# Soft Spots in Yard.



## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

Recently, I've noticed some spots in my yard that when I step on them. They start to sink like after a lot of rain. It's been 5 days since the last rain, and the soil is dry under the spots. In August, when these spots first started appearing I tried tamping and using a lawn roller to smooth them back out. I don't think it's moles because the spots in random places not next to each other. Some are in the front yard, some are in the back next to the AC, and some are next the fences corners.

In June, I core aerated the yard for the first time and toped dressed with compost and sand. I did notice in the area next to AC unit it had a really bad odor for a few days like from a lack of oxygen in the soil. Also I have a clay soil.


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## Decaturite (Jan 30, 2019)

I was about to post the same question. I'm not sure how to firm up my soft clay soil. Tamp then aerate? Would liquid aeration make the problem worse (softer)?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Could it be from decaying tree roots? Have you had trees removed?


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

Virginiagal said:


> Could it be from decaying tree roots? Have you had trees removed?


Negative.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I once had a small spot with with liquid, bubbling dirt, smelled like sulfur. Figured out it was decaying sap from roots in a tree that had been cut down a few months before. It was spring and the tree roots were still alive and trying to send sap up.


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

I think the smell was more from a lack of Oxygen. I have included a few pictures.
Two are if the spot in the backyard, and one is the area in the front.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Thanks for the pictures. In the first picture it looks like debris in the downspout. How well is the downspout working? Or does water overshoot the gutter? Do you have the soft soil issue only when there is a lot of rain? As for solutions, maybe consider digging a trench and putting in a pipe to carry water from the downspouts all the way to the street.


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

I pull the debris out pretty regularly, and clean the gutters once a season by hand. As far as I've seen the downspout works fine. On the other side of the fence is my neighbor's AC unit and I've seen it pool into that area. It's still an issue even without a lot of rain. I'm not sure a trench is the best solution because when I moved into the house about 2 years ago this wasn't a problem and there was grass there. &#128579;


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## RVAGuy (Jul 27, 2020)

It all makes sense. Didn't you just get dumped with a butt-ton of rain from this last hurricane? I think the water needs somewhere to go (trenching/french drains/catch basins) especially with you dumping water directly in that area from a big square footage area (roof). Or you could just concede to having mud there during hurricane season and hope for less water next year. August was a near record-setting month for wetness for us at least...


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

it's due to bad clay and i have same problem. it didnt exist when first moved in for me either but that could be due to diff reasons:

1. it did exist but not as noticeable and you weren't really looking at it
2. heavy weather dependent so maybe the soil wasn't water logged
3. it has gotten worse over time as more water has accumulated in the bad clay soil

i don't know how to fix soft spot problems either but i'm 100% sure it is due to the downspots and waterlogging. I have tried air8, penterra, and soil amending but none has really worked so far. i would say soil amending has shown most progress but it will probably take a long time.

my latest experiment is amending the soil with compost and ... peat moss. peat absorbs moisture and since i'm putting it down as part of overseeding, i'm apply a lot more of it in areas where the downspouts are. please try this yourself and let us know if it improves. a bale runs $12 so might be a good test to try out


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

I'll try a bale of peat moss. What about using a mini till to incorporate it?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I don't quite follow the logic here: my soil is too soft (holding too much water for whatever reason) so I'll add peat moss which will hold onto water too. Maybe you can get some local guidance from an extension agent or soil specialist.


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

Today, I tired to use a drill bit attached auger in the area near the AC. It barley went down an inch before the drill started spinning because the auger was stuck.

I'll check into the Extension office, but they may be closed.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

looks like a lot of blue green algea too. Nothing will likely grow with it there.


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## RobertSCenpidede (Mar 29, 2020)

Here is a core sample of the area by the AC.


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

I bet this is common in the Charleston area and the extension office would know what it is and how to fix. They could research old maps of the area as an abandoned spring could be buried there. Sounds crazy but it happened to a friend of mine who built a new pool. Abnormal wet weather caused the spring to come back.

At first, I thought it could be a broken sewer or septic tank line. When you mentioned the auger spinning I thought you might have hit a septic tank or something buried.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

Virginiagal said:


> I don't quite follow the logic here: my soil is too soft (holding too much water for whatever reason) so I'll add peat moss which will hold onto water too. Maybe you can get some local guidance from an extension agent or soil specialist.


there's multiple studies on using Peat Moss to amend clay soil for drainage. KState Extension has something on this at top of a google search. There are a few others as well.

