Unevenness in a lawn, appearing as bumps, dips, or divots, commonly results from soil settling, root decomposition, or burrowing animals. Beyond being an aesthetic distraction, these irregularities can pose a tripping hazard and make mowing difficult, leading to scalping in high spots. Leveling the lawn involves applying a controlled material layer to fill in depressions and create a smooth, consistent surface. This maintenance practice improves safety and ensures the turf grass grows uniformly across the entire area.
Assessing Unevenness and Timing the Repair
The first step in lawn leveling is accurately diagnosing the extent of the surface irregularity. Minor settling or shallow depressions are best identified by pushing a long, rigid straight edge or a 2×4 board across the lawn surface. This reveals areas where light passes underneath, indicating a low spot that requires filling. Significant grading issues, where the unevenness exceeds two inches in depth, often require a more intensive repair approach.
Leveling is most effective when performed during the turfgrass’s peak active growth period, typically in late spring or early fall. Applying the leveling material when the grass is growing vigorously allows the plant to quickly recover and push through the new layer without suffering damage. Preparation should begin by mowing the lawn slightly lower than usual to expose the soil surface.
Heavily compacted areas may benefit from core aeration to improve soil permeability before material application. This process punches small holes in the soil, which helps the leveling mix integrate better with the underlying earth.
Creating and Applying the Leveling Mix
For minor depressions and general surface smoothing, a specialized topdressing material provides the best results without suffocating the existing turf. The ideal leveling mix is a blend designed for optimal drainage and nutrient supply. A common and effective ratio consists of approximately 50% fine sand, 40% pulverized topsoil, and 10% compost. The sand component ensures the material drains quickly and does not compact excessively.
The inclusion of topsoil provides a structural medium for new root growth, while the compost supplies organic matter and slow-release nutrients to sustain the established grass. It is important to thoroughly blend these components before application to ensure a uniform consistency. Applying unmixed materials can lead to layering effects that hinder water movement and root development.
The topdressing material should be spread thinly over the low spots, focusing on a maximum depth of no more than a half-inch (0.5 inches) in any single application. Spreading a layer thicker than this risks smothering the grass blades, which prevents photosynthesis and can kill the underlying turf. The mix is then worked down into the grass canopy using the flat side of a rake, a push broom, or a specialized leveling drag.
This technique ensures the mix settles around the base of the grass stems and roots, filling the depression while leaving the majority of the grass blades exposed to sunlight. The goal is to gradually raise the level of the low spots over several applications, allowing the grass to grow through each layer. This gradual process avoids damaging the turf and creates a stable, level base.
Repairing Deep Depressions or High Mounds
When dealing with surface irregularities that are significantly deeper than two inches, or large mounds, simple topdressing is insufficient and requires a structural repair method. Attempting to fill a deep depression with a single thick layer of leveling mix will almost certainly suffocate the turf underneath. Instead, the sod covering the affected area must be carefully removed first.
Using a sharp, flat shovel or a sod cutter, cut the turf around the perimeter of the depression and peel the sod back like a carpet, keeping the roots intact. The exposed depression should then be filled with pure topsoil or sand, which is lightly tamped down to prevent future settling. Once the fill material is level with the surrounding grade, the original sod piece is carefully rolled back into place.
For high mounds, the process is reversed: the sod is cut and peeled back, and the excess soil underneath is physically dug out and removed. After the underlying soil is lowered to match the surrounding grade, the sod is replaced. In both large repairs, a small amount of leveling mix can be spread over the seams to help the roots knit together quickly and ensure a smooth transition.
Post-Leveling Watering and Care
Immediate follow-up care is necessary to ensure the turfgrass recovers and integrates into the newly applied material. After the leveling mix is spread, a regime of frequent, light watering must be initiated. This watering settles the material around the grass roots and prevents the fine particles from drying out and crusting, which would inhibit new growth.
Watering should be gentle, avoiding heavy saturation that could wash the leveling material out of the low spots. The goal is to keep the top half-inch of the mix consistently moist for the first one to two weeks. This sustained moisture encourages the grass stolons and rhizomes to quickly grow up and through the new layer.
Mowing should be suspended until the grass has visibly grown through the leveling mix, typically taking seven to fourteen days depending on the species and weather conditions. Once the turf has established itself in the new layer, a light application of a nitrogen-rich fertilizer can encourage further vigorous growth. Returning to a standard watering and mowing schedule should occur only after the lawn has fully recovered and the new surface is stable.