Sand-soil mixes, on the other hand, come in a variety of compositions, or you can mix them yourself. Sand alone brings no nutrients or microbial value. The best top dressing for your application should be dictated by your existing soil which your soil test will tell you , and the extent of your leveling.
For small animal holes, sometimes just filling the disturbed soil back in and topping them up with topsoil is a good repair. Over-seed with a similar grass to what is already growing in your lawn. Feed and water the seed diligently. Check out my article on overseeding here.
For ant hills, I recommend using a spray, like this one. What if you have a few really low spots in your lawn an inch or more deep? Instead, you should consider removing the sod, correcting the cause of the sinking, and then back filling with new soil with enough extra to allow for settling. The removed sod can be put back in place. Follow the steps below:. Finally, if your lawn looks like the surface of the moon, you likely need to resort to more extreme measures.
Topdressing or the sod cutting method will likely not be sufficient to solve the problem. You may need to regrade the area and establish a new lawn. This was the case for me in my backyard, as you can see from the pictures. Part of the yard was sloping towards the house and half of the yard was too steep to be usable. I did the majority of the work by hand which I found to be the best option for a yard this size.
I was able to be a lot more precise than a machine would be. You can see I did have a tractor, but that was mainly for removing an old patio and digging the foundation for a new one.
The first rule of grading is that the ground should always slope away from your house. It should drop at least two or three inches every ten feet. The maximum slope in a lawn should be no more than twelve inches for every four feet. If the drop is greater than a foot you should plan to build a small retaining wall or cover the slope with a ground cover or ornamental grass. Here are the basic steps:.
If using sod, make sure the grass is thoroughly rolled to stabilize the lawn and reduce foot prints in the coming weeks.
Be sure to water well to help the grass reestablish itself. Add fertilizer to encourage root growth. Keep foot traffic off of newly sodded or seeded areas as much as possible and set up some sort of barrier to keep people and pets from stepping on the area for at least a couple of weeks. Time your repairs carefully. For basic repairs, try to time them for the spring. This will allow your grass time to grow in and will also provide the moisture necessary to help set the soil.
Although Spring is the best time, with respect to moisture, it can also be the worst time. Do not attempt leveling in the winter when the grass is dormant. Once your lawn is level, it goes a long way to take preventative measures to not add new bumps or depressions. The two main things you can do are:. After reading this article, I hope you can appreciate my lawn leveling obsession, and perhaps learned a few things.
Stay tuned for more leveling updates! Also, check out my recommended gear section here for all the tools and products I use. This is great professional information on how to solve problems of uneveness in a lawn. Hello to all, the contents present at this website are truly remarkable for people knowledge, well, keep up the good work fellows. I live in mulbarton Johannesburg South Africa. Where can i buy a levelling rake n how much does it cost.
My back yard has mostly clay soil. It is 3 years old we bought the house new. When the builder installed the lawn, they applied sandy loam but then waited over a week to put the sod in. Rain created divots and mounds all over. My back yard is the worst and is 3,sqft. I would greatly appreciate any feedback. I would start with a soil test also in your case. Good luck! I had standing water in one spot, so they dug a trench all around the house.
One side in my back yard is high where the fence separates the two houses. Too many houses have spots with standing water, their solution is dig a trench in the middle of the yard leaving a eye sore.
I appreciate your comments on how to level your lawn. Will follow your instructions. Yes, I think rollers have their place. I have been doing some research and am planning to incorporate rolling into my leveling regimen. Updates to the article are coming. Wonderful information! I was looking for information on how to level the lawn by hand and I think the knowledge I obtained willl go a long way. Hello Kevin, I am looking for yard leveling company that I can trust in all aspects to do a great job of leveling my back yard.
At my age I do not feel that is something I can do myself. Is it possible for you to recommend a company for me. By adding dirt on top of the grass, that covers part of the grass blades and puts the root deeper than before. Will that grass be affected by this? The lower parts will have to be done repeatedly over time. As the grass recovers add another layer.
