@@RonHenry Would this work in conjunction with drags and sand rakes on softball and baseball fields around the bases and to help fix low spots when having someone grade it is not a financial option?
I totally agree Falain. It makes a huge difference when top dressing your lawn. They're not cheap, but totally worth it if you work on your lawn regularly.
As you should dangerlawn. A lawn can always stand to benefit from a good top dress. I just did my front lawn and part of the back after doing Alex's. Video will be released soon. I need to get it all edited. My phone ran out of storage during the top dressing going down so lost some footage. Should still be decent though. Hope you guys enjoy.
Thanks Michael. I really appreciate the kind words. Thanks so much for watching the content. I appreciate the support. Be sure to let me know if I can help out with anything.
Good video...I’ve done a backyard project where I had to level the yard with same type tool (glad to have it) when preparing to lay Zoysia sod. Another GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO AS ALWAYS Ron! 👍🏽
Thanks so much Wize Guy. I debated with even making it but several people asked for tips on using the leveling rake. Glad that you found it useful. We just finished top dressing Alex's lawn and the rake put some serious work in. Thanks for watching the content. I really appreciate the support. 😎
Just bought the 48” r&r.. hope it works great this spring. My yard is in need of some serious leveling lol new builds are the worse between un-level lawn and digging up trash out of my yard..bricks, stone, pvc pipe etc.
It should work great S Pauley. It's a great leveling rake. Don't try to fix all the issues at once. Over time you'll get a good result. Are you planning to primarily use sand?
I’m really enjoying your videos. While watching, it would really help if you could get closer when showing things like the seed heads, and your final results. Being a beginner, seeing really tight closeups would be helpful. Keep the videos coming.
That's a great observation 1960Murf. I'l be sure to zoom in closer when showing the turf in future video. Thanks for pointing it out. Let me know if I can help with anything else.
K Penney. You can if you like. I've never done that but it would good way to work the seeds in to the soil. What kind of seed are you considering putting down?
@@RonHenry I use a local (Nova Scotia) mixture. It's 60% creeping red fescue, 10% Tall fescue, 10% kentucky blue grass, 20% perennial rye grass. Works well for me. Have a rake on order, thanks to you. Lol. Found a Canadian maker and 100% stainless steel. Appreciate your vids. Been very helpful.
@@RonHenry cut at 2in every 3-4 days with a cheap rotory mower. Not so thick in some spots, thus the rake and will overseed this fall. Been here 4 yrs, gotten better each year, and watching vids like yours has me enthused to go up a level or 3 in lawn care.
I hear you on that Suzi. The rake definitely takes up space more than a shop broom. It's an amazing tool for improving your lawn though. Unfortunately they tough to rent too. I've tried in this area and no one rent these rakes.
Hi Zman. It doesn't break down. It's finer so for leveling, it does a better job. Sand also holds onto moisture better than top soil. I prefer a 70/30 mix whenever possible so you get some nutrients along with the leveling. That said, we just finished top dressing Alex's lawn and we used 100% sand due to the machinery we used to make the process easier.
Hi Ron, I’d really like to purchase one of those rakes, but can I ask you why you chose the 40 inch version instead of the 48 inch version? Just wondering if being extra wide would help it get even flatter.
Heya Lebron. I chose the 40 because it's a bit easier to maneuver in smaller spaces.the 48 would be ideal if you're dealing with a really large space. A 48" is really a better fit for my back lawn bit not as great for the tighter spaces like between my lawn and Alex's. I my mind it's a great compromise.
Can find the answer in this recent blog post on top dressing your lawn Chris: golfcourselawn.store/blogs/diy-lawn-care/how-to-top-dress-your-lawn-the-complete-guide
Hi Todd. No more than an half inch is what I usually aim for. That will help the lawn recover faster. If you'd like to see an example of how heavy I recently applied top dressing, check out this video: th-cam.com/video/AdB2HEUOEJg/w-d-xo.html You still have enough time to do it 2 more times for this growing season assuming you have a warm season lawn.
Ron, I am a subscriber to your videos and I just came across this one. My question is this; you mention that you live in Georgia, but I live in Western Pennsylvania…will this 70% river sand and 30% top soil combination be effective where I live for this application?
Hi KD. A top soil and play sand mix will work just fine. If you don't care about adding organic material you can use straight play sand. You can get it in 50lb bags at Home Depot.
