You shouldn’t be alarmed if you’ve ever noticed a big bubble formation beneath the grass on your lawn. That is referred to as a lawn blister, and they occur on an irregular basis. Nonetheless, they may appear more frequently under certain conditions.
While there are obvious drawbacks to these bubbles, you could argue that they can also work in our favor. In the following post, we’ll go over all you need to know about these formations.
We’ll go over the many causes of grass blisters briefly because we need to understand what creates them in the first place.
Table of Contents
What are lawn bubbles under the grass?
These bubbles, also known as grass bubbles or lawn blisters, appear beneath the grass when a water pocket forms beneath the surface. In most cases, it is precisely between the grass and the plastic liner that serves as a foundation for the turf to grow.
Plastic sheeting is frequently required for soil that is in poor condition. After assembling it, you spread good soil over the plastic liner, allowing a healthy turf to grow up.
Lawn blisters can occur for a variety of reasons. An influx of water is sometimes to blame, although a broken pipe or severe rain could also be to blame.
What causes grass bubbles to form?
Grass bubbles arise when water becomes trapped beneath the grass and cannot drain away. During high rains and storms, your yard may be flooded with more water than it can drain. If there hasn’t been much rain and a grass bubble has formed in your yard, it’s most likely the result of a ruptured water main that’s pushing water into the soil beneath the surface.
Grass bubbles are most common where plastic has been distributed before dirt and grass are added. Water becomes trapped between the plastic and the earth beneath, forming a water pocket like a grass waterbed.
Grass bubbles can form beneath densely growing grass and sod in the absence of plastic. Excessive rainfall can become caught between the grass and the soil beneath if the grass and thatch are thick enough. The grass appears to float on top of the lake.
Is grass bubble dangerous?
Grass bubbles aren’t very dangerous because they don’t usually conceal sinkholes or other hazards. They can, however, hold a considerable amount of water, which you may not want to flood your yard.
If you come across a grass bubble and wish to get rid of it, plan drainage away from the bubble properly. First, dig any trenches that are required. Then, with as little harm to your lawn as possible, puncture the grass bubble. When removing a grass bubble, you may cause harm to your lawn and garden if you make a significant puncture or several punctures.
Even if lawn blisters are generally harmless, they can be quite unpleasant on occasion. You see, sometimes the cause of their formation isn’t water but rather a buildup of gas.
That is why you must always perform a complete inspection before doing anything with it.
The point is that grass blisters can occur for various causes, and determining what is causing them is the first step. Then you’ll be able to evaluate whether they’re good or harmful to the grass at your house, park, or any other area with a well-maintained lawn.
Is it possible for bubbles to kill grass?
Yes, grass bubbles can be detrimental to grass. Any excess of water can cause the grass to “drown.” Grass bubbles have the potential to uproot your grass. The roots cannot absorb important nutrients from the soil if they do not have ground contact. If you leave a grass bubble to its own devices, it will kill your grass.
What are the advantages of having lawn blisters?
If you’ve ever seen a lawn blister or seen one in an online video, you know they can be a lot of fun to have around; they act like waterbeds, which allows for a lot of creativity in terms of what you can do with them.
For example, because lawn blisters are most prone to appear on golf courses, they create novel ground forms that could lead to new paths and opportunities. You wouldn’t be able to play over them, but they’d serve more as decoration than anything else.
That is, of course, assuming that the content of the bubble is water. If it’s gas, you might want to eliminate the bubbles as soon as possible because they can be dangerous.
The truth is that most people dislike lawn blisters, and for a good reason. Nonetheless, you are more than capable of using them to your advantage as you try to give your grass a fresh look.
How to remove lawn bubbles
However, having one of these bubbles beneath the lawn is not always a good thing because it can impair the overall appearance. Fortunately, getting rid of them is straightforward.
Determine the causes.
Don’t just squish the blisters on your lawn; figure out what’s causing them. One obvious explanation is a heavy downpour, but if the source is a broken water pipe, you’ll need to fix it before you can start repairing your lawn. In the long run, this will save you more time, money, and energy, so inspect your pipes for cracks or leaks to prevent lawn bubbles from reappearing.
