Over the last couple of weeks, patches of my grass have died off, all around the outside of the lawn. In the middle of the dead patches are holes. I can't see anything in them, even after I've poked around them with a stick. I assume it's some sort of pest, but no idea what. The middle of the lawn is OK (so far) and it's not killing the dandelions. The patches are 6-10" and the holes about 1" across. As some of you are gardeners, have you any ideas what it might be? Or how to stop it? (not including napalm/kerosene/other chemicals, TSC!)
Has tha' put any lawn fertilizer/weed killer on recently? So, it's the central heating and the lawn for me to sort tomorrow then, is it?
No fertiliser because of the animals. And no dog pee, either. Unless they sneak in whilst I'm out! As for the rest of the suggestions, I just knew I could rely on you lot .......
Who da man? How many valves do foxes have? It looks like I may have to join "The Foxy Forum" these days.
I dumped a load of sodium chlorate on a weed of some sort on my lawn and it now looks exactly the same as yours Stella. Same sized dead bit, same hole.
my lawn looks like that due to my biiiiiiiitches, a lab and a dane bothe female, no matter how much a weed ffed and water even styraight after they wee my law=n dies!
When I had my place in france we occasionally had the whole lawn (AND THERE WAS A LOT OF IT) covered in little 1"-2" holes which I was told were field rats. Out of curiosity and to prove the guy wrong I put a stick down the hole and out came this rat. It was like a little hamster, you know the little russian hamsters that you buy your kids. They only moved out when the moles moved in. You can buy from hardware stores a stake like thing with batteries that will immit a vibration and buzzing sound whenever the sound of little paws are near thus frightening them off. They worked great for me and will do for you also. Doubles as a vibrator when not in the ground so i'm told.
Yup, they look just like the rat holes at my mum's house. No point blocking them up, they'll dig their way out. Dump some poison down them, THEN fill them up with readymixed concrete and sharp stones, mixed pretty dry - they should cut themselves enough trying to dig through it that they'll die underground.
I do it to human squatters as well - that's what happened to "swampy", the famous squatter trying to prevent something or other being built - I don't care what. Warfarin and readymix, that's what he got.