Holes in Your Lawn After the Rain? Here’s Why

A porous lawn is unsightly and can damage the grass. Rain is usually a good thing for your lawn, but it can create small holes from various sources. If your grass is covered in holes after a rainy day, it’s time to find out what caused it and how you can prevent it from happening again.

If you have holes in your lawn after the rain, these are the likely causes:

• Earthworms dug tunnels after the rain
• Pesticides burned the holes
• Heavy rain moved the dirt
• Someone walked on the wet grass
• It rained after a long drought

Throughout this article, we’ll show you why your lawn has holes after the rain and what you can do about it. We’ll also talk about whether or not these holes can damage the grass, soil, and roots.

Earthworms in the Wet Soil

According to Clemson, earthworms can move the soil after a long, rainy day. Earthworms often come to the surface when the soil is wet. They can’t get enough air if the soil is drenched, not to mention how much the rain’s vibrations disturb the soil.

Fortunately, earthworms are usually a sign of a good, healthy lawn.

How to Fix

Worms are quite beneficial for a lawn. Their castings add nutrition to the soil, promoting an environment for a vibrant, healthy yard. However, their castings and holes left in the soil might be a bit unsightly.

So, how can you deal with holes in the grass caused by earthworms?

Get a lawn roller!

The Brinly 270-Pound Push & Tow Lawn Roller lets you compact the soil without damaging the grass. Push the roller around the yard once the grass dries after a rainy day to remove the holes and compress the castings. You can also attach it to a tractor or ride-on lawnmower.

Acidic Pesticides

Pesticides can wreak havoc on a lawn. We covered why acidic pesticides can make the lawn brown, but they can also burn through the wet soil. Along with herbicides and fertilizers, low-pH pesticides are some of the worst chemicals to use on the grass before or after it rains. The porous, damp soil is no match for its acidity.

How to Fix

Acidic, harsh chemicals can ruin your grass. Not only do they remove the previously mentioned benefits of earthworms, but they can also damage the roots, soil, and grass blades. That being said, there are a couple of alternatives.

• Put cedarwood oil on the grass. The Wondercide EcoTreat Pesticide uses cedarwood oil and sesame oil to remove mosquitos, roaches, spiders, and more
• Remove rotten fruits and vegetables from the yard. This debris is a food source for bacteria, pests, and other bugs that tear through the soil and leave holes in the lawn.
• If you have to use acidic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, wet the grass a few hours beforehand. The water prevents the harsh chemicals from drying on the lawn and damaging the roots.

Heavy Rain Moves Loose Dirt

If you have porous, aerated soil, a heavy rainstorm can sift through it. The droplets will push the soil around, causing holes. Much like the previously mentioned acidic pesticides, low-pH raindrops will undoubtedly have an effect on the dirt. The good news is this usually only happens with exceptionally strong and persistent rain.

How to Fix

Aerating the soil will prevent it from clumping. Clumps of dirt loosen the soil and roots, letting the rain push them away. Your grass will have holes every time it rains, making it difficult to maintain a healthy lawn.

Keep the lawn healthy by making a routine schedule with watering, fertilizing (non-acidic products), and mowing. Mow the lawn to about 2.5 inches to prevent it from getting too long and stopping the soil from getting enough water.

If you notice patchy grass, you can till the soil and overseed it. Overseeded soil often helps the lawn grow quickly and healthily. Tilled soil is less likely to clump and dry out, which makes it so the rain can’t put holes in the dirt.

Walking on Wet Grass

Does your grass look like it’s been walked on? Animals and people can flatten the grass and make it porous, especially when the soil is wet. Your lawn shouldn’t flatten when it’s walked on, but the damp dirt, roots, and grass blades might get crushed if they’re too fragile. Walking around the edges of the lawn should prevent this from happening, but we have a few extra tips below.

How to Fix

Keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t walk on wet grass after the rain, using a hose, or running the sprinklers.
• Mow the lawn weekly to prevent it from getting too long and trapping moisture in the soil.
• Use a lawn roller when the grass is dry to compact the dirt and make it less spongey.
• Keep your pets off the lawn when it’s wet, if possible.
• Avoid mowing the lawn right after it rains since the mower can compress the grass and leave holes behind.

Rain After a Drought

Geo Hazards explain rain can crumble and erode drought-ridden soil. If you live in a dry, warm climate without much rain, there’s a good chance the rain droplets will break off chunks of the loose, airy dirt. These chunks of dirt could be big or small, all of which result in random holes and pits throughout the lawn.

How to Fix

Droughts are terrible for lawns. You might live in a place where daily watering is limited due to water constraints. However, if you don’t, you could water the grass every day to prevent the soil from getting too dry. This process will stop the drought from drying the soil and causing holes when it rains.

If you can’t water the grass often enough to prevent the soil from getting too dry, consider xeriscaping. We break down the process of xeriscaping for eco-friendly purposes, but it’s also great for reducing yardwork, using less water to reduce your utility bills, and preventing excessive soil dryness.