One quick logic I was using (not backed by any extensions) is what we see in baseball fields during a game when there is a rain out. The infield gets too muddy so the crew throws "Rainout" or equivalent product - a type of "dirt" that is holds a ton of water - so when you throw it on the mud infield, it helps it become playable right away.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

RobertSCenpidede said:


> Today, I tired to use a drill bit attached auger in the area near the AC. It barley went down an inch before the drill started spinning because the auger was stuck.
> 
> I'll check into the Extension office, but they may be closed.


Guess what? I've tried drilling augers as well. It also didn't go far before it wouldn't go any further. I eventually settled for a ProPlugger and pulled 4-6" cores and backfill with either sand or compost.

The texture of my clay is very much like what you were showing. Once it becomes waterlogged, there's just no where for water to go other than evaporation. I agree french drain is first and best option but if that isn't really possible (no outlet or no budget or bad timing), then I would honestly tried the amendment approach and see if peat at least improves it to the point where it isn't soggy and soft so that your foot sinks in.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Here's a publication that would be of interest:
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients
Under the topic of amending clay soil, pine bark and composted leaf mold are recommended but not peat moss, sand, hardwood bark, wood chips, or pine straw. Decomposing material can rob the nitrogen from the soil, so it's better for anything added to be decomposed first. Organic matter that is on top of the soil does not take nitrogen from the soil. I'm a fan of more organic matter in general, especially chopped up leaves in the fall remaining on the lawn. But on top, not mixed in. Let the earthworms and other critters do the work of incorporating it.

Still, I think the softness problem here is the water, not the soil. The downspout seems to dump directly into the low area there. Someone on site can better advise. You can likely at least talk to an extension agent and they can at least recommend someone in your area who can help.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

Virginiagal said:


> Here's a publication that would be of interest:
> https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients
> Under the topic of amending clay soil, pine bark and composted leaf mold are recommended but not peat moss, sand, hardwood bark, wood chips, or pine straw. Decomposing material can rob the nitrogen from the soil, so it's better for anything added to be decomposed first. Organic matter that is on top of the soil does not take nitrogen from the soil. I'm a fan of more organic matter in general, especially chopped up leaves in the fall remaining on the lawn. But on top, not mixed in. Let the earthworms and other critters do the work of incorporating it.
> 
> Still, I think the softness problem here is the water, not the soil. The downspout seems to dump directly into the low area there. Someone on site can better advise. You can likely at least talk to an extension agent and they can at least recommend someone in your area who can help.


Agree that the softness is the water and it is best to get correct drainage. We are looking for alternative options because how expensive French drain is. I tried a few things and it is working for me right now so I thought I would post a follow up here.

First, I got a soil test and found that I am very very low in P. I realized that 3 years of neglect in the backyard has led to significant deficit in P which means the grass roots were all struggling back there. Add to that long rain where the water took forever to exit it became an endless cycle of shallow roots (dying grass) and more bare spots which means even less turf establishment.

Second, I got core aeration done. Once the plugs were pulled, I amended the clay soil by adding 50% leafgro compost and 50% peat moss (helped "dried" up the area significantly - I don't know why).

Third, I took an edger and cut trench slits down the slope of the yard. I did multiple slits like some of the videos online that showed how golf courses did them. None of the slits actually have an exit point but I feel like it broadened the escape path for water and helped evaporation.

Lastly, I immediately overseeded and then later applied the starter fert Lesco 14-20-4.

Right now the area is firming up with young seedlings popping up everywhere and what seems to be more surface area for water to flow to and at least evaporate (it also feels like the water is being absorbed by roots or pushed down more).

I also know it is working because I have been running sprinkler in short frequent intervals due to overseeding & germination and the area is still not waterlogged.

Crossing my fingers at this point that the best thing I can do for the clay is root cycling and healthy turf.


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## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

Are there sinkholes in SC? Seriously. When I lived in NJ, I had clay soil and a high water table. My neighbor had a 6ft diameter hole open up in his backyard and you could look down about 30 ft and see a stream running.

The bad odor is something going anaerobic.


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## Jersey_diy (Sep 5, 2020)

Nothing you can do but to give the water an alternative place to go. You can amend until you are blue in the face, it would only delay how long until you get water logged.

Clay takes a long time to absorb the water. Either do a French drain or a dry well. My property is about 3-4 inches lower at it's lowest from my two neighborhood on either side. I wasn't able to deal with my soggy lawn until I put in a French drain, took care of my mosquito problem too


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## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

Can you post a picture of your soil test. Glad to hear things are working. Looking forward to the results.


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

uts said:


> Can you post a picture of your soil test. Glad to hear things are working. Looking forward to the results.


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