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Leveling over existing lawn?

Posted by cbustaylor none (My Page) on
Tue, Mar 13, 12 at 21:20

I have a yard that is fairly uneven. I'm focusing on a low spot, maybe 4ft x 3ft that is about 4-6" below the rest of the grade (sloping into the worst area of it). There is scattered grass in the area, maybe 40% and it's not particularly robust. I'm wondering if I can just add topsoil over the existing grass or if I should rip it up first. It's not worth trying to salvage that grass by saving it and replacing it on top, in my opinion. And what sort of mixture would I put on top - just topsoil? Other stuff? Many thanks!


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RE: Leveling over existing lawn?

If saving the grass is not an issue, then do it right over the top. Any mineral based soil will work. Topsoil or sand, or a mix, will work. Leave out compost and mulch. They are fillers that will provide no volume in a year. If you use something significantly different from your present soil, you will see the difference from now on. My soil is awful - so awful that the sand I used to level it shows up as a green spot on one side of the lawn. Yellow on the native soil and green in the sand.

To allow for settling, you will need to mound the soil up a little in the middle. How much is hard to guess, but if you make it perfectly level now, it will be a hole again in 3 years. Try filling, watering to settle, refilling, and rewatering. It will still settle for the next 3 years.


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