Uneven areas of your lawn can be caused by settling or poor drainage issues. But leveling your lawn can have many benefits, and it doesn’t mean you have to rip everything up. Instead, you can apply a layer of top dressing to your lawn to even out its surface. Here’s how:
Step 1: Mow
Start by mowing your lawn at a short height, but not so short that it exposes the stems of the grass blades. Mowing at a shorter height will allow you to see how uneven your lawn is, so you can determine how much top dressing to apply.
Step 2: Dethatch
Once you’ve mowed your lawn, examine how much thatch has accumulated. Thatch is a layer of dead vegetation, earth, twigs and debris that can prevent the grass from getting nutrients, water or oxygen. If you have too much thatch, remove it with a thatch rake.
Step 3: Broadcast Soil Mix
Apply topsoil mix to your lawn by broadcast spreading it over the surface with a shovel. Mix topsoil and sand to create a soil mix that contains a rich mixture of nutrients and sand to help maintain a leveled yard. The organic matter will work its way into your soil profile and improve the soil quality.
Step 4: Evenly Spread Topsoil Mix
Rake the soil mix for an even spread. Apply up to 0.5 inches of the soil mix on top of low areas to level them out. Repeat the process if needed. Don’t completely cover your grass blades with soil, as the grass needs sunlight to grow.
Step 5: Water Your Grass and Topsoil
After leveling the ground with topsoil mix, water the ground that same day. This will help the soil settle and reveal any areas that are still unleveled. If necessary, add more topsoil or shift the soil to create a smooth, leveled surface.
The Benefits of Applying Topsoil
Applying topsoil or top dressing to your soil not only levels the landscape, but it also serves as a soil amendment. It improves the soil’s health, structure and water hold capacity, and helps with soil microbes. In addition, adding a bottle of Lawnifi® Maintain to the topsoil will help soak the topsoil and nutrients into your lawn.