Here’s Why You Keep Finding Holes in Your Yard—and What to Do About It

Between keeping them green and keeping them clean, lawns can be a lot of work. They often require daily maintenance and a lot of patient detective work if something suddenly goes wrong. There are a surprising number of afflictions that can impede your quest for the best swath of green in the neighborhood, from burnt spots and weeds to compacted soil and fungus. Another one of those issues? Holes.

Lawn holes can appear seemingly out of nowhere, but there are several known causes. “Dogs digging, freshly weeded areas, wildlife like moles and voles, and stressful weather are common culprits for holes in lawns and yards,” says Teri Valenzuela, natural science manager at lawn care company Sunday.

Here, we’re digging into the many reasons you may be finding holes in your lawn—and how you can treat them, straight from the pros themselves.

Animals

It probably comes as no surprise, but one of the biggest culprits of holes in your yard stems from the presence of critters. While the exact culprit will differ depending on your landscape and location, the most common issues come from things like moles, voles, rodents, and even bunnies. “While you’ll probably know if your dog is digging holes, lawn-burrowing wildlife can be harder to identify,” says Valenzuela. “If you can’t identify an entry hole—but instead just feel a soft, sinking spot in your lawn—the culprit is probably a mole. Look specifically for low ridges of soil or mounds of dirt.”

Targeting these areas can be difficult, as no one really wants to displace cute wildlife (especially if the critter in question is a burrow of baby bunnies). After checking to make sure there isn’t an animal nesting inside, you’re ready to make the hole in your lawn a very unappealing home. “To repair holes, first flatten any raised soil, mounds, or tunnels using a lawn roller or by leveling with a rake,” suggests Valenzuela. “Applying a layer of quality topsoil can help fill deep depressions. Once the holes are filled, you can reseed bare areas with a premium grass seed to encourage new grass growth and deter weeds. From there, you can support deeper-rooting grass and thus deter additional burrowing with a personalized lawn plan to prevent further issues.’

Irrigation Issues

We all know weather can have an impact on your lawn, but we usually think of it only in terms of rainfall and how green your landscape appears. Still, according to experts, the irrigation system in your yard can have a big impact on how firm and stable your lawn is. “Usually, after a winter of freezing temps, or a summer of ground-shifting dryness, irrigation lines can be compromised,” says lawn care expert Justin Stultz. “Sometimes small holes or cracks can go undetected long enough to erode significant amounts of soil and material from the area around the leak. If irrigation is the problem, you’ll notice puddles and water welling up during the time your sprinklers are on.”

To target lawn holes created by irrigation issues, Stultz suggests calling in an expert to address the issues in your irrigation lines, then focusing on the health of your lawn. You may need to backfill the holes and reseed your lawn to get your soil and turf back to full health.

Insects

Believe it or not, tiny insects can actually cause a lot of trouble in the ground. Culprits like ants, ground wasps, worms, and grubs can create serious damage in large numbers, and you may not notice their presence until it’s too late. “Although they can start as a small or even unnoticeable problem, if left unchecked, insects can be the most destructive to a healthy lawn,” says Stultz. “Grubs, worms, and beetles can leave small holes in your yard with tiny mud balls piled up all around them. After a couple of weeks, you will start noticing brown or yellow spots in localized areas or throughout your yard."

The good news? Ridding your lawn of insects—and their telltale holes—isn’t actually that difficult. “ For many insect infestations, a quick application of pesticides from your local big box store should do the trick, says Stultz. “It may take a few weeks, but the green will eventually return to the spotted areas and reapplication of the pesticides can be used as part of a healthy lawn maintenance routine,” he says.