Great video. So I'm seeing quite a bit of seeding in my Bermuda, would you say I need to top dress it to relieve the stress and also do you have a video on taking care of nut grass? Thank you & God bless
Hi Erik. I wouldn’t top dress as a primary means of relieving stress. It’s good to top dress is you’re trying to level an area or if you’re trying to put some nutrients into the soil. I do have a video on nutsedge. You can check it out here. Links to products for dealing with it are in the video description. th-cam.com/video/MHJl_RBMR-M/w-d-xo.html 👍😎
Where do you get the sand/soil mix? I've been calling all over and the best I can find is screened top soil. Also, you said that the top dressing you did will help with stress. Do you know if I did a light top dress now it would be ok on a cool season lawn?
HI Travis. Are you in Northeast GA? If so, you can get it from Landscape Plus in Gainesville, GA. I'd recommend top dressing when the lawn is actively growing since it will recover faster. Top dressing can be stressful for the turf so limiting it to times periods of active growth will give a better outcome. If you went really light, it'd probably be ok, but then you wouldn't be getting a lot of the benefits (i.e. level lawn).
Oh no I'm in southeast Minnesota 😂. I've been following your other tips and they have been working so I didnt know how much different the schedule would be between our lawns.
Ohhhh. If you're going with straight sand you should be able to get that from anywhere that does masonry or supports the masonry business. If your grass is still growing actively you can top dress it. I'd just be hesitant to do it if the grass is going into dormancy since recovery will take that much longer. I'd hate to have you staring at a beach for several months. 😂
I've been following along, and doing similar work. My house is on the side of a high elevation in my area, so my grass is all on hills. I am going to top dress and do some leveling on my lawn. I planned on just using a push broom and rake to even out the hill slopes, as they are bumpy, is hat a good approach or is there a tool for that?
That sounds like a great approach rahimlee54. On the slopes just go a bit lighter on the top dressing and work the material into the grass as much as possible. I'd also let the grass grow a tad taller on the sloped areas so that the grass holds onto the top dressing a bit better. Should reduce the amount of washout you have to deal with.
What type of lawn is this in your video and what part of Georgia is it in? I am in North Georgia and wonder what type lawn works best since I am considered on the boarder of lawn choices.
It’s Bermudagrass Eric. Bermuda is a great choice for Georgia. Fills in quickly, great color and good disease resistance. The only thing about it is you must have plenty of direct sunlight. It doesn’t do well with shade.
Yard is looking great! I appreciate the video as leveling the hill in my backyard is actually next weekends project. QUESTION: Since I have a rotary mower, should I scalp the hill in order to really be able to see the low spots in the yard before leveling, or just mow at 2” like I normally do? I would REALLY value your input here, please.
Hi Adam. I'd cut it low but wouldnt' scalp. Remember the grass is what helps hold the soil in place; especially when on a slope. I'd cut it down to 1 - 1.5 inches, but not much lower than that. Hope this helps. 😎👍
Ron Henry, much appreciated!!! Just finished your video and am going to invest in a leveling rake. It’s more than I wanted to spend but feel that it is worth the investment. Thanks for ALL you do!
You're very welcome Adam. Today I filmed some new leveling rake content that should get released in a week or 2. I need to edit it and get it in the queue. Hopefully you find it useful. Thanks for watching the content!
Hi Keith. I'm just using straight river sand. I've never used Soil 3. Can you get the Soil 3 in bulk (i.e. by the dump truck load)? I have too big of a space to top dress with a product that comes in bags.
Keith Walker gotcha. I do t think I’ll be trying it unless they give it to me to try. Even then, I’m not sure it’s worth doing because it’s rather cost prohibitive.
Ron Henry it’s a must for low cut Bermuda arsenal. You’ll get very very much use of it. I also recommend a drag. Like those used in sports fields. Yard Tuff YTF-455TBDM Drag Mat, 4.5 x 5' www.amazon.com/dp/B014SY8B18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1MGcFb2M2HP4H
How to FiX an UGLY Lawn: th-cam.com/video/49OXqXGNe28/w-d-xo.html
👍
@@RonHenry Would this work in conjunction with drags and sand rakes on softball and baseball fields around the bases and to help fix low spots when having someone grade it is not a financial option?
I purchased this same rake 4 months ago, I must say it is a game changer when lawn leveling is concerned.
I totally agree Falain. It makes a huge difference when top dressing your lawn. They're not cheap, but totally worth it if you work on your lawn regularly.
