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For the lawn to be healthy, the soil plays a crucial role. But it is difficult to make changes in the soil once the grass has established itself in the garden. So what can you do to enhance the soil quality without disturbing the grass? Here the technique of top dressing a lawn can be used to improve the soil without killing the present turf in the garden.

Top Dressing the lawn is seen as a solution to some of the below problems.

• Low spots in the lawn due to the digging of soil for various works like cable installation, drip pipes, etc.
• Uneven terrain in the lawn due to severe weather conditions.
• High traffic areas having compacted soil and also the places like pools.
• Formation of bare spots due to the variations in the nutrients, heat and drought conditions on the soil.
• Depletion of the nutrients due to the over usage of chemical fertilizers.

What is Top Dressing?

Top dressing is a task performed on the lawn to improve the condition of the soil. A thin layer of soil is added to the existing grass of the yard and is used to smoothen the surface of the soil or modify its condition. The main aim of top dressing is to control the thatch in the lawn and protect the soil from the extreme temperatures. You can also change the soil medium around the roots of the grass or plants.

When to Top Dress a Lawn?

The ideal time for top dressing is the early fall or winter seasons. The mowing should also have been completed by 2-3 times before the top dressing is started. The process can be completed all at a time or can be done at various levels.

How to Topdress a Lawn?

1. Aerate the Lawn

Perform the Aeration of the lawn for every 2-3 years and if this is due, then start now. The process of core aeration allows our top dressing mixture to get into the layers of the soil in the yard.

2. Preparation of Top Dressing Mixture

Top dressing mixture is a combination of sharp soil, topsoil and the manure used in the lawn. Preparation of the mixture is dependent on the soil type also. For average loamy soil, mix the three ingredients in equal quantities. For clay soil land reduce the topsoil and for sandy areas eliminate the sand as required. You can prepare the mixture in the home or buy the ready-made mix available in the market.

3. Applying the Mixture to Your Lawn

The mixture can be spread using a garden rake. Working through the aeration holes use the mix to cover the low spots in the lawn. Ensure that the mixture is no more than 1″ deep and preferably 1/2 ” depth over the existing grass or turf. If the low spots require more mix then you can remove the sod at that place, fill the place with the top dressing mixture. After filling, you can replace the spot with the existing sod or have the area reseeded.

4. Watering

To get the mixture to settle in the area, you have to provide adequate water. It would be nice if there is good rain after completing the top dressing.

5. Plant Grass if Necessary

Plant grass on the bare spots if needed and let the old sod on your lawn grow by an inch.

Benefits of Top Dressing Your Lawn

• Adds organic matter to the soil.
• The structure of the soil is changed.
• Top dressing with the right compost helps to reduce lawn diseases.
• The need for the fertilizers is also reduced.
• The thatch in the lawn is diminished.
• Helps in building soil flora.
• Top dressing combined with aeration helps the organic manure to get deep into the soil.
• The stress due to traffic is reduced.
• Top Dressing in sandy places helps in retaining the water.
• Helps in relieving the compaction problems in heavy soils.

Conclusion

Top Dressing has proven results in the cases of correcting matted turf, protecting against the harsh and severe climatic conditions. Water and nutrient retention by the soil also increases. The top dressing for the lawn is a typical process, and you need to have a professional to get the job done right. Our experts at Green Gold Landscaping got over 10+ years of experience in the lawn and landscape maintenance jobs like overseeding, mulching, fertilizing, mowing, trimming, pruning and more and are ready to make your garden look beautiful and lush. For more details contact us online or give us call at 914-882-5459.