Many things can go wrong with your lawn, but few are more bizarre than water bubbles.
This rare phenomenon can seem confusing or even scary if you’ve never encountered one before.
But what causes these sudden blisters in the lawn, and do they pose any risk?
What Causes Grass Water Bubbles?
When water or methane gas becomes trapped between the grass and the ground, it creates grass bubbles.
They’re more common on golf courses and other large grassy areas but can happen anywhere there’s a lot of exposed grass in one place.
What Exactly Are Grass Bubbles?
Sometimes called lawn blisters, grass bubbles are pockets of water or gas trapped between the soil and grass layer.
Methane pockets are sporadic and happen in subpolar regions, while water pockets are more common, though still rare.
How Are Grass Bubbles Formed?
Blisters occur when water or gas gets trapped between the soil and grass, but how does this happen?
A plastic layer of weed control under the turf may prevent water from being absorbed into the ground.
Sometimes plastic is also placed on poor soil with a layer of good topsoil added on top.
There’s a good chance you’ll never know if a previous homeowner had done this without digging a hole.
There are a couple of other ways lawn blisters can form.
One common cause is a burst water pipe.
Be thankful if you see a grass bubble when it hasn’t rained in a while. This warning sign may save you a lot of money in the long run.
A third possible cause is the grass itself.
Many species grow in dense mats to help prevent weeds.
A thick and lush lawn can create a solid barrier of roots that blocks water from reaching the soil below the surface.
Drought conditions can cause the soil to become compact, resulting in the inability to absorb rainwater.
This problem usually results in a flooded lawn, but sometimes the water will make it below the turfgrass’s root layer and get stuck.
On the flip side of the coin, heavy rains can also cause bubbles.
In this instance, the downpour deposits water faster than the ground can absorb it. The result is flooding and the possibility of water bubbles.
Finally, there’s the rare case of methane becoming trapped instead of water.
Methane gas is a byproduct of decomposition and can become trapped for the same reasons as water.
Do The Bubbles Harm Grass?
Grass bubbles can cause some permanent damage to your lawn.
But they’re not nearly as bad as they appear.
Are Grass Bubbles Dangerous To Your Lawn?
As the ground prevents water from getting to the water table, a water bubble prevents your grass from reaching the nutrients found in the soil beneath.
Unless you address the bubble, your grass will starve, resulting in a large dead patch where the blister formed.
Are Grass Bubbles Dangerous To People?
There’s only been one reported incident of a grass blister being dangerous to humans.
The incident occurred in Siberia in 2016 when methane-filled bubbles formed in large quantities.
Why it happened is unknown, but experts theorize it is due to the fast melting of the permafrost.
Dealing With Grass Bubbles
The good news is that it’s easy to deal with a lawn blister, albeit rather messy.
Note that there’s little point in trying to drain a bubble caused by a broken water main if you don’t first fix the leak.
The process for draining a lawn blister is like draining a blister on your hand or foot.
Step 1: Lance the Blister
Here are the following steps:
- First, grab a sharp gardening tool, such as a pair of shears.
- Examine the bubble and decide where you want it to drain.
Keep in mind that it will smell like a swamp if it’s methane.
If it’s water, you’re going to be getting mud everywhere in the direction of the hole.
While you could dig a trench for the water to follow, it might be more prudent to lay some tarp along the path with the sides slightly raised.
This method will help channel most of the water where you want it to go, preventing your lawn from becoming a muddy mess.
Create as few holes as possible since these will need repairing later.
As with skin blisters, it’s usually best to lance it from the side.
Step 2: Treading Water
In the case of large blisters, you may need to climb up on top and begin marching about like you’re making wine.
Start in the middle so that there’s less risk of losing your balance.
Then, work your way from the edge opposite your drainage hole to evacuate as much liquid as possible.
Step 3: Closing The Wound
Once the blister is empty, you’ll need to address the puncture wound(s) you’ve made.
An easy solution is to seed the holes with grass seed and fine soil.
In more extreme cases, you may need to cut a blister section out and lay a bit of turf mat to cover the damage.
Step 4: Prevention
If you’ve discovered a layer of plastic under your lawn or have heavy clay soil that poses a risk of future blisters, you may wish to rip up your lawn and mix some fine sand or gravel into the ground.
Remove the plastic as you go.
Or pay attention during the next heavy rain to see where the water flows.
This sign will allow you to focus on improving drainage only where needed most.