Prepare your tools.
Selecting the proper equipment for breaking a piece of the grass bubble is critical to limit the harm to your lawn. In this instance, you can pierce the turf with any sharp-pointed item to drain the water inside the bubble.
Make drainage holes.
Before you bust the bubble, you’ll need to design some drainage areas to take the water away from it. After deciding where to put the drainage, you’ll need to dig some trenches to allow the water from the bubble to flow beyond your lawn. You can begin ripping the bubble apart as soon as your trenches are ready.
This to consider
Only make a few holes around the bubble as much as feasible. A single tear large enough for the water to escape is preferable to several punctures, which almost certainly leave your lawn sodden or damaged. Also, as the water drains, you must clear up the mess or risk having sodden grass.
Some lawn carers may try to drain each lawn bubble separately. However, doing so could result in significant lawn damage. You should strive to collect as much of the drained water as possible to keep your grass from getting sodden. If you can limit the drainage points to one or two, you will have a greater chance of success when attempting to repair your grass at the end of the process.
You can break the turf and create water pools to drain the water inside the bubble by using gardening tools. However, there is a drawback: your grass will no longer be as attractive as it once was. Naturally, digging holes in the grass causes some damage to the surrounding region.
How to prevent grass bubbles
The first step in planning your lawn will be to identify the source of the water. During the next rainstorm, watch your yard to see where the water is coming from and going. If you require assistance, contact a geotechnical expert who can assist you in determining the source. After that, you’ll need to make a drainage path.
Install appropriate drainage
Depending on where the water is gathering, you’ll need to find a means to push the water to the edge of your grass. Adding soil to the center of your grass is one technique. If you notice that water is accumulating on one side of the lawn, building a French drain connecting to a rain garden will aid in appropriate drainage.
However, keep in mind that French drains are not permanent. They will eventually need to be repaired because sediment might obstruct adequate drainage. If your lawn is at the bottom of a slope, you might want to think about building a retaining wall to assist water drain away from the grass.
Prep your soil
Lawn blisters can also be avoided by properly prepping your lawn’s soil. You’ll want to layer in materials that allow water to circulate more easily to avoid a surface hardpan. You can add gravel or sand to the soil to help open up the space and allow for greater drainage. Remember that your lawn will have its perfect soil formula and appropriate tilling depth.
Aerate your lawn to improve drainage
Aeration is another approach for preventing oversaturation. Aeration is puncturing the earth with spikes or removing cores from the soil with equipment. This procedure generates routes for water to move to the roots, reducing compacting and preventing puddling. Aerate your lawn every two to three years, ideally.
The design of a rain garden allows it to collect, hold, and gently drain water, which helps minimize lawn blisters. Rain gardens also aid in the purification of run-off water.
Include a rain garden
Adding a rain garden to soak up rainwater is a fantastic idea. Bluestar, Cardinal flower, Swamp milkweed, Turtlehead, and other plants are excellent choices for a rain garden.
It prevents blisters by slowly emptying the water. It will also purify any run-off water from your yard!
What are your chances of getting a lawn blister?
The likelihood of your lawn having one of these bubbles is not something we can control; in most situations, it is determined by events beyond our control, such as natural precipitation or a pipe breaking.
If you dislike lawn blisters, the best way to combat them is to maintain your grass regularly. Instead of letting the grass soak up all of the water, make a good path for the water to flow after it rains. Check the pipes regularly as well.
More often than not, Lawn blisters are formations that we will be unable to avoid if we do not control other events. Your lawn should be alright as long as you maintain correct lawn conditions, which also applies to golf courses because that is where most grass blisters occur.
Conclusion
A water bubble under grass shouldn’t be a big deal unless it’s not watered inside the bubbles. If you don’t want to deal with them, you can get rid of them with gardening tools, which shouldn’t take much time or effort.
If, on the other hand, you want to do something different with the water bubbles, make sure they aren’t harmful. Then you can let your imagination run wild and use the bubbles for multiple purposes.