Nice lawn, beautiful landscaping. I like the juniper, too.
Thanks 👍
I have the same rake and I love it. This video makes me want to go and do some top dressing 🤘lawn is looking great
As you should dangerlawn. A lawn can always stand to benefit from a good top dress. I just did my front lawn and part of the back after doing Alex's. Video will be released soon. I need to get it all edited. My phone ran out of storage during the top dressing going down so lost some footage. Should still be decent though. Hope you guys enjoy.
This guy is the best he got my lawn looking good thanks for the wonderful information man
Thanks Michael. I really appreciate the kind words. Thanks so much for watching the content. I appreciate the support. Be sure to let me know if I can help out with anything.
You're right W Jack. The right tools do help with getting a better result. 👍😎
@W Jack I wish we could show picture
Good going Ron!
Thanks so much Robert. I really appreciate you watching the content. Thanks for the support. Let me know if I can help with anything.
Awesome video . I liked your bottle cap challenge.
Thanks so much man. I'm glad you liked it. We were messing around one morning at the end of class to decided to give it a go. 1 take! 👍😎
☀️Have the same rake. Really enjoy it. I think the 40” is the perfect size for larger yards.😎
It's pretty awesome Sunny. It does a great job leveling the turf. Huge timesaver that's worth every penny in my opinion. 👍😎
Good video! I love my leveling rake!
Same here Brian. Best investment I made towards lawn leveling projects. 😎👍
Good video...I’ve done a backyard project where I had to level the yard with same type tool (glad to have it) when preparing to lay Zoysia sod. Another GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO AS ALWAYS Ron! 👍🏽
Thanks so much Wize Guy. I debated with even making it but several people asked for tips on using the leveling rake. Glad that you found it useful. We just finished top dressing Alex's lawn and the rake put some serious work in. Thanks for watching the content. I really appreciate the support. 😎
Another great video
Glad you enjoyed it Terry. Thanks so much or watching Terry. I really appreciate it. Thanks for watching the content. 😎👍
My lawn is looking great! Thanks to Ron Henry.
Love to hear that David Lee. Makes my day to know the content is helping people improve their lawns. Let me know if I can help with anything.
I will🙏
😎👍
Just excellent. 👍🏾 You are the real deal sir.
I appreciate that Phelix. Thanks for watching the content. Really appreciate the support.
Good video.... Informative. Thx for link to leveling rake
No problem Lawn Apprentice. It's been in the queue for a while to get released, but something else comes up. Glad you found it useful. 😎 👍
Just bought the 48” r&r.. hope it works great this spring. My yard is in need of some serious leveling lol new builds are the worse between un-level lawn and digging up trash out of my yard..bricks, stone, pvc pipe etc.
It should work great S Pauley. It's a great leveling rake. Don't try to fix all the issues at once. Over time you'll get a good result. Are you planning to primarily use sand?
Yeah sand only is all I was going to use.
Very cool man. Let me know how it works out.
Great looking lawn man👍
Thanks so much Terry. I really appreciate it! 😎👍
Thanks for the great video and information.
Thanks Mark. I really appreciate it. 😎
Man I needed this Video I have several areas I need to address
Happy to hear it Joey. Top dressing is a lot of work but it's tough to argue with the results. Let me know if I can help with anything.
Great video!!
Glad you enjoyed it Dice Man! Appreciate you watching.
Thanks
No problem at all Tony! Glad that you find the content useful. Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Nice house!
Thanks!
If I'm spreading seed, do I do that first then do the soil mixture and the rake process??
I would top dress, add the seed and then rake it in. th-cam.com/video/AdB2HEUOEJg/w-d-xo.html
I’m really enjoying your videos. While watching, it would really help if you could get closer when showing things like the seed heads, and your final results. Being a beginner, seeing really tight closeups would be helpful. Keep the videos coming.
That's a great observation 1960Murf. I'l be sure to zoom in closer when showing the turf in future video. Thanks for pointing it out. Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Thanks for that. Any benefit to adding seed to the mixture, or sprinkling some down before the top dressing.
K Penney. You can if you like. I've never done that but it would good way to work the seeds in to the soil. What kind of seed are you considering putting down?
@@RonHenry I use a local (Nova Scotia) mixture. It's 60% creeping red fescue, 10% Tall fescue, 10% kentucky blue grass, 20% perennial rye grass. Works well for me. Have a rake on order, thanks to you. Lol. Found a Canadian maker and 100% stainless steel. Appreciate your vids. Been very helpful.
