Levelling Deep Low Spots On Your Lawn
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 4-5cm 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. Gently peel back the edges of the turf until you can lay them flat without breaking.
For levelling a bump in the lawn, dig out the excess soil until level with the surrounding area, tread down and fold the flaps of turf back over.
To fill a hollow, use a garden fork to turn over the soil to about 5cm deep, removing any large stones and breaking down any large clumps. Tread down to compact the soil to reduce the chance of further sinking afterwards.
Fill the hole with your top dressing mixture until level with the surrounding area, then rake over to break the soil down before folding the flaps of turf back over.
Check out our video tutorials for how to achieve a great looking lawn on our YouTube channel here.
Preparing To Level Your Lawn
So if your lawn is looking uneven with a few too many dips, help is at hand. Before starting, the lawn will need to be checked thoroughly in advance to determine how much will require levelling and if there are any existing drainage problems. At times, uneven ground can be caused as a result of drainage problems or even damaged water pipes.
Check for low spots and drainage issues
If low spots are occurring in locations around water pipes seek professional advice before continuing. If drainage issues are discovered, it is recommended to re-grade the lawn as well as levelling, creating a surface that slopes away from the property to aid drainage and avoid flooding.
Alternatively an underground drainage system can be fitted using either gravel or flexible drainpipes. 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.
Pre-water your lawn for levelling
When to level your lawn
First Discover The Cause
The first step in correcting the problem of your uneven lawn is diagnosing what created the problem. Of course, you wont be able to change what Mother Nature naturally throws at your turfgrass, but you can give your lawn what it needs to bring it back to a level of green, healthy lushness.
On the other hand, if its a problem that can potentially be corrected like animal digging or lacking lawn care creating pest and disease problems, you need to fix the problem first before you go about your lawn-leveling tasks. Otherwise, youll quickly end up with the same problems rearing their ugly heads again and youll be back at square one an uneven lawn.
For example, if you have problems with animals digging holes or creating higher spots and tunnels, youll need to figure out ways to remove the problem animal from your yard. If your pet dog is a digger, consider designating an area where Fido can fulfill his digging tendencies in an out-of-sight location.
Treat pest or disease problems and if your turfgrass is naturally thinning due to age or too thick thatch, remove the thatch, do any lawn-leveling tasks, aerate and then reseed or install new sod. In addition, maintain proper lawn care practices by fertilizing at appropriate times and perform a soil test, if you feel your soil lacks the necessary nutrients.
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Measure The Rise And Run Of Your Land
Using your stakes and string, you can measure the rise and run of the slope. First, drive a stake into the ground at the topmost part of the slope and another at the opposite end at the lowest part of the slope. Tie a string at the ground level of the stake at the topmost position and drag the line to the stake at the lowest part making sure the string is level tie it to the other stake, as seen in the picture above.
Run is the strings length, and rise is the distance between the string on the second stake and the ground.
This measurement will serve as the basis for the leveling.
How To Add Topsoil And Level Your Lawn
If you only need to add a thin layer of topsoil to level your lawn then it really is not a difficult task.
If your lawn has deteriorated and become unlevel then I cannot recommend strongly enough that you actually investigate what the problem is that has made your lawn become uneven before you fix it otherwise it will probably become uneven again after you level it.
The actual task of leveling your lawn with topsoil is simple.
- All you have to do is divide your lawn into sections I use quarters as this makes it easier to spread the topsoil evenly over your whole lawn.
- Get the topsoil mix you have selected and put in little piles that look like molehills evenly all over the sections of your lawn.
- Spread the topsoil evenly over your lawn with a lawn leveling rake or even just use the flat backside of a standard rake or brush to spread it evenly.
That is how simple it is to level a lawn with topsoil and you should then see massive benefits because not only will you have a level lawn but the topsoil will add lots of healthy nutrients back into the root system of your lawn.
