How Do I Fix Tire Ruts in My Yard? The Ultimate Guide

You’ve just finished mowing the yard. However, you turn back to inspect your work and notice the unsightly tire ruts your land mower has left behind. Shocked, you wonder, “will tire ruts in lawn go away?”

But do you know how to fix ruts in yard? You can fix tire ruts in yard by loosening the compacted soil and filling up the hole with soil and compost. This procedure may vary depending on the tire rut’s size.

The cost to repair tire ruts in yard starts from 29 USD, which is quite pricey. In this regard, we’ve taken the time to sample some easy ways of fixing the tire ruts in your yard without splurging too much cash. This post also lists the equipment you’ll need to do this and discusses the various causes of tire ruts.

What Causes Tire Ruts

It’s easy to get worried when tire ruts frequently form in your yard. That said, you could easily avoid these unsightly land depressions by first understanding what causes them.

The primary causes of tire ruts in your lawn are:

Mowing When the Ground Is Wet

Mowing on wet ground is the best recipe for creating tire ruts. Moist soil can’t hold up the weight of your mower the same way that dry soil does.

If you want to cut the grass in your ward, wait till the ground dries up.

Spinning Tires

Your mower’s tires spinning severally on the same piece of soil will cause ruts.

To prevent this, ensure your mower gets enough friction by checking if they still have tread left and gearing down when mowing.

Using the Same Mowing Pattern

Mowing over the same spot will lead to a tire rut. This is because you are adding more and more pressure on the soil, causing it to sink.

It would help if you switched your mowing pattern from time to time to avoid causing tire ruts in your yard.

Overinflated Tires

Overinflated tires apply a lot of pressure on the soil, causing tire ruts. The protruding centers of these tires also keep digging into the soil when mowing.

Always inflate your mower’s tires to their appropriate psi.

How To Fix Ruts in Yard

Ensure you have the following items before fixing tire ruts on your lawn.

• Grass seed
• Topsoil
• Compost or sand
• Spade fork
• Water hose
• A landscaping knife 

After assembling the necessary items, proceed and fix tire ruts using the following guide. Remember that ruts should be fixed differently, depending on their size.

Fixing Shallow Ruts

Shallow ruts consist of all land depressions less than four inches. These ruts are easier to fix compared to their deep counterparts. 

Here is how to fix shallow tire ruts in your yard.

• Loosen the compacted or compressed soil using a fork. At one edge of the rut, push the spade fork into the soil at a forty-five degrees angle. Do this carefully and avoid going too deep.
• Lift the soil by applying pressure on the fork’s handle and pressing downwards and upwards until the soil is almost one inch above the rest of the yard.

The shallow ruts in your yard should be gone a few days after this procedure. However, if they don’t, you should try to fix them as deep ruts.

Fixing Deep Ruts

Deep ruts are more than four inches and may form when a bulky vehicle goes through your yard when still wet.

Although fixing deep ruts is a bit more complicated, you can still easily redeem your yard by following the steps below.

• If there’s any grass on the rut, remove it using a landscaping knife and fork to save it from damage. Ensure you take the grass out with the roots for easy replanting. This also allows you to fill in the rut effortlessly.
• Loosen the compacted soil. Place the fork at one of the rut’s edges at a forty-five degrees angle. Then, apply pressure on the fork, letting it go deeper into the soil than when dealing with a shallow rut. This step allows grass to grow and flourish more easily.
• Fill in the rut with soil. You should mix the soil with equal ratios of compost and soil to boost the growth of new grass. Ensure you completely fill in the gap, leaving zero gaps to prevent being left with an uneven yard.
• Place the grass you had removed earlier onto the soil and apply pressure on it, so its roots attach to the loosened soil. In most cases, the grass will appear slightly higher than the rest of the yard. However, it will be leveled in a couple of days.
• If you feel you’ve not saved all the grass, add some grass seeds to the area. Use a rake to spread the seeds equally and ensure the seeds are of the same variety as the rest of the yard.
• Water the area generously. Watering is vital to increase the chances of your grass growing and flourishing.

Why Should I Fix Tire Ruts Immediately They Appear?

Tire ruts are not only unsightly but could also cause the following problems.

Stagnant water – If you leave tire ruts unattended, water will gather in the holes during the rainy season, making pools in your yard. The rut floor’s soil is compacted, making it difficult for the rainwater to drain.

Pests – Several pools of water in your yard will attract pests into your compound, like mosquitos. You don’t want to deal with the effects of having these pests around your home.

Dormant grass growth – The grass in ruts has a slim chance of surviving, as the compacted nature of the soil doesn’t promote proper absorption of nutrients. In this regard, giving the tire ruts in your yard a side eye is equivalent to saying goodbye to the beautiful leveled grass in your yard.

Final Thoughts

We hope that you now know how to fix ruts in yard. Follow the steps discussed above and redeem your yard without breaking the bank. Consider calling a professional gardener if the problem appears to be a big mess.