Ask Extension: Dead, bumpy lawn

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu

My lawn is dead and bumpy. It started as a small patch and has been spreading out daily. Any ideas?

The damage to your lawn is likely grubs combined with a vertebrate pest (skunks or raccoon) digging for the grubs. The grubs kill the grass by eating the grass plant roots and the animal is digging in the soil to find the grubs.

Extension turf educator Maggie Reiter recommends removing all the dead grass and reseeding with grass seed suited to the site conditions (sun, shade, etc.) or laying sod.

For details, see our Lawn care webpages.