Moved into a new construction home last year.
Southeast Michigan.
Lot behind us is still not built yet, for the last 2yrs. I feel builder is being highly negligent of the lot. Has a pond, high weeds, overgrown vegetation, cracked clay soil, etc.
My grass in the summer was always dry around that area (like a half-circle). Raked in some new soil, dug a small trench along the unfinished lot line, filled either to allow water to seep into soil, weeds & roots. In an attempt to moisten my grass roots back to life.
Obviously it’s winter, but we’ve gotten some above freezing temps (35 degrees) with some rain. I noticed these cracks (about 2-3), all coming from the unfinished lot.
What are these cracks?
Voles? A nature-made ravine, that froze/unfroze?
When I step on them, they are very hard. The surrounding grass is bouncy & wet (like the rest of the lawn)
by ShadowFireDan
11 Comments
Voles. Start setting traps. Peanut butter will do the trick.
Those aren’t dry cracks, that is almost certainly a rodent highway. Given you are right next to an overgrown field in SE Michigan, you have likely got voles or moles making a commute from the wild lot into your yard. The reason they feel “hard” when you step on them is that the critter tunneled just under the surface, pushed the soil up slightly, and that raised ridge of wet clay froze solid. If you stomped on that in May, your foot would sink right in.
The storm drain is a dead giveaway too. Builders usually backfill around those catch basins with looser fill dirt than the rock-hard compacted clay found in the rest of a new build lot. That makes it the path of least resistance for tunneling animals. The “crack” visual is just the turf separating as the soil heaved up from the tunneling action. Don’t waste time filling it right now. Wait for a full thaw in spring and just stomp the ridges back down to collapse the tunnels.
Since you are fighting a losing battle against that wild lot next door, you need to think about a buffer zone along that property line. Maybe a 3-foot strip of river rock or a dense barrier planting instead of grass running right up to the weeds.
Voles for sure
Did you vibrate the lawn when pouring?
Looks like rodents. Vole, mice or the like. Esp if you have snow cover. They make highways under the snow.
I have tracks like this every year. But in the spring time the grass stitches back together and it’s all good.
.
I also have similar but much bigger tracks made by bunnies. We have a lot of bunnies. And God are they stupid. How they survive with the cat, eagle, hawk, fox and coyote population around my house is beyond me.
Voles, put snap traps on their current path. They are dumb rodents. They follow the path they previously made even if something gets in the way (e.g. the traps). No bait needed, they will just step on them. Get a lot. When there’s 1, there’s dozens.
Voles. I also live in new construction next to the drainage pond. Welcome to the never-ending battle, friend. Check-in time is now. Checkout time is never.
voles
100% voles. Good luck, get an air rifle.
Voles 100% – Spring time remove dead grass, fill soil and seed. Call it a day.
Since you are in a new build area, and depending on what type of land (ie. farm/ vegetation) this community is being built on. It may take 1-2 years to resolve.
After that if it is consistent especially with neighbours, then look for other solutions.
Looks spaced between laid sod. Wasn’t pulled tight. Throw some dirt and seed between.