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emptywallet_gw

Raising Lawn Height....

EmptyWallet
11 years ago

The house we purchased recently (builder spec home) has Bermuda sod. I'm not sure of the type, but any guesses would be welcome. Located in East Texas.

The problem I'm having two fold. The yard is not level at all. I'm going to level it with builder sand as opposed to river sand. Any comments on that are welcome.

The other problem is that the sidewalk, curb, and driveway are all 1-2 inches above the top of the grass. Sometimes higher in some areas.

How can I fix this? Just lay down a quarter inch to and inch of sand each year? Just repeat that process until it gets to the height I want?

I can't even edge properly in some places since the grass doesn't reach the top of the curb.

Dirt or sand? Sand is great for leveling right? What about for increasing the height like I'm trying to do?

Comments (11)

  • texasredhead
    11 years ago

    You have a strange situation. Has the sod been in long enough that it has taken root? Is it possible to lift the sod? Your better bet is to lift the sod and add soil to a level around your walks and drive and then relay the sod. You might be able to follow the same pratice in other low places. Also, if you have a builder spec home you probably have common bermuda. IMO, adding inches of sand to the sod would tend to smother the sod.

  • nearandwest
    11 years ago

    My thoughts are for a process that you can do next Spring. It's getting pretty late in the season to do anything that would be effective this year without running the risk of winter injury to the turf.

    I would suggest renting a sod cutter and bringing in dirt, then cutting out the sod and placing it off to the side. Then spread and level the dirt in the areas where it is needed to bring the soil level up to where you want it to be. Then water heavily to settle the dirt, let it dry out, then add more dirt to areas that have settled, and then tamp down all the areas where dirt has been added. Water the areas again, and then replace the sod (you'll want to put the sod down on a moist, but not muddy, soil bed). Water sod 2-3 times daily for about 2 weeks until you can't pull up the sod off the ground (this is when you know that rooting is taking place).

  • texasredhead
    11 years ago

    Our idea of winter here is a couple of days around 30 degrees and that probably won't come until January. Also, it's nearly impossible to kill bermuda.

  • EmptyWallet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I asked the builder and he stated its tif419.

    The sod has been down at least since April. So I'm not sure if lifting it up is as simple as it sounds.

  • nearandwest
    11 years ago

    Nope, you won't be lifting it up by hand. I will say this.... I do know of landscapers who have laid bermuda sod in the winter and it did fine the following season. If you want to take a risk and consider the idea of cutting out the sod, putting down dirt to level with the curb, driveway, etc., then go for it. But if you're going to do it, I would advise you to do it now and not wait.

    texasredhead seems to be pretty sure that the winter weather is not an issue. He would know better than me since I don't live in that neck of the woods. Good luck.

  • david_tx
    11 years ago

    First off, I'd use top soil instead of sand if I were filling in two inches around sidewalks and driveways. Coarse sand would be used for final leveling.

    Second (and I admit that I like the easy, lazy, and cheap way), I'd forget the sod cutter. Right now, I'd add as much top soil as I could without smothering the grass. Early next spring, I'd do it again. There's a good chance that will be enough but, if not, I'd do it a third time without worry about smothering anything. Bermuda spreads rapidly and will fill in quickly. It's Bermuda so anything short of RoundUp is not going to kill it.

  • david_tx
    11 years ago

    I've done it. No luck needed. Pick up truck, wheel barrow, shovel, and bow rake.

  • nearandwest
    11 years ago

    So have I...so many times that I can't remember them all. The difference is that when I'm done with repairing 2,000 sq.ft. in 8-10 hours, the sod is laid back perfectly with curb or driveway and there is no need to wait until the following Spring to do it all over again.

    I completely understand that your method works (I've used the same topdressing method many times with soil and sand), it just takes about 1 year to get the desired result.

    It just depends on how much effort and patience the OP is willing to put into the project.

  • david_tx
    11 years ago

    I can agree with that yours is the professional route. We may be envisioning this differently as I don't see 2000 sq ft. I'm thinking for an inch or two, you'd have to feather back into the lawn maybe two feet. Depending on mowing height, there's going to be green grass sticking up in a lot of that area and it's going to grow.

    If this were earlier in the year, I might dig up a shovel sized area of sod here and there. Then level everything as you described above, then break up the sod and drop on top. Granted, I'm looking at ground under repair for a few weeks while you're looking at a finished project. I don't see it taking a full year, though.

    Lots of ways to get it done.

  • nearandwest
    11 years ago

    Well, I have no idea how much area the OP is needing to repair. Yes, there are lots of ways to get it done. Your scenario above is probably more accurate.