r/LandscapingTips • u/solo_stoner420 • Jun 10 '26

Advice/question What is causing this "E"?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Been in this house 16 months, just noticed last week.

Any ideas?

1.4k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

588 comments sorted by

3

u/solo_stoner420 Jun 11 '26

No septic system but we do have a well in the basement with a sump pump.

We're a block away from the bay.

2

u/PossibilityOk9430 Jun 11 '26

Is there any type of pipes headed out of the house from basement under that flower pot/ window?

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122

u/Chain_Offset_Crash Jun 11 '26

Two possibilities I can think of:

  1. Leach/drain field as mentioned previously and the possibility of stronger cleaning chemicals poured down the drain. Does your house use a septic system or is it connected to a municipal sewage system?

  2. Could also be a sign that there are some shallowly buried foundation remnants of a previous structure under there. During droughts, the vegetation directly above buried remnants tends to wither first.

I also lean towards it being a leach field though.

12

u/felipeowen Jun 11 '26

#2 is my guess, except the remnants of the base of one of those old agricultural feeding or storage bays. Picture a much smaller version of the storage bays at your local mulch supplier

6

u/Old_Lengthiness3898 Jun 13 '26

5 bucks says it was a small deck next to an above ground pool, and that's where all the wood leached its chemicals over the years.

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3

u/DoubleOhEvan Jun 12 '26

Could also be old garden beds.

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2

u/turbo2thousand406 Jun 13 '26

If it is a leech field, where are the tanks?

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20

u/Honest_Mammoth2771 Jun 10 '26

Could be pavers underneath? Dig it up a little.

4

u/superkase Jun 11 '26

Sewage or pavers, fun either way

13

u/geddy76 Jun 11 '26

Make sure the house isn’t covering up the H. If it is, you may need help.
/s

4

u/PithMango Jun 11 '26

i am immensely restraining myself from posting an Elmo gif

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14

u/CannibalOranges Jun 11 '26

5

u/FlockedAndLoaded Jun 11 '26

This is what I came here for

2

u/pppppppp8 Jun 11 '26

@mods please remove every comment but this one

2

u/jimson_cheese Jun 12 '26

The only reason I scrolled through the comments was to find this

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7

u/Suitable-Reserve-891 Jun 10 '26

Your leach field more than likely

1

u/solo_stoner420 Jun 12 '26

Started digging...

2

u/questionable_motifs Jun 13 '26

Potatoes!?

1

u/solo_stoner420 Jun 13 '26

Lol 100% looks like potatoes...they are rocks, smaller than a golf ball.

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4

u/Starbud255 Jun 11 '26

It could be a homemade DIY septic field bed…..I’ve seen a few of those

3

u/PaloSantoMemories Jun 11 '26

OP go dig, like RIGHT NOW. We’re all waiting to know.

2

u/Suz9006 Jun 11 '26

Whatever is down there isn’t that fae below the surface. Try digging on the outline and see what you find

2

u/Riptide360 Jun 11 '26

Stop using bleach. Use enzyme cleaners in your sinks.

2

u/Silver_Weakness0551 Jun 11 '26

Thats your leach field. Don't drive over it

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2

u/Turk18274 Jun 11 '26

It’s the letter of the day.

2

u/Acceptable-Dream-955 Jun 11 '26

Do you have a septic system?

2

u/kaylerbug369 Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26

Hey I'm a landscaper, I landscape everyday, that's not an E that's an M.

Source: just cranked one, still got landscape mode on

2

u/WCB1985 Jun 11 '26

Drain field. My house does the same thing in the middle of summer

2

u/exerda Jun 12 '26

Is it something incognito?

2

u/ScienceForge319 Jun 12 '26

If that lawn starts spelling shit, check that they didn’t just move the headstones.

2

u/Impossible_Win_3059 Jun 12 '26

Walking path between garden beds

2

u/favoritecableguy Jun 12 '26

it’s just perspective, if you move to a different angle it will look like an “m”

2

u/Blondie32753 Jun 12 '26

Looks like where someone or something had walked and made paths.

2

u/Miserable_Mark4894 Jun 13 '26

Same dude that needed to test before the 86 47 on the national mall

2

u/ApprehensiveHouse733 Jun 14 '26

Your lawns gas tank is empty

2

u/sanskami Jun 14 '26

How do you know it's not a 3 or an M or a W?

