In the ideal world, you have a perfect lawn without any bumps, smooth and even. To achieve the same results in reality, you need to put some effort into it, including the use of tools like Standard Golf Levelawn and other leveling equipment. If you are not new to mowing, you can notice that the surface is not identical everywhere, and sometimes there are low spots and bumps on your way. It requires certain work, but it does not mean that it has to be hard. All you need is some free time and desire to make your lawn of high quality with steps for leveling the lawn.
Why Do You Need to Level Lawn?
An even lawn not only looks beautiful, but it is also simple to mow and walk on. If you like to play games on the lawn or simply want to have a picnic outside, any activity becomes more enjoyable once you level the surface. Keep in mind that such a lawn is always easier to take care of. A mower works evenly there as you do not have to struggle with dragging it through the bumps.
You also have to pay attention to the low spots that are affected as well. The mower’s blade drops down the level, cutting the grass lower than you wanted. Another important factor that can’t be ignored is drainage. Low spots keep the water for a long time, slowly turning your yard into a swamp. In the end, stale water becomes smelly, and you suffer from the mosquito gatherings on your land.
Why Is Your Lawn Bumpy?
Before doing anything, you need to understand what caused the bumps in the first place. The problem might be permanent and will come back after some time. In this case, your primary goal is to find the cause and correct it. The bumps can appear because of poor drainage systems or leaking pipes. Here are the most common causes of bumps:
- Poor-quality drainage system with leaks;
- Erosion of sprinkler systems happens more often than you might think. It requires inspection at least once a year. You have to check rotors and spray heads as well. Nozzles must not be clocked;
- Settling of the ground can happen at any time. Unfortunately, this is almost an unavoidable situation. With time, the ground might settle down, especially if your lawn is new. It might be caused by heavy equipment or new construction on the land. If you live in a climate with cold winters and warm summers, the weather might accelerate ground settling. The soil will heavy every spring, revealing new bumps;
- The lawn might be thinned by disease. In this case, there are patches of ill grass and healthy ones. Thus you receive a quilt in front of your house without gorgeous ornaments or evenly stitched pieces. The situation might get worse due to the wind, rain, or any further activity on the lawn;
- Another reason for bumping is that there are objects that were buried inside. It could be pieces of wood and stones from the construction and even animals. While you can remove the wood debris in no time, it is hard to find the holes with moles or groundhogs living in them. Yet, you have to do your best and get rid of them. There are lots of remedies for this. Don’t forget about small insects like ants. You have to make sure that nothing ruins your lawn.
Equipment You Need
The set of instruments you need is pretty simple. Perhaps, you already have everything in your shed. Make sure that you have:
- Hand rake;
- Landscape rake;
- Large broom;
- Leaf rake made of plastic;
- Wheelbarrow;
- Edger;
- Shovel;
- Levelawn.
If you don’t have all of them, don’t worry, you can replace almost every instrument on the list or buy it in the nearest garden center. A levelawn is the must-have tool among others since it was created to remove bumps and is widely used for even lawns. It helps to remove clumps and small stones.
Simple Steps to Level the Lawn
When you remove the problem with leaking pipes and get rid of all the moles and heavy instruments lying around the yard, you may start with a leveling procedure. Before we start, think about whether you have small bumps that are barely seen at a distance, or your lawn reminds you of the moon’s surface. Small holes can be fixed by re-seeding and improving the lawn design, while big holes that are widely spread around the lawn require more preparations and severe actions.
Topdressing approach
This is the least aggressive method on the list. Start with it to level the slightly uneven lawn. Many gardeners prefer to do it every spring:
- Mow your lawn as low as you can;
- Use a garden rake to dethatch it;
- Mix the leveling mix in a wheelbarrow. You can use the compost;
- Use the shovel to apply soil mix in the low areas you see;
- Spread the topdressing evenly with the rake;
- Use a leveling rake to spread the soil mix and bury it into the grass until only the grass is seen;
- Water the grass;
- Check the situation in the bumpy area after a week.
Moderately uneven lawn
Topdressing might not help with moderate bumping. In this case, you need to consider the following steps:
- Remove the turf on the low spot. Cut less than 18 inches wide strips. Pull it away so that the roots are separated from the soil. Roll up the strips, so the roots stay moisturized and provide the shadow over them;
- Shovel the topsoil in the hole, so the lawn would be even with the sod brought back to it;
- Add the water to the hole and settle the soil to avoid air pockets;
- Bring back the sod and water it.
Severe bumps
You need to re-grade the garden in case you have severe bumps. Use the following instructions:
- Use stakes to create an even line for draining the yard. You can take the transit level for accuracy;
- Remove the topsoil from problematic areas. The subsoil from high areas may be spread around low areas;
- Take 2 inches of topsoil and spread it into 2 inches of subsoil;
- Add 4 more inches of topsoil;
- Seed the lawn or lay the sod.
Perfectly Even Lawn
No matter how hard you work, the problem with a bumpy lawn might occur next spring. To reduce the risks, you can check the lawn once a year. Use the tools that were recommended and make sure that nothing spoils the view. It is better to remove a slightly uneven bump than to take care of huge bumps with the need to re-grade the whole area. The right tools will help you do it in no time. After the first attempt, you will quickly learn how to take care of your lawn without any professional help.
