The lawn is the showpiece of your the three estates . For this understanding , it is of the essence to make it always search perfect . However , when it ’s not in the best shape , it can become a germ of frustration . Uneven surface , denudate spot , and pitiable soils all contribute to a messy view , but luckily there is a resolution that can serve better the wellness of your grass .

Top line up a lawn is the praxis of apply a thin level of nutrient - copious soil to the control surface of your existing grass . It ’s a proficiency that can work out a wide variety of usual problems . Plus , it ’s very easy to do on your own without investing in expensive tools .

Read on to pick up about top dressing to meliorate the soil on your lawn .

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What is Top Dressing?

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As mentioned above , top dressing your lawn is applying a slight layer of nutrient - rich soil to exist grass . It ’s a practice used for well - established lawns , in addition to regularly spreadinghigh - quality lawn fertilizersthat require a soil amendment . Over fourth dimension , dirt can become compact and fall back food , resulting in odd airfoil , denudate patches , or scrubby grass growth .

To   amend soils , most nurseryman will fuse in new soils with what they already have , but this is a complicated operation that can ruin your cautiously cultivated lawn . fortuitously , top bandaging is another root that can help meliorate soils without tilling or starting on a fresh project .

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Not only does the soil benefit , but so does the overall surface of your landscape painting . Top stuffing is a great practice to help even out the ground , fill in holes , or grade region that have take root . If you lay it down heavy , you may always reseed over it to fix area in need of a green thumb .

When Top Dressing is Appropriate

When your forage fight to grow and flex lush green , you’re able to sum up some top dressing to improve their condition . If you noticebrowningor thinning region , it might do good from an software . The same go when you have to irrigate or fertilize more often than common to keep it attend green .

Some other common problems top dressing can take care of include :

Benefits of Top Dressing

There are many benefits to regard when you decide to top dress . When determining if this is the good appendage for your lawn , think about the followers :

What to Consider Before Top Dressing

Balance pH

The   pH of your soil   is critical to your lawn ’s health . Too low , and fungus and diseases will proliferate . Too mellow , and the bacterium salutary organism feed on will not be present . You want a good balance with a neutral to slightly alkaline result .

It is an easy process that allow you to apply a al-Qa’ida , such aslimeor woodwind instrument ash , over your lawn to help increase pH. You could also practice atomic number 26 sulfate , acetify nitrogen , and organic mulches to lower it .

Choosing Your Top Dressing

Top dressing a lawn is almost exclusively done using a compost - like material . Since your destination is to construct up the grime structure to help support intelligent micro and macro organisms , choose the right compost mixture to meet the motivation of your lawn .

Some hoi polloi like to blend surface soil or sand with their compost as well . Do not increase the amount of sand if you already have sandy soils , or put on a threatening mix to gage that Blackbeard , as it will work up up on top rather than act into the soils .

Aeration Techniques

Aerate your lawn every two to three years . Aeration can occur in a few different ways , from using   special tool   that ramble over the lawn to deeper core proficiency .

This method acting removes plugs of soil to appropriate water and nutrients to get in touch with the root layer of your weed . It also helps loosen compacted soil and is a swell whole tone before top fecundation to ensure your diligence mixes into the ground well .

When to Apply

This operation is better done in early springtime to help operate with emerging grasses or in early downslope to help fix soils and vegetation for winter . Since you introduce nutrient , you want them to be available to actively maturate lawns .

It also does not necessitate to be an annual exercise unless you have some area that need particular tending regularly . Also , you could apply multiple light applications rather than one heavy one depending on the answer you are look for .

Steps to Top Dress Your Lawn

Step One - Aerate and Dethatch

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If you are on an aeration schedule , doing so prior to ‘ dress ’ the lawn is a keen practice , as trace above . You also want to dethatch the lawn to help expose the dirt for enrichment intention .

Step Two - Mow Lawn Short

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You also want to pout the lawn as short as possible without scalping it . It allow the soil to be exposed to the good software . As always avoid mowing your lawn when it is sloshed .

Step Three - Prepare Top Dressing

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A intermixture include piercing Baroness Dudevant , loam , and peat to form a nutrient - racy foundation . cadaver - like land can reduce the loam , while arenaceous soils can reduce the sand . Be sure to dry and sieve the ingredients not to have clumps turgid than ¼ in .

Step Four - Apply the Dressing

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To apply the binding , find a place in your yard to begin and pose a shovelful of the mixture in a mount . Take a garden rake and diffuse it out , ensuring it works into the aeration cud holes ( if you have any ) and is spread equally .

ensure it is no more than 1 inch rich where take . Keep spreading until the grass is peeking through , flipping the rake from the tinned to the mat side to help level it out .

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Step Five - Water and Adjust as Needed

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Give your lawn a upright watering and watch over the next few days as the software commence to settle . If you see issues with coverage or how well it is leveled , you could go back and conform as needed .

Step Six - Over Seed if Needed

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If you had thick area or necessitate raw eatage , now is the time to add seeded player to these spots . Do so once you have a in force even app in place and body of water as want .

Put In The Time

Whether you have contend grasses or uneven terrain , top medical dressing is a way to call many common lawn issue in just one app . This method is uncomplicated , cheap , and very effective .

If you have any tips you want to share or questions , please do so below ! And , as always , exceed on the information !

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Top Dressing

Mixing soil for cultivation by hand Ingredients have Black clay with Coconut Spathe Chopped and Rice hull ash

repair of damaged lawns after installation of automatic irrigation

lawn sowing and grooving

Aerating soil with pitchfork

Man mowing with a cordless lawnmower

Mixing soil for cultivation by hand Ingredients have Black clay with Coconut Spathe Chopped and Rice hull ash

Mixing soil for cultivation by hand Ingredients have Black clay with Coconut Spathe Chopped and Rice hull ash

Woman improving garden bed soil for planting

Woman watering the lawn with orange hose

grass seeds