What Is The Purpose Of Top Dressing A Lawn?

Top dressing is the process of spreading a thin layer of material (usually compost or sand) over your lawn, or sections of your lawn. This layer is only about a 1/4′′ and is meant

to amend the soil of your lawn while letting the existing grass grow through the top dressing material

.

When should I top dress my lawn?

The right time of the year to top dress your lawn

It is usually best to top dress in

spring

or as soon as you have reached your regular weekly mow. The earlier in the growing season the better. Generally late spring to early summer is best.

Is top dressing necessary?

Top dressing is a

good idea

, especially if you have areas that have eroded or sunken over the last year. A good way to incorporate new seed into an existing lawn is to first core aerate the lawn. This will help to relieve any compaction issues, and it will also provide a good site for the seed to germinate.

What are the benefits of top dressing lawn?

Topdressing regularly can smooth out bumps caused by worm castings and encourages a dense, lush lawn. Topdressing

reduces lawn stresses

, helps keep thatch under control, and acts as a long-term natural fertilizer.

What is the purpose of top dressing?

Routine topdressing

improves thatch breakdown and improves the soil

. However, it does raise the grade of your yard. To ensure you don’t raise it too much it’s best to not topdress your entire lawn routinely. Treat bare spots as needed and the entire lawn every few years.

What is the best top dressing for a lawn?

• It can be finely screened (which means no big chunks of it sitting on your lawn after it’s been spread).
• It’s easy to distribute over the turf (more on this process later).
• It contains a perfect balance of macro- and micro-nutrients that are slowly released over time.

Should I mow my lawn before top dressing?

Mow your lawn

the day before applying the

top dressing and rake up and remove any debris to allow the nutrients to effectively penetrate into the soil. … Rake in a figure eight motion so that the top dressing mixture is spread evenly. Hose the lawn thoroughly so that the dressing is barely visible.

Can you put soil on top of grass?

Yes,

you can temporarily disguise bald patches in your lawn by laying new turf on top of it

. AND the new turf will probably root in to it in the short term but the effect will not last. Your new lawn will soon look like your old one and you will have wasted your money!

Can you overseed a lawn without top dressing?

Scarify

(rough up) the top layer of soil in the bare areas if you are not topdressing. Spread the seed out over the soil, focusing on areas that appear to be thin or bare. Do not cover the seed with soil. Lightly tamp down the seed into the soil to make sure the seed is in firm contact with the soil.

How much lawn top dressing do I need?

As a rule of thumb you should allow approx

0.5 to 1m3 of top-dressing for every 100 square metres

.

What sand is best for top dressing?

Use

river sand

or a top dressing soil mix. Using a higher proportion of organic material for sandy soils is a good idea.

How do you apply top dressing?

Topdressing should only be applied when

the grass surface is relatively dry

and it should be worked into the sward. Generally this is done using the back of a rake or stiff brush. The application of the topdressing should not be so much that it smothers the grass when work has finished.

What is in top dressing?

A top dressing consists of

a mix of materials such as sand, soil, peat and loam

, which should be made to closely match the composition of the existing soil, as all of the new materials will eventually form part of the root zone (soil where roots grow best) and will therefore need to blend well.

How much is lawn top dressing?

• $85.00 for up to 1000 square feet.
• $155.00 for up to 4000 square feet.

How much topsoil Do I need to Topdress a lawn?