Sounds like an interesting grass blend K Penny. How high do you mow it?
@@RonHenry cut at 2in every 3-4 days with a cheap rotory mower. Not so thick in some spots, thus the rake and will overseed this fall. Been here 4 yrs, gotten better each year, and watching vids like yours has me enthused to go up a level or 3 in lawn care.
Given the blend, that height of cut sounds pretty good K Penney. Thanks for watching the content. Let me know if I can help with anything. 👍😎
Need to do this but running out of storage space. Hopefully I can rent one
I hear you on that Suzi. The rake definitely takes up space more than a shop broom. It's an amazing tool for improving your lawn though. Unfortunately they tough to rent too. I've tried in this area and no one rent these rakes.
@RonHenry How low does the lawn have to be in order for the lawn leveler to work well?
1.25" or lower makes it much easier to use.
What is the benefit of adding the sand over 100% topsoil? I have some areas I need to do this but I see differing opinions.
Hi Zman. It doesn't break down. It's finer so for leveling, it does a better job. Sand also holds onto moisture better than top soil. I prefer a 70/30 mix whenever possible so you get some nutrients along with the leveling. That said, we just finished top dressing Alex's lawn and we used 100% sand due to the machinery we used to make the process easier.
@@RonHenry makes sense thanks Ron!
👍😎
What time of the year is the best time to topdress?
Now through mid July for warm season grass.
Hi Ron, I’d really like to purchase one of those rakes, but can I ask you why you chose the 40 inch version instead of the 48 inch version? Just wondering if being extra wide would help it get even flatter.
Heya Lebron. I chose the 40 because it's a bit easier to maneuver in smaller spaces.the 48 would be ideal if you're dealing with a really large space. A 48" is really a better fit for my back lawn bit not as great for the tighter spaces like between my lawn and Alex's. I my mind it's a great compromise.
How short should you cut your lawn prior to leveling
Can find the answer in this recent blog post on top dressing your lawn Chris: golfcourselawn.store/blogs/diy-lawn-care/how-to-top-dress-your-lawn-the-complete-guide
Hey Ron- you mentioned not laying on the sand/soil mix to thick? What if you have a good bit of leveling to do? How often can you do this process?
Hi Todd. No more than an half inch is what I usually aim for. That will help the lawn recover faster. If you'd like to see an example of how heavy I recently applied top dressing, check out this video: th-cam.com/video/AdB2HEUOEJg/w-d-xo.html You still have enough time to do it 2 more times for this growing season assuming you have a warm season lawn.
Ron, I am a subscriber to your videos and I just came across this one. My question is this; you mention that you live in Georgia, but I live in Western Pennsylvania…will this 70% river sand and 30% top soil combination be effective where I live for this application?
Hi Dr. Who. Yep. It will work fine in PA too. No problem at all. Appreciate you watching the content.
what kind of soil & sand, will any type work from Home Depot?
Hi KD. A top soil and play sand mix will work just fine. If you don't care about adding organic material you can use straight play sand. You can get it in 50lb bags at Home Depot.
How do you determine what type of top dressing to use?
I've got a video for that Melvin! th-cam.com/video/CFcd8lvv_Bg/w-d-xo.html Let me know if you have any questions. :-)
Is that your yard also on your left of the shrubbery?
To the right of the shrubbery is my neighbor's lawn. The turf to the left of the shrubbery is mine. Hopefully that answers your question?
Great video. So I'm seeing quite a bit of seeding in my Bermuda, would you say I need to top dress it to relieve the stress and also do you have a video on taking care of nut grass?
Thank you & God bless
Hi Erik. I wouldn’t top dress as a primary means of relieving stress. It’s good to top dress is you’re trying to level an area or if you’re trying to put some nutrients into the soil. I do have a video on nutsedge. You can check it out here. Links to products for dealing with it are in the video description. th-cam.com/video/MHJl_RBMR-M/w-d-xo.html 👍😎
Where do you get the sand/soil mix? I've been calling all over and the best I can find is screened top soil. Also, you said that the top dressing you did will help with stress. Do you know if I did a light top dress now it would be ok on a cool season lawn?