I live in north Texas with a yard that mostly consists of clay and limestone. My backyard is small and slopes too much outward. I understand sloping is a good thing but it slopes too much. On the side of my house, not only does it slope, it also floods in some parts as well.
It is very uneven and I think it is erosion from the three downspouts. My questions, 1. If I add more dirt to level a few inches 6 to 10 inches? On the side of the house, would it make more sense to level with sand and create a rock garden? I figure potted plants are my best bet. Other causes for bumps and hollows can be due to wear and tear, mole damage, drought or frost.
There are two main methods for levelling a lawn depending on the extent of damage to the area. All low spots across the garden should be checked for depth to help decide which method will work best. Both methods will require the same mixture used when top dressing a lawn. This will consist of two parts sand, two parts topsoil and one part compost. These combined will fill out the desired areas whilst improving drainage, with the compost allowing for a nutrient rich soil to be formed. Several days before you plan to level the lawn it will need to be watered to ensure that the soil is not too hard, dry or powdery when making the adjustments.
Be careful not to over water as wet soil can be just as hard to work with as overly dry soil. The best time of year to start your repairs is around spring, as this will allow your grass seed time to grow in whilst providing sufficient moisture for the soil to settle. As mentioned previously there are two main methods for levelling; one for shallow low spots and one for low spots deeper than cms. For areas that are only cm lower than the rest of the soil, the top dressing mixture can be applied directly.
Shake out a thin layer over the problem area and spread evenly using a garden rake until it is completely filled out and level. Using your feet and the flat side of the rake, tamp down and compact the soil. Lightly water the soil to further aid compaction and leave to settle. Repeat this process for all shallow areas that need attention. Once the soil has been left to settle for a few days grass seed can be distributed, followed by a further light dusting of topsoil mix , then pat down gently with the palm of your hand.
For the first 48 hours the soil will need a light spray of water 4 times per day to assist in germinating the seeds. Then water regularly and allow time for the grass seed to grow.
Another application can be done if there are low or bare spots remaining after it has settled. For the areas that have sunk more than 2cm deep a different method to level your lawn will be required. For this you will need a squared-off shovel. Using the shovel, slice into the centre and beyond the edges of the bump or hollow in a cross shape. Try to keep the cut as even as possible to make it easier to lift without breaking. Cut to about cm deep, then slide the shovel underneath to cut each section of the cross horizontally, keeping the shovel as flat as possible to maintain an even thickness of soil.
This is where it is essential that the soil is not too dry, as it will crumble when moved. People and animals — whether you take the same route to fill up the bird bath, the kids are into football, or the dog likes to roll beside the patio doors — human and animal activity will play havoc with an even lawn. When to start The best time to start this gardening work is in the Springtime, as this time of year will encourage the grass to grow quickly, and the weather should provide enough moisture for the soil to settle properly.
If you think there might be an issue with pipes underneath your lawn, get a professional to check that first. This means that it needs to be landscaped so that it slopes slightly away from the house, stopping standing water from damaging your garden and protecting your property from flooding.
Take a close look at your lawn and get to grips with just how bumpy it is — how deep are the low spots compared to the surrounding lawn? This will help you decide what the best approach is.
For mildly lumpy lawns For areas that are 1 to 2cm lower than the surrounding ground, you can apply a layer of the mix directly to the problem areas and smooth it out with the back of a lawn levelling rake. Gently compact the soil mix with your feet. Repeat these steps until all the cavities are nice and level. Let it settle for a few days, lightly water it if the weather is dry and top up the soil mix if it sinks down. Next — scatter over an even layer of grass seed, add a sprinkle of extra soil mix and pat it down gently by hand.
Water it lightly four times a day for the first 48hrs to encourage the seeds to germinate. Grab a flat-headed shovel, one of the best lawn level tools, and cut a cm deep cross into the turf, extending a small distance beyond the edges of the dip. Use the shovel to cut under the roots of the grass, so that you can lift each section — taking care not to break it off.
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