Why Is My Lawn Squishy? All You Need To Know!

One issue that every garden owner hates is dealing with a squishy lawn.

In this article, we’ll be looking at common causes of squishy lawns and how you can solve this problem.

Squishy Lawn – What’s The Problem?

You might wonder what even is the matter with having a squishy lawn.

There are three big problems with having a squishy lawn – how it looks, how it feels, and how it could negatively affect the growth of your grass.

A squishy lawn will never be flat and perfectly even. Therefore, it can ruin the entire look of your garden because it will always look like a mess no matter how much you try to even it out.

You don’t want to spend hours looking after other plants on your lawn just to have them ruined by the grass.

Squishy lawns also tend to result from excess build-up and dead grass materials. This might get in the way of the plant’s ability to gather air, water, and other nutrients.

But also, a squishy lawn is going to be cold and wet at all times. This isn’t going to be very pleasant to walk on, and you will always get your shoes muddy before you even step out of the house.

A squishy lawn can be a huge barrier to any garden parties you might want to host.

What Causes Squishy Lawn?

The biggest culprit of this crime is water.

While grass does need water to grow properly, too much water will only make it squishy because the grass cannot absorb it.

The excess water will simply sit there, making the soil underneath the grass too wet. Water can also get collected in uneven areas of your lawn.

But of course, the water doesn’t always work alone. It sometimes has some partners in crime. These could include an excess of nitrogen, diseases, or pests.

Any three of them could prevent the grass from absorbing and using up the water it needs to thrive. Thick thatch layers are also another reason why your lawn could feel squishy.

How To Solve The Issue

Sand – Why?

One solution that will serve the purpose of absorbing the excess water, the excess nitrogen and killing disease and pests is sand.

Sand is an excellent absorber, and it’s also incredibly cheap. Try to get dry sand like the sand at the beach.

Another advantage is that it’s challenging to erode, so you won’t need to worry about it getting destroyed by heavy rainfall.

And because sand is powdered stone, it’s strong; you can walk on it as much as you like, with almost no possibility of it being damaged by the weight of your body.

Sand – How?

There isn’t a right or wrong way to add sand into your soil.

The two key things that need to be achieved are:

You need to have enough sand to absorb the water.
It should be spread out so it doesn’t just look like sand has been dumped in one part of your garden.

One great way to spread the sand is by using a broom. It’s cheap, and it does the job.

But if that’s a little too old school for you, you can buy machines that will spread the sand throughout your lawn.

Thatch – Why?

However, before you can sand, you first need to thatch.

Thatching your grass means removing pieces of dead grass from your lawn. Thick thatch pieces often prevent the soil from getting any water from the surface.

Moreover, thatch pieces will block any excess moisture that makes its way to the soil from escaping. This trapped moisture can cause infections and affect the grass growth rate.

Thatching is also important to ensure that all the fertilizers reach the soil in order to prevent any nutrient deficiencies.

Thatching is essential before sanding because the sand can be so occupied with absorbing the excess moisture from the gunk that it becomes saturated before it can get to the soil.

Of course, you don’t want to overdo the sand. This will ruin the look of your garden. Therefore, making the most out of the sand you use will be wise.

Thatch – How?

Thatching is best done around the end of summer as the grass’s growth rates must be slower compared to early spring or the beginning of summer.

Thatching is pretty similar to raking. In both chores, you’re collecting something from a large area of land and moving it all into a smaller area of land.

However, the difference between thatching and raking is that raking only collects leaves, whereas thatching is also collecting dead grass.

A thatching rake is similar to a regular rake.

The only difference is that the spikes are a little thicker, so they can have a tighter grip.

Just like with your rake, to thatch, drag the tool from one end of the garden to the other, and when you have all the dead grass into one row, dispose of it.

When To Water

While it’s essential to make sure your grass isn’t getting too much water, it’s equally important to ensure it’s getting enough.

If your grass begins to turn a brown color, which is particularly common during the summer, it could be helpful for you to water your lawn.

However, be careful that you don’t water your grass just to find that it rains an hour later.

The best rule to follow is that your grass should only ever be watered if it has turned brown and there’s no sign of rainfall anytime soon.

Conclusion

Of course, we all want a lawn that’s nice to walk on, and nothing stops it more than squishiness, so follow the advice written above next time you notice that your grass has become squishy.