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Leveling Out An Uneven Lawn
- Pin
Areas of a lawn can become uneven over time, due to settling, drainage issues, and various natural and unnatural causes. In the least extreme cases, you can solve the problem by topdressing with a thin layer of leveling mix . This is a good solution for widespread unevenness that does not run too deep. More extensive variation in level may require multiple applications of topdressing or, in more extreme cases, filling in deep depressions with soil and reseeding over the filled areas. If unevenness appears near water pipes, along with drainage issues, consult a professionalyou might have a damaged pipe causing the issues.
One trick for leveling small depressions or holes covered with healthy grass is to cut out a patch of the turf and add the soil mix underneath it, then lay the patch back down. Known as sweeping under the carpet, this is a handy technique for leveling localized depressions without having the unsightliness of exposed soil on the grass, which happens with the other methods.
Whichever method you choose, spring is the best time to level your lawn, as the conditions are mild, giving the lawn a chance to recuperate before summer’s heat arrives.
Why Level Your Land
Why is leveling your land important?
You want to remove boulders and uneven surfaces from your yard to make it easier for you to drive your lawnmower across the land while producing neat work.
The level ground will also minimize the risk of accidents on your lawn. You and your kids can enjoy your bbq games happily.
Aside from being a safer ground for your kids, leveling your land will prevent erosion and flooding, which is a big problem on its own.
Some of these things that can cause an uneven surface include animal digging, heavy traffic, and change in water flow, among several other reasons.
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Minor Leveling With Topdressing
Topdressing involves spreading a leveling mix of topsoil, compost, and fine sand. The soil should not contain mulch or plant debris, which can smother the grass. The best sand to use is play sand, which you can buy at any home center. A typical mixture is 40 percent sand, 40 percent topsoil, and 20 percent compost. The sand provides good drainage, while the compost adds nutrients to the soil to promote grass growth.
Plant New Grass Seed Or Sod
After leveling the ground and laying topsoil, water deeply and allow for a day before planting your new seed, lay sod, or even make use of hydroseeding to grow your lawn.
Whichever option you choose will take varying time to get you your lawn, but with careful planning and execution, youll have a lush green yard in no time.
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How To Level A Yard: What To Consider
The best way to level a garden depends on the gardens design, and how uneven or sloping the space is. You may just want to get rid of lumps and bumps in the lawn so it looks its best, is suitable for sitting or lying out on and so kids can play on it. A flat lawn is easy to mow, and rain will be absorbed evenly, making the grass healthier.
Alternatively, you may want to construct a patio or deck. If thats the case, youll need to start from a level surface to build your new garden feature.
Of course, your garden may be a sloping one, leaving you with space you cant easily use. If thats the case leveling is imperative if youre to create space for all sorts of garden activities, and to make tending the plot much more straightforward.
If you don’t want to do the job yourself, you can outsource it, but find out what the cost to level a yard is first.
How Can I Level My Yard Cheaply
You can level your yard yourself on a budget, for next to nothing, using a rake, play sand and some soil from your yard. Firstly, level any small bumps with your feet, making sure the ground is moist when you step on them. Any animal holes can be leveled by filling the soil back in with soil from your yard and then topping up with topsoil if theyre small the existing grass should grow over them, for any larger holes you can sprinkle some grass seed if you have it and water.
For mildly uneven areas that require more work, topdressing is easiest. Once youve mowed the lawn, mix together some fine sand with some compost from your yard and apply it to the low areas evenly. Rake even if you have one and run a household broom over it to work it into the grass, water and monitor progress. Repeat if needed.
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Step : Dig Up The Grass In The Sunken Area Of The Lawn
Check your yard for divots and low spots deeper than 2-3 inches.
Remove the grass from on top of them. To do this, put the blade of a shovel on the outer edge of a low spot. Slide it down and under about 2-3 inches to make sure you get under the roots of the grass. Then remove the sod by prying the grass up with the shovel. Exposing the dirt underneath.
Different Problems Call For Different Methods
There are various reasons and situations where you might want to level a yard, so well tackle all of the scenarios you might encounter.
