain garden.
Each lawn bubble problem requires a different solution.
Call your local lawn service to find out more about lawn bubble treatments.
