Key Takeaways

What do these common outdoor aromas mean?

Sour Scent: Indicates poor drainage, leading to waterlogged soil and bacteria growth.
Fish Scent: Suggests fungus presence, often due to stagnant water.
Feces Scent: Likely from pet or wildlife waste, posing health risks.
Musky Scent: Could be from a mix of plants or compost usage.

Many people enjoy going into their backyard or garden because it is fresh and vibrant. But the reality is that sometimes your lawn and garden may smell differently than expected. These outdoor spaces can smell downright bad, which is something that you want to take seriously since it could indicate something more serious going on.

In this article, we will discuss the most common bad odors you may notice in your lawn and garden. As well as what these scents mean and how you can improve the way your outdoor spaces smell.

What Do Certain Lawn and Garden Scents Indicate?

If you enjoy spending time outside, part of why this is so enjoyable is being out in the fresh and clean air. But this peace can easily be disturbed if you find a strange and unpleasant fragrance hanging over your lawn or garden.

For the most part, a lawn and garden should not have any distinct smell besides the smell of plants and fresh soil. If you notice something very strong and unpleasant, you will want to investigate to uncover the cause of this scent.

Sour Scent

The most common odor people complain about in their lawns and gardens is a distinct sour scent. The good news is that this usually indicates a particular problem: a lack of proper drainage. When this happens, the soil becomes waterlogged and muddy, the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Not only does this bacteria start to unleash a sour scent, but it also becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other unpleasant bugs.

Waterlogged soil also impacts plants and grass since this can slowly start to rot the roots, contributing to that unpleasant sour scent. It is essential to catch this issue as early as possible since it could quickly destroy anything you planted.

Fish Scent

A scent no one expects to smell when they go into their garden or backyard is a fishy smell. If you smell this, this often indicates that there is fungus growing in your lawn or garden. Fungus and diseases produce this unpleasant odor and contribute to organic matter rotting, which can destroy your grass and plants.

Fungus growth often goes hand-in-hand with poor drainage since it is encouraged when you have water that isn't going anywhere. It is essential to act fast in the case of fungus growth since it can infect your entire property.

Feces Scent

Another very common scent you may experience outside is the smell of fecal matter. This is most common if you have pets that spend time outdoors and are most likely defecating over the lawn or garden. But you may also experience this issue if you have wildlife going through your yard, which poses a variety of other risks.

Most types of animal feces can be quite dangerous since they can spread disease and harmful bacteria. It is also bad for your garden and lawn since it can kill the grass and plants and infect the soil.

Musky Scent

Some people may experience an indistinct smell in their backyard that is unpleasant and musky. If you can't quite put your finger on the issue, this may be a combination of different plants since some don't have a very pleasant odor. It could also have something to do with the weather and the type of soil you have. If you use compost or organic matter, this is also a very common culprit for an unpleasant smell around your property.

How to Keep Your Outdoor Spaces Smelling Fresh

Now that you know how to recognize specific odors throughout your lawn and garden, how do you keep these outdoor spaces smelling good? The good news is that there are certain things you can do to improve how your property smells so that you can enjoy being outside. Here are some examples of how you can do this no matter what smell you are up against.

Plant Fresh Smelling Foliage

Sometimes, bad smells are simply the normal smell of outdoor spaces as different scents combine. To combat this, try planting fresh-smelling foliage that will overpower any unpleasant odors. The best way to do this is to choose fragrant flowers and herbs that you can plant in different areas of your garden.

Clean Up After Animals

Whether you have pets that go to the bathroom outside or you have wildlife, you will want to clean up after these animals. Not only is this good for the health of your plants and grass, but it will also help to remove bad odors and make your outdoor spaces more hygienic. A bonus to this is that cleaning up after animals will reduce the amount of pesky insects you have, such as flies and mosquitoes.

Create Proper Drainage

The most common culprit of bad odors is sitting water and waterlogged soil, so it is crucial to create drainage. You could have different drainage systems in place, or you can hire a lawn service expert to aerate your lawn.

Keep the Space Tidy

If your garden or lawn is overgrown, it will contribute to bad odors when it comes to poor drainage, rotting foliage, and fungus growth. That is why keeping the spaces tidy and cut back is vital to allow air circulation.

Conclusion

Having bad odors in your lawn and garden is unpleasant and can indicate a more significant issue at play. That is why it is important to understand where these odors are coming from so that you can find a solution that keeps your lawn and garden healthy.
Do you need help to care for your garden or lawn on your own? Contact us today at Cory's Lawn Service to request a quote.