I have a new problem this year with my lawn. It looks good otherwise but now has about four strips where the grass is gone or almost.
We do have a number of people walking their dogs and I wonder if it could be female dog urinating? On the other hand, the grass in these strips look like they have been chewed down to about 1/2 inch high. We used to have jack rabbits in this area but I don't know if they would cause this.
Any ideas. I'm just wild guessing!
It does look chewed, does it not? That rules out female dogs urinating. And why would "it" choose that corner?!?! Hmmm, I do have one dog that chews on grass and weeds when her tummy is upset but she never pulls out the grass. Maybe there is one that does that somewhere out there. I have never noticed the lawn in my dog's chewing corner affected. Of course, it still could be those darn wabbits.
louis_pr It sounds like you feel that it is something chewing on the grass. Is that correct?
If it is, would something like "Liquid Fence" work?
Yes, something chewing it from above. I have tried that over here. It works but stinks pretty good so be careful and maybe wear gloves. You have to reapply it if it rains.
IT'S NOT RABBITS...IT'S VOLES!
I saw two of them a few minutes ago running out from under the hedge and then running back. I would guess that they bit off some grass and ran back with it.
Now I need to find a way to get rid of them.
Here is a picture I found on www.volecontrol.com that is just like the lawn damage I am experiencing.
From the same site, here is a picture of a California Vole.
You probably need to initiate several types of controls for voles (mice) at the same time. We do not have voles in TX but people in forums tend to either gas them, trap them or add products (urine) to repel them. If you have them, your neighbors probably do too so touch base with them to see what are they doing as well. Commercial companies offer some of these services. Try doing "searches" in this website looking for "voles".... although now that I think about it, there was a problem with the "searches" a while back.... can't remember for sure. Try it anyway.
This is a bit out there in left field, but if nothing else works you could try a natural approach. Here is link to a site on owls and owl houses: http://www.owlpages.com/
Is this new damage, or did it become visible once your grass started to grow? If it became visible after the grass started to grow it may be vole damage that you had over the winter (this happens to me every year). If so, just pull out the dead patches, put down some soil mixed with compost, and reseed. The damage is the result of them tunneling just under the surface. You might want to look in your beds and make sure they aren't coming back repeatedly because they are eating something that there is a supply of (lost 100 lilies this way). If they are targeting something, you can get some Permatil/Volblok, which is expandible slate, and surround the target plants.
They are repulsed by daffodils, like rabbits and deer, because they are toxic. If you can find their entrance point put some there, perhaps a miniature like W.P. Milner (which I do). And though I don't like to do it, Decon does work (flinch!!), just make sure that it is out of reach of other creatures.
I have found that Volblok/Permatil and daffodils take care of 95% of the problem. I used to have terrible problems with voles - now I can grow anything - even lilies, without worrying about them.
And - best part - once they figure out they can't feed in your yard they stop coming back. I used to have 20-50 feet of vole trails in my yard every spring. This year I had, literally, one foot, and that because they started inti a bed with daffodils and turned back.
I think I spoke too soon. After checking further, it could be moles. I was told to try the "apple test". That Voles will eat an apple slice but a mole will not. That's what I know so far. I'm supposed to give it a few day trial. I'll let you know the results.
This is pretty confusing.
DonnaMack...I had this problem before the grass started growing a few weeks ago. Maybe at the end of last fall. Whatever these little pests are, this week I have seen them dart out from under my hedge, bite some of my lawn, and take it back again.
That sounds like voles, not moles. Moles don't usually run around above ground, and they also don't eat plants. They can do collateral damage to roots as they tunnel around looking for grubs, but they wouldn't be biting pieces of your lawn and darting out from under hedges.
I've never seen voles bite grass - but I take that back - I've caught them in my ornamental grasses, specifically pennesetum, and that's exactly what they may have been doing. I just didn't realize it. And mine are zone 5a voles. Your warm season voles may be attracted to different things.
To be honest, I caught them when I was cutting back my ornamental grasses in April, and to be completely honest, I was furious about previous damage (rare lilies) and whacked them with a shovel (3). Then I put in daffodils and Permatil. They will tend to keep returning as long as they know there is a food supply in your yard.
