Topdressing a lawn involves spreading a thin layer of material such as sand or compost over the grass. When there’s a shortage of soil in your yard, which will inadvertently lead to loss of nutrients, the best option is to topdress. Read on to discover how, when, and why you should topdress your lawn.
When Do You Need Topdressing for Your Lawn
You need to topdress your lawn when:
- There is a shortage of soil underneath your lawn
- It requires an increase in soil nutrients
- It’s uneven or contains holes
- The grass wasn’t laid correctly
The Benefits of Topdressing for Your Lawn
Topdressing helps increase and retain the soil nutrient, it helps the grass fight diseases and resist pests. It’s also useful for improving drainage, which will result in a thicker lawn. It decreases the chance of moss and weed infestations.
When you topdress, it helps break down thatch and grass clippings. It also allows the soil to retain moisture, especially during dry weather, and drains away excess moisture during heavy rainfall.
The Right Time to Topdress Your Lawn
The best period to topdress your lawn is in the growing season. It’d be best if you never topdressed during winter. It’s best to topdress in the spring or as soon as you’ve reached your regular weekly mow. The earlier in the growing season, the better. Late spring to early summer is the best time.
Don’t topdress during winter when your lawn is in its inert phase. Doing so will damage or entirely kill your grass. Also, avoid topdressing when rain is predicted as the wet weather will make leveling and dressing difficult.
How to Topdress Your Lawn
Begin by removing thatch and moss from the lawn else; if not adequately raked, the layers of thatch will form barriers that prevent things like water and fertilizer from reaching the grass’s roots.
Ensure to source the right soil to match the soil on your lawn and confirm it’s free of weed. Before starting, check that your soil is loose and aerate it. Use a spade to spread the top dressing soil as evenly as you can around your yard. Increase concentration in any particular spot that needs to be even.
Work the soil into the grass so that the new soil touches the existing topsoil adequately. You can do this with the back of a rake. Remember to remove any excess dirt from the surface of the grass.If your lawn hasn’t lost nutrients or isn’t uneven, there isn’t any need for top dressing, but if your yard suffers from these problems, consider topdressing. Topdressing may appear easy, but it requires a level of precision and a degree of knowledge about the best soil for your lawn. Consider contacting a professional lawn care service for expert advice and help.
