How To Top Dress Your Lawn
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2024
- In todays video I show you how to top dress your lawn!
There are many different ways to top dress your lawn and today I show you my favourite ways to top dress. You can use either sand or a sandy loam like I do today when top dressing my own lawn.
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Lawn Tips is run by myself (Ben Sims) a qualified greenkeeper that works on a golf course in Australia in Orange, NSW. Subscribe to learn more lawn tips that I use on a golf course everyday.
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Po Box 543, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
Orange, NSW, 2800
Front foot planted, back foot flicked to the side in perfect bowling form.... I love it! I have seen the dump n’ rake method a ton, this one was a new twist! Top notch Ben, well done!
Thanks mate! Sounds like you have the new method figured out already 😉
Just wonderful watching you work. #skillz!
I like your approach better than the other TH-cam clips. Most just leave piles all over the yard.
You toss it where it lands more evenly and hopefully will be far less to clump.
My worry it pulling up and out runners. Si I want to limit the ranking and such as much as I can.
This will be my first time top soil my yard with compose within my whole life. So, we will see. I have lots of runners since the builder did not sod the back. I let the neighbors grass run and fill in my back yard. So, it still had lots of runner to fill in a lot of week and be spots. Though so close to fully filling the whole back.
Hey man, thanks!
If you use the back of a rake or the lawn level you should be fine with the runners. If some pull up slightly they will settle down fine. Especially if you water the lawn once a day to bring it back in.
Putting soil down will help promote the growth of those runners as well.
Love your work bro
This is the best intro package
This is old man! Haha
Nice video mate! I’m from the UK and have a very long rear garden lawn. Always look to improve it every season. It’s getting there but love to understand all the science and methods behind getting it to that spot on point! The lawn was 6ft tall 8 years ago as the house was empty for a fair few years. Now it’s lush and green, weed free and admittedly needs levelling off!
Thanks mate! Sounds like you had a big job to do! Yeah I love the science behind grass, so interesting. I'm always researching and learning more. Thanks for watching from the UK mate! You watching the world cup?
Been super busy today mate so will be watching the England game Monday, bottle of ice cold beer in hand! My dad plays golf in a place called Ludlow here in the UK and the greens are up there with the best in the country so I appreciate a good lawn when I see one as it reminds me of a good golf course. The best thing is patience when it comes to a garden lawn... and my secret weapon... chicken manure pellets.... it’s like putting the lawn on steroids!
Haha nice, chicken manure is great!
Yeah I’m keen for the England game!!
Very satisfying to watch the spreading!
Good timing! Plan to do topdressing tomorrow. Will attempt the flick, with rake standing by, lol.
Haha 😂 sweet! Glad that worked out well for you. Give the flick a go, I want to see a video to see how unco you look the first try
your lawn looks amazing, thanks for sharing.
Great video, new homeowner here with no knowledge of lawn care based out of Atlantic canada. I highly appreciate if you can throw some light.
a) When should I fertilize and lime and which to be applied first
b) What shall I be doing coming spring?
c) Best time to over-seed?
Great informative video, thank you!
Lol. You couldn't resist the cross hatch pattern with the leveler. Looks fantastic
Haha yep definitely couldn’t 😉
Thanks man!
Thanks for the video Ben - excellent instruction - you lawn is looking great!
I think you made a good video and showed a few ways of spreading top soil.
you lawn look great.
Thx
Thanks mate!
Hi Ben
Love the vid. My Buffalo lawn is only a few years old. I am getting ready for early spring to do a top dress. Is it too young to do a Buffalo renovation at the same time? Half the lawn is Ok but the other half is a bit manky. I hope the guy who buys your place takes as good as care of the lawn as you do!
Good tips! We have been getting some good rain here and lawns are greening up again!
Good to hear! We need it!!
Hey rooster. You missed my favorite option. Using a drop spreader for top dressing. Works wonderful with sand. You’re welcome buddy lol
Will it work with top soil? Plan on over seeding and have a drop spreader
Beautiful lawn, mate. I'm in the process of reclaiming mine after having the grade brought up. I filled in some low spots with the tractor and watered decently, but wasn't enough to get the underlaying grass to pop through. So I had to surface till and toss new seed down. 2 days later the seeds are starting to show white fuzzies on the end. We're getting plenty of rain here in Florida these two weeks. I'm hoping to have sprouts by the end of the week.
I like your way of spreading the dirt. Sometimes the manual way "is" the better way rather than using a piece of machinery. Plus, you get exercise and work done at the same time 😉 and a sense of accomplishment.
Thanks mate!
Bummer with the underlying grass not coming up, but at least seed is an easy fix!
I do enjoy the manual way. Great workout. Always feel like you’ve accomplished something when you’re sore the next day!
Yeah, live and learn :)
Just checked the seedlings this afternoon and to my surprise, they have sprouts about 5mm tall!! :D I just planted them Friday afternoon. That's some fast growing seed. I suppose it helps that afterwards, I gave a healthy dose of the fertilizer in a bottle (that blue stuff) and let the rain water it the next couple days.
Yeah nice! Sounds like the perfect weather to me mate! Come up so quick though!
You've got serious skills with the video editing man.... I find myself mesmerized while watching parts of every video! Well done bruh! 😉
Haha, thanks mate! Appreciate the kind words. 😊
Thank you so much for these pro tips. Love watching your videos.
Thanks!!
Not gonna lie, love the way you topdressing the lawn with the shovel. But man it's not big guy approved. I'm 6'5" and my back was killing me for like 3 days after topdressing my lawn. Haha
Great music, great editing, great personality, great lawn. Subscribed!
Thank you for the kind words!
Top 3 tips for the lazy bloke who doesn't want a bowling green but wants a better yard than the neighbour. Cheers 😊
I