I recently mowed my lawn and noticed that a section of about 100 square feet in my backyard has become really squishy; when I step on it, I sink in by about 2-3 inches. This area has mostly clay soil but there's a decent layer of dark brown soil on top. It hasn't rained much in the past month, aside from some heavy thunderstorms recently. This spot is the lowest part of my yard and has poor drainage. I used to have some trees there about seven years ago, but they're gone now. In the six years I've lived here, I've never faced problems in this area and nothing has changed since I moved in. I mowed it just ten days ago and everything seemed fine. I've checked and there are no utilities near this spot, as I've had the yard marked twice before. When I pulled up some grass, the dirt underneath resembled earthworm castings. Is this something I should be worried about? Could it just be the result of bad drainage or maybe decaying roots affecting this area?
3 Answers
Have you considered the possibility of moles? They can disturb the soil and create squishy spots in your yard. It might be something to look out for!
If the dirt looks like coffee grounds, you might want to investigate further. You could have Asian jumping worms in your soil, which can really mess things up. It’s worth looking into! If you're seeing something that resembles hamburger meat in the soil, you may want to check for them.
It sounds like you might be dealing with a drainage issue, especially since you mentioned it’s the lowest spot in your yard. Sometimes after heavy rains, those areas can get really squishy. Have you checked if there are any utilities nearby? I've noticed my yard gets similar after heavy rains too, but it could just take a few days to settle down as the water drains away.