Is your lawn looking a bit bumpy? Not quite level and making it difficult to mow? This is a common problem, especially with newly established lawns where the gaps between rolls still haven’t grown into each other yet.
It’s easy to fix an uneven lawn, all you have to do is topdress it. This can be done to any lawn that has established (has put down roots and can no longer be pulled up). It is best completed in spring or summer when your lawn is actively growing and has plenty of time to grow through the topdress.
What soil to use for topdressing an uneven lawn?
For a top-dressing material for level improvement, we always like to use washed plasterers’ sand. It doesn’t compact quite as hard as brickies sand. It is generally easier to screed and level due to the lower clay and silt content and reduces the likelihood of the surface crusting and become hydrophobic.
If you are wanting a really flat lawn surface and intend to mow your turf variety quite short, then a straight sand is the go.
When should I topdress to fix an uneven lawn?
You need to topdress your lawn while it is actively growing and the weather is going to stay warm long enough for it to grow through the topdress. In South Australia, we recommend topdressing between October and March for best results.
Should I fertilise before topdressing?
To ensure your lawn is growing quickly and has plenty of nutrients and energy to grow through the topdress, you can fertilise a couple of weeks prior. Your lawn will be well-equipped to grow through the topdress and be nice and healthy throughout.
We recommend the Lawn Solutions Premium Lawn Food.
How to topdress your lawn
Topdressing should only be applied at no more than 5-10mm in thickness at a time. The sand or sandy loam should be rubbed in evenly using a lawn level bar, working the sand down into the turf thatch layer. It is important to keep some leaf exposed in order to let the lawn grow through the topdress.
If there are large differences between the evenness of your lawn, you may need to topdress a few times to bring it up to the correct level.
We hope this will help you to fix your uneven lawn, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our lawn consultants.