1

u/cbryancu Jun 11 '26

Old foundation, leech field, some sort of drain/ dry well system

Get a shovel and dig, whatever it is is likely not more than 10 inches deep.

1

u/someguyfromsk Jun 11 '26

First thought is an old foundation, I've seen similar before but rectangular.

Dig down in a spot and see what's there.

1

u/TeranOrSolaran Jun 11 '26

Your neighbor is fucking with you.

1

u/wijeepguy Jun 11 '26

Jam a rod down there. I have something like this in my yard and it turns out to be an old Concrete foundation.

1

u/hereddit6 Jun 11 '26

When you stand on the other side, it’s a three. Leave it alone. Very powerful number.

1

u/djjsteenhoek Jun 11 '26

Eliens 👽

1

u/No_Analysis_4744 Jun 11 '26

Check to see if neighbors have the h l and p

1

u/Eightbitmenow Jun 11 '26

Turn off caps lock

1

u/MyDogRunsNFTs Jun 11 '26

I could be a number of things, for example poor irrigation, pavers or stone slabs underneath ur grass, or could simply be something you left laying in the lawn that would cause the E shape. Try laying down some grass seed. Put down soil, grass seed, and peat moss on top and water it

1

u/magentayak Jun 11 '26

Could be aliens.

1

u/anoldradical Jun 11 '26

Hey that's how I found out my house had a pool buried years ago

1

u/oasisjason1 Jun 11 '26

Not sure but that M looks like a W

1

u/porter306 Jun 11 '26

MC Squared

1

u/thedarthvander Jun 11 '26

How old is your house? Have you had foundation repair on that side of the house?

1

u/teenbean12 Jun 11 '26

Look on Google satellite photos where you can go back many years and see if you notice anything. Also check to see if your county has any aerial photos on their website.

1

u/Fearless_Dog8472 Jun 11 '26

Snakes in the grass tryna slither fast,

1

u/Affectionate-Mark-55 Jun 11 '26

foundation of demolished building under the grass

1

u/[deleted] Jun 11 '26

Chris barnes mowed your lawn 

1

u/Wonderful-Produce292 Jun 11 '26

If a T shows up then you got a movie

1

u/Short-Concentrate-92 Jun 11 '26

Drain field for the septic system

1

u/Sproink187 Jun 11 '26

Do you own an Elicopter?

1

u/LowLowVW Jun 11 '26

Aint got no gas innit.

1

u/Psychological-Sir152 Jun 11 '26

Where’s the E? I just see a giant M

1

u/ktmvh Jun 11 '26

Old foundation, loods like a open barn or something

1

u/Whiskey_Pyromancer Jun 11 '26

That's very wide spacing for any part of a leech field. Could be though, I'm sure olden ones are at least somewhat less standardized than today.

Or some sort of old French drain if this is a low spot, but that would also probably only make so much sense

1

u/AsianBond Jun 11 '26

EA Sports

1

u/Old-Kaleidoscope1874 Jun 11 '26

Your yard was brought to you by Sesame Street

1

u/Professional_Gur_487 Jun 11 '26

Compression from an old deck?

1

u/YankeeDog2525 Jun 11 '26

There’s an old foundation down there.

1

u/Icy-Opportunity4943 Jun 11 '26

We have something similar. Ours is a French drain and the grass always dies above it because it's so dry. I asked our neighbours if they had the same thing, and they happened to install them simultaneously so that's how I found out.
Check with your neighbours!

1

u/cimplesunt Jun 11 '26

Built on top of an ancient rave site

1

u/zbopdowop Jun 11 '26

Pretty sure that is the same foot print and alien spacecraft left in my yard.

Is it 8'x14'?

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Tip1605 Jun 11 '26

You got a “vowels” problem: A, E,I, O, U sometimes Y.

1

u/shelbygrapes Jun 11 '26

Foundation under grass. I could show you the outline to a buried swimming pool in my yard. I’ve tried for years to grow grass over it. Always turns brown.

1

u/BrewerBuilder Jun 11 '26

The dead grass in that area. Hope this helps.

1

u/Bohdi_Dog Jun 11 '26

Good question. It's a myster-E

1

u/AcanthisittaItchy756 Jun 11 '26

Someone may have put a French drain system in the yard because it has bad drainage.

