Can someone tell me what happened to my lawn?

Mar 28th, 2019 6:54 pm

#1

hightech [OP]: Deal Expert; Dec 23, 2003; 17171 posts; 5910 upvotes; Toronto

Mar 28th, 2019 6:54 pm

Can someone tell me what happened to my lawn?

As you know, we had a fair amount of snow this year. There was a big mound of snow that was on my lawn and it finally melted and now my lawn looks like this. Does anyone know what happened and how to fix it?

Images

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Mar 28th, 2019 7:37 pm

#2

hierophant: Deal Fanatic; Feb 4, 2010; 6914 posts; 6687 upvotes

Mar 28th, 2019 7:37 pm

Did you newly lay down sod in the fall? It looks like the strips of sod have been moved around. I don't think heavy snow (and we didn't have that much snow this year) would do this. If anything, I think it's more to do with the # of thaw/freeze cycles but even then it shouldn't happen on mature lawn. Did you go on the lawn with a snowblower or somethign?

+1

Mar 28th, 2019 7:41 pm

#3

cartfan123: Deal Fanatic; Sep 8, 2007; 9758 posts; 11878 upvotes; Way Out of GTA

Mar 28th, 2019 7:41 pm

Haha that’s voles bro. Look them up.

https://www.mygardengeek.com/preventing ... -in-lawns/

Images

+10

Mar 28th, 2019 8:05 pm

#4

Jagstyles: Deal Addict; Aug 7, 2013; 1625 posts; 524 upvotes; GTA

Mar 28th, 2019 8:05 pm

Definitely a vole. I saw some crawling around in my garden in the fall, laid a few traps and fortunately got them all before they ravaged by lawn.

Mar 28th, 2019 8:16 pm

#5

hierophant: Deal Fanatic; Feb 4, 2010; 6914 posts; 6687 upvotes

Mar 28th, 2019 8:16 pm

Oh wow...I have never/seen heard of voles doing that before!! Crazy. Were they digging up the grass to look for food?

+1

Mar 28th, 2019 9:03 pm

#6

Zamboni: Deal Fanatic; Oct 19, 2008; 7340 posts; 2929 upvotes; Whitby

Mar 28th, 2019 9:03 pm

I had a Yorkie that would hunt voles as long as you let him. Disgusting watching him eat them; I should have rented him out.

+3

Mar 28th, 2019 10:16 pm

#7

cartfan123: Deal Fanatic; Sep 8, 2007; 9758 posts; 11878 upvotes; Way Out of GTA

Mar 28th, 2019 10:16 pm

Found an organic home brew you may want to try

The Recipe For Organic Vole & Mouse Control
Large Area Applications Using A Hose-End Sprayer

1 Cup of Castor Oil (DO NOT USE UNSCENTED CASTOR OIL!)
We buy our Castor Oil from Shay and Company
4 Oz Dish Detergent

hierophant wrote: ↑Oh wow...I have never/seen heard of voles doing that before!! Crazy. Were they digging up the grass to look for food?

The grass is part of their food....

Mar 28th, 2019 11:09 pm

#8

TechMeOff: Jr. Member; Mar 6, 2019; 137 posts; 70 upvotes; Calgary

Mar 28th, 2019 11:09 pm

jackrabbit000 wrote: ↑ ... Caught about 85 of the bastards last year. Just rake it up. You don't have to do anything. I just fertilize and water it and it grows back really quick.

I find it runs in cycles with vole in our neighborhood (Calgary). Never been close to catching 85 in one year! ... but I've been catching about a dozen/year of them the last couple of years. Never tried any repellent but just using a mouse trap like this one: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wils ... p.html#srp

I just put the traps where I know they travel (watch for the tracks and also any entry holes). That's kinda hard to do when there's snow on the ground but I've found keeping the grass cut lower in the fall before end of season has helped over the winter.

Mar 28th, 2019 11:48 pm

#9

fdl: Deal Fanatic; Dec 5, 2009; 5760 posts; 3598 upvotes

Mar 28th, 2019 11:48 pm

Voles or field mice did that. It’s not too bad a bit of grass seed and it’s fine.

Mar 29th, 2019 12:44 am

#10

Jerico: Deal Guru; Jan 25, 2007; 12410 posts; 7584 upvotes; Paris

Mar 29th, 2019 12:44 am

I didn’t know I had Voles till I got a furry serial killer. He would stalk them and play with them and eventually kill them. Easily 50 or more. Lawn looked a lot better. Best cat ever. Died 3 years ago and the chipmunk/squirrel/rabbit population has only started to recover.

Mar 29th, 2019 10:08 am

#11

Jagstyles: Deal Addict; Aug 7, 2013; 1625 posts; 524 upvotes; GTA

Mar 29th, 2019 10:08 am

jackrabbit000 wrote: ↑ I think the reason why there are so many around our place is because behind us is an open field. And my neighbors don't bother to put any traps out. I just set out the standard mouse traps with peanut butter at the front and back of the house and catch 3-4 a day. For some reason, they like going under our front steps.

That's where I caught most of ours as well, right under the steps in our front yard.

Mar 29th, 2019 11:08 am

#12

TechMeOff: Jr. Member; Mar 6, 2019; 137 posts; 70 upvotes; Calgary

Mar 29th, 2019 11:08 am

Ours are in back yard near our deck. Think they hang out under or deck or our neighbours. Used to have some along the stone patio but I haven't seen any holes for a bit now. I've never had any luck with bait so I just put the traps out where I think they travel or if there's any hole openings.

Mar 29th, 2019 1:12 pm

#13

koffey: Deal Expert; Oct 6, 2010; 15526 posts; 10173 upvotes; Toronto

Mar 29th, 2019 1:12 pm

Pretty good thread here on different ways to deal with mice/voles. I'd rather get a fox. FYI, my catch and release method wasn't sustainable. Took way too long to catch and they populate like well, mice.

whats-best-way-get-rid-mice-1527543/

DYI difficulty scale:
0-joke
10-no joke

Mar 29th, 2019 1:24 pm

#14

Anikiri: Deal Guru; May 1, 2012; 10485 posts; 11242 upvotes; Toronto

Mar 29th, 2019 1:24 pm

Biologist here.

It's voles.

What can you do? I dunno, get cats, lots of cats.

+1

Mar 29th, 2019 4:21 pm

#15

WMPCOT: Deal Addict; Apr 26, 2013; 4058 posts; 4005 upvotes; Toronto

Mar 29th, 2019 4:21 pm

jackrabbit000 wrote: ↑ X2. Mine is the same every year but not too bad this year. Caught about 85 of the bastards last year. Just rake it up. You don't have to do anything. I just fertilize and water it and it grows back really quick.

85 WOW that's a crazy huge amount.