Keep in mind that leveling is different than grading. Grading is when you even out a sloped area. A bumpy yard is one where you have lots of hills and valleys that require leveling.
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What If My Lawn Only Has Small Imperfections
A lovely lawn, with slight blemishes, made smooth by renovation of scarification, aeration, top dressing and over-seeding.
To smooth out and renovate a lawn that just has minor imperfections in the surface can be done by renovation during the autumn. It is usually best to scarify and aerate before top dressing so that the dressing can easily be rubbed into the dips. Top Dressing can be done by a lawn care professional or you can do it yourself. A range of Top Dressing is available, all being a blend of soil, compost, loam or sand, designed in different mixes to boost nutrition and assist in the germination of new seed. This is quite a big subject so please find more information here on how the professionals do it: or alternatively if you are keen to do it yourself a full range of top dressing products can be found here at The Lawn Store:
What Is The Best Topdressing For Leveling Lawns
The type of topdressing you use can affect the health of your lawn. The recommended topdressing should include sand, topsoil, and compost. This mixture ensures enough air in the soil, adds nutrients, and allows grass to grow through.
However, the ratios of these materials depend on the condition of the existing soil and the purpose of topdressing.
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What Can I Use To Level My Yard
You will need a topdressing to level your yard. The best mixture is easy to make yourself and can be made up of, two parts sand, two parts topsoil, and one part compost. Once you have used this mixture to level out your lawn, youll also want to add some grass seed to help foster the growth of new grass. On top of all of this, youll need some significant watering to ensure a healthy process.
Water The Entire Lawn
The final step is to generously water the whole yard. A fresh watering will allow the topsoil to sink into the grasss roots and provide it with the nutrients it needs to recover from the leveling project.
The yard is your pride and joy, so when it gets uneven, its a bit of a disappointment. An unlevel yard isnt just unsightly, though, and it can lead to drainage issues and other damages. The good news is, you dont have to let a bumpy yard get you down. With our tips for leveling your yard, it will be even and pristine in no time.
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How To Level A Yard
If you have the drive to undertake this project, set aside a weekend to make sure its done properly. You may need to repeat portions of the project to ensure the lawn is properly leveled, so its best to have two consecutive days to do it. Heres what youll need to gather:
- Lawnmower
- Garden hose or sprinklers
What If You Have A Few Low Spots In An Existing Lawn
Wait!
You dont need to learn how to level a yard starting with bare ground. If you are only worried about patching a few low or high spots in your lawn, the whole process is very similar to leveling bare ground. Let’s take a closer look at the whole process.
First, you need to use the stake and string line method above to create your working grid of high and low spots. In most cases, you will have more low spots than high ones.
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How To Level A Bumpy Lawn
Over the years my lawn became progressively bumpier, to the point where scalping the lawn while mowing was a common occurrence, and our two year old would frequently trip when running over bumps or low spots. I began doing research on lawn leveling and after watching a few You Tube videos on professional lawn leveling, I was officially obsessed. This article will outline the results of my research, my results to date, and my plans going forward. Im not planning on getting all the way to putting green standards, but the principles hold true no matter how serious you are. Keeping your lawn level is an ongoing process, but with some simple steps its really quite easy and can make a huge difference to the quality of your lawn.
Why is it Important to Have a Level Lawn?
A smooth, even lawn, without bumps or depressions, is important as it provides a much more usable surface to walk on. Any activity will be made safer and more enjoyable from soccer, croquet, bocce ball to just running around. For kids and adults alike.
What Causes a Lawn to be Bumpy?
A sprinkler system is a common culprit for erosion since the water lines are prone to damage and the whole system requires regular maintenance. To investigate, check that the spray heads and rotors are working correctly and popping up to their full height, that the nozzles are not clogged or damaged, and that the heads are not leaking.
Lawn Leveling Equipment
Accuform AccuLevel
Steps to Leveling your Lawn
Topdressing
