How to level-up to an even lawn

If you're lucky to own a house with a garden, you'll be familiar with the work involved in turning it into a perfect oasis. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, creating an even lawn from a bumpy area, is not always easy.

Uneven lawns can cause a lot of problems, they're not always pretty, and not hugely usable. There can often be issues with waterlogging or patchy grass growth to deal with. 

 

In this article, we will discuss how you can level up your game to an even smooth lawn once and for all.

 

First and foremost, you need to find out what is causing the bumps and unevenness. Is there a root of a tree  causing it? Is it damaged grass that’s causing it? Or is it an old water pipe? Perhaps a broken sprinkler system? You have to do a little digging - quite literally - to discover the root cause of the bumpiness. (Before you dig you should always check with local service providers to assess if there are water or gas pipes laid, you are not safe to dig until you do.)

 

Finding what the root cause is, will determine how you manage your garden and how you proceed wtih the project. Some issues are minor fixes and can be easily rectified, others are much larer issues that could be hugely costsly.

 

Once you've established the issues, there are two options for creating a good lawn, one is quite minor and teh other one a little bit more compliicated.

 

If the bumps in your lawn are minor with dents under an inch deep, then the fix is minor and can be done very easily. You can fill the unevenness with top dressing for the topsoil. You can do this without damaging your existing healthy grass.

 

Topdressing type depends on the type of soil you have. For sandy soil, pick a mixture that has thick sand, and peat moss in it. For clay soil, you can pick a mixture that has topsoil and compost in it. Speak to your garden center expert to find the best topdressing mix for your soil.

 

To fix the problem, identify the bumps and mark them. Mow the lawn and clean out all the debris of fallen leaves. Then with a rake and aerator aerate the soil.  Loosen the soil and even it out.

 

Then add the topdressing mixture on the lowest parts of the dents  then spread  and even it out. The depressed areas may need more soil to bring up to level.

 

Once done, water the soil and add grass seeds and let the grass grow.  If you do this in the spring or fall, you will allow more time for the grass to grow.  

 

If the dents in your lawn are between 1-24 inches, your only solution will be  laying down sod. Depending on your local garden laying turf prices, this option can be a great investment for years of excellent grass.

 

First, you will have to dig up the existing sod. You should do this gently to the healthy sods so that you can reuse them. For the dead and damaged soil, remove these  completely and discard them. 

 

Once you have carefully removed the soil, look for what is causing the bumps. If it is debris or roots, remove them.  Then fill the entire area with topsoil.  If the bumps are more than 6 inches deep, fill six inches of soil at a time and pat it down gently and water the soil. As you pack down the soil and water it the air pockets will be eliminated. This creates the even surface you need.

Once you have leveled the new topsoil, it is time to resod. Gently lay down the turf in straight lines to promote even growth.  Then water the newly implanted grass sod.

Be sure to water the newly planted sod daily and monitor the grass health.  Once the roots take in a few weeks, you can rest assured the new grass has taken.

 

If your lawn has major terrain-related unevenness, then you will need to call in the experts - the professional landscapers.

 

Ideally, you want to slope away your lawn from the house to  ensure rainwater drains away from the foundation of your house. If your lawn is slowing towards your home, this can be addressed.  An expert landscaper will measure the slope and bring in the heavy equipment to dig up soil from the high area to the low area. The landscaper will design a 6-inch slope for every 10 ft of the yard. This gradual slope will ensure you are draining water away from the house foundation.

The landscaper will create this grade of sloping with topsoil and dug up existing soil. Once the leveling is complete, you can go ahead and lay down new sodding or turf.

With an even lawn, you will be able to enjoy every corner, whether that's out there reading a book on your own, or having friends over, or with the kids enjoyng fun with friends. A flat lawn will also be a great space to lay down and catch the sun or stare at the stars or stretch out on your  yoga mat. There are documented benefits of grounding - walking barefoot on grass. 

 

Now you can explore all that yourself with a flat lawn and with the peace of mind that it is protecting your house!