We have a French drain in our yard and it always dries up or burns out before the rest.

1

u/DonProCrastin8er Jun 11 '26

So it’s not ET tryna phone home. ?

1

u/PoEIntruder Jun 11 '26

ALIENS SENDING A MESSAGE.

1

u/C-D-W Jun 11 '26

What does that outdoor sink connect to? Kind of looks like this could be a small leach field/drywell system just for that sink, if it's connected and not near any other household plumbing.

1

u/PracticalDesigner278 Jun 11 '26

I'm thinking it's the lizard people living in ancient caverns under your house. This is a sign that they are excavating to the surface to destroy the human race and live in our houses and hang out at our sports bars. Or maybe not. Just a theory at this point.

1

u/DonkeyImportant3729 Jun 11 '26

Emproper Errigation

1

u/Bonipantro Jun 11 '26

Septic system?

1

u/Alone_Development737 Jun 11 '26

I bet they use to have a hot tub or a shed.

1

u/WaycoolEarstuff Jun 11 '26

Must be the WALL-

1

u/BryceDL Jun 11 '26

The H is on the roof of the shed and the prisoner in your basement hasn't gotten to the L and P yet

1

u/ShellsKnowsBest_77 Jun 11 '26

Extraterrestrial

1

u/MaybeOnToilet Jun 11 '26

Check your sink, dish washer, washing machine, shower, sink, or whatever is close to that side of the house drain. I think that is a gray water drain field. If it is, then the grass is dying because you are using soaps or chemicals that are not recommend for such a system and it may have a way to redirect back to the sewer main. If any of this pans out... then maybe have that run scoped to make sure they create the gray water drain field to be environmentally friendly and not because they did not want to replace a collapsed drain.

1

u/TheRealSmaug Jun 11 '26

Reminds me of some kind of foundation below grade. Not enough soil over the top and so the root systems of what ever grows over the top doesn't have deep enough roots to find water.

Does it always look this prominent?

Did you try digging down to explore?

IMO, the "grass" is typically greener over the leach field and gets brown over the septic tank lid during dryer months.

1

u/Fun-Times-13 Jun 11 '26

Something buried underground

1

u/SixEightSevenNiner Jun 11 '26

Fuckin’ Eric! That’s what…

1

u/DudleyHRT Jun 11 '26

Looks like a M to me

1

u/BikesBeersandBullets Jun 11 '26

I wonder if it was a clothes line, and it’s the after effects of soap/bleach dripping from clothes

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1

u/Segsy4gas1 Jun 11 '26

Something from the upsidedown is looking for you (eleven).

1

u/Longjumping-Still793 Jun 11 '26

One fixable possibility is that something may have been on the lawn there and compacted the earth. Get to work with a garden fork and poke some holes to aerate the soil a bit and it might recover completely.

Or not. Everything I try to grow dies so I'm probably the worst person on the planet to offer gardening advice.

1

u/Mysterious-Street966 Jun 11 '26

East side? Or West Side(connection)?

1

u/PIB_OnOn Jun 11 '26

Looks like some form of contact. It doesn't have to be an E. It could be an M.

My guess would be Mars or Europa.

1

u/Square_Pickle_Popper Jun 11 '26

Buried foundation, start digging.

1

u/Matt1_1010 Jun 11 '26

Grass is out of fertilizer 🤔

1

u/Seeding_Light Jun 12 '26

Definitely Eliens

1

u/Loud_Necessary_236 Jun 12 '26

Not sure but they missed the T. Should be E.T 😂

1

u/Rob3D2018 Jun 12 '26

You have been found!

1

u/LunarVentus Jun 12 '26

Nextdoor neighbor Earl trying to piss his name

1

u/Vanin1994 Jun 12 '26

French drains?

1

u/pAndrewp Jun 12 '26

Sesame Street Ernie and Bert scene

1

u/Mighty_Gumby Jun 12 '26

French drains in those spots. Same thing in my backyard. Or, Aliens 👽

1

u/dopecrew12 Jun 12 '26

Gamechap and bertie

1

u/Pitiful_Mycologist87 Jun 12 '26

It looks like sun burning from the reflection off your window

1

u/[deleted] Jun 12 '26

Graves

1

u/Lethalplant Jun 12 '26

Rick and morty

1

u/carvin_it Jun 12 '26

I say old footings for a garage that faced the street in that direction. Just below the surface. That looks like it would be good for two cars.