HI Travis. Are you in Northeast GA? If so, you can get it from Landscape Plus in Gainesville, GA. I'd recommend top dressing when the lawn is actively growing since it will recover faster. Top dressing can be stressful for the turf so limiting it to times periods of active growth will give a better outcome. If you went really light, it'd probably be ok, but then you wouldn't be getting a lot of the benefits (i.e. level lawn).
Oh no I'm in southeast Minnesota 😂. I've been following your other tips and they have been working so I didnt know how much different the schedule would be between our lawns.
Ohhhh. If you're going with straight sand you should be able to get that from anywhere that does masonry or supports the masonry business. If your grass is still growing actively you can top dress it. I'd just be hesitant to do it if the grass is going into dormancy since recovery will take that much longer. I'd hate to have you staring at a beach for several months. 😂
I've been following along, and doing similar work. My house is on the side of a high elevation in my area, so my grass is all on hills. I am going to top dress and do some leveling on my lawn. I planned on just using a push broom and rake to even out the hill slopes, as they are bumpy, is hat a good approach or is there a tool for that?
That sounds like a great approach rahimlee54. On the slopes just go a bit lighter on the top dressing and work the material into the grass as much as possible. I'd also let the grass grow a tad taller on the sloped areas so that the grass holds onto the top dressing a bit better. Should reduce the amount of washout you have to deal with.
What type of lawn is this in your video and what part of Georgia is it in? I am in North Georgia and wonder what type lawn works best since I am considered on the boarder of lawn choices.
It’s Bermudagrass Eric. Bermuda is a great choice for Georgia. Fills in quickly, great color and good disease resistance. The only thing about it is you must have plenty of direct sunlight. It doesn’t do well with shade.
Great video, I have a question ❓ I noticed you used 70/30 mix, how come you didn't used 50/50 mix? Thanks
I prefer 70/30 because it does a better job leveling than 50/50. Sand for structure. Soil/Compost for feeding the soil. Hope this helps.
@@RonHenry ok 👍 Thanks
Yard is looking great! I appreciate the video as leveling the hill in my backyard is actually next weekends project. QUESTION: Since I have a rotary mower, should I scalp the hill in order to really be able to see the low spots in the yard before leveling, or just mow at 2” like I normally do? I would REALLY value your input here, please.
Hi Adam. I'd cut it low but wouldnt' scalp. Remember the grass is what helps hold the soil in place; especially when on a slope. I'd cut it down to 1 - 1.5 inches, but not much lower than that. Hope this helps. 😎👍
Ron Henry, much appreciated!!! Just finished your video and am going to invest in a leveling rake. It’s more than I wanted to spend but feel that it is worth the investment. Thanks for ALL you do!
You're very welcome Adam. Today I filmed some new leveling rake content that should get released in a week or 2. I need to edit it and get it in the queue. Hopefully you find it useful. Thanks for watching the content!
Hi Ron! I can't find your Leveling Rake.😢
R&R Products
I got it! Thank you Ron! @RonHenry
Hey Ron, do you have any experience with Soil3 from Super Sod? Versus just regular river sand?
Hi Keith. I'm just using straight river sand. I've never used Soil 3. Can you get the Soil 3 in bulk (i.e. by the dump truck load)? I have too big of a space to top dress with a product that comes in bags.
Yea the bag stuff is $199.00 only cover 500 sq ft. River sand it is😂
@@kwatl $200 for 500 square feet? Ouchie. That stuff better be amazing for that kind of price. Have you ever used it?
Never used it, but plan on doing some leveling. These guys are on McFarland Rd Alpharetta, not far from work. Just Curiosity.
Keith Walker gotcha. I do t think I’ll be trying it unless they give it to me to try. Even then, I’m not sure it’s worth doing because it’s rather cost prohibitive.
always amazes me how some people are really into their grass...
It's a hobby Kiley :-)
Hey Ron I have a question about Pgr.. is there an email address I could get in touch with you at?
Absolutely Kyle. My email is ron@ron-henry.com Will look forward to hearing from you.
😊
Thanks!
That’s the same one I have.
Nice nice Frankie. I'm really liking man. I forget if it was you who recommended it to me, but I'm really glad I invested in one.
Ron Henry it’s a must for low cut Bermuda arsenal. You’ll get very very much use of it. I also recommend a drag. Like those used in sports fields.
Yard Tuff YTF-455TBDM Drag Mat, 4.5 x 5' www.amazon.com/dp/B014SY8B18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1MGcFb2M2HP4H