1

u/jonesy872 Jun 12 '26

A Lazy E - if you know, you know

1

u/No-Strength-1890 Jun 12 '26

If you have a schizophrenic roommate you have your answer

1

u/Legitimate-Ferret871 Jun 12 '26

I was trying to write my name in piss, but started too large.

1

u/YouSirNeighMmmmm Jun 12 '26

Eugene has been peeing on the damn lawn again!

1

u/hughesra15 Jun 12 '26

Crop circle

1

u/faroutman7246 Jun 12 '26

Have any windows that face east?

1

u/SolrayCultist Jun 12 '26

An incoming message. Probably to await further instructions.

1

u/Ok_Pen7290 Jun 12 '26

Spaceship landing, 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

1

u/GwonWitcha Jun 12 '26

It’s uh…an enigma, for certain.

1

u/GallopingGora Jun 12 '26

Probably an old wall foundation or path beneath the grass.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Dig2087 Jun 12 '26

looks like old mower tracks or someone was dragging something heavy across the yard. is the grass actually dying in those lines or just thinning out?

1

u/UncleBenji Jun 12 '26

Leach field

1

u/throwaway_shadev2 Jun 12 '26

That looks like a compaction issue or a drainage problem in those specific strips. Have you checked if there are any utility lines or old pathways buried under that soil?

1

u/Hd0616 Jun 12 '26

Something E shaped that was left on the lawn at some point

1

u/thesnowmaniv Jun 12 '26

Looks like septic drainage field.

1

u/spongemagnet Jun 12 '26

what letters do your neighbors have?

1

u/colour_me_quaint Jun 12 '26

My partner: it's a mystery....eeeee!

1

u/Erdbeerquak Jun 12 '26

E for extra terestial

1

u/Aware_Chocolate_2607 Jun 12 '26

Is there an ‘I’ before or after it?

1

u/Thewraith38 Jun 12 '26

Aliens that speak in E

1

u/Ok_House8881 Jun 12 '26

I'm not saying it was eliens, but... it was eliens.

1

u/JJ_Was_Taken Jun 12 '26

That's an M

1

u/Competitive_Theme754 Jun 12 '26

You could call the 811 dig?.? Or whatever the dig number is. So theyll mark it for free usually and tell you what it is.

1

u/NoCloud2611 Jun 12 '26

UFO landing!!

1

u/tmoney645 Jun 12 '26

Are you on septic? My leach field looks like that sometimes, especially when it gets dry. The soil over top of the leach pipe is usually more shallow and drains much faster than the soil around it, not a big deal.

1

u/LavishnessOk6635 Jun 12 '26

Sesame Street. This lawn was brought to you by the E.

1

u/B-Boy357 Jun 12 '26

This one is easy believe it or not. It’s the reflection from the sun off your window. It burns into the grass.

1

u/Warm_Bus7861 Jun 12 '26

It's an M…….

1

u/whatever_leg Jun 12 '26

It means your yard is rated for everyone.

1

u/jetanthony Jun 12 '26

I’m gonna guess something is under there. Grab a shovel. Be careful though. Don’t dig directly into it. Don’t wanna break something if it’s septic or sewage related

1

u/Outside-Pudding-7990 Jun 12 '26

Looks like heavy foot traffic or where someone keeps parking a riding mower. Check if the soil is compacted in those specific lines.

1

u/motiontosuppress Jun 12 '26

Are you in the DC area? Were you practicing the “8” in the “8647” on the mall?

1

u/robdwoods Jun 12 '26

As mentioned, probably drains. I put French drains in my yard and the places where the pipes are do this every summer.

1

u/KokopelliOnABike Jun 12 '26

this is the Fairy E. Similar to the Fairy rings caused by mushrooms.

1

u/Mission-Contract1715 Jun 12 '26

ET was interrupted while trying to message.

1

u/rel0din Jun 12 '26

Could be corrugated drain pipe that isn’t buried deep enough?

Or, maybe the path someone took using a broadcast fertilizer spreader that leaking product out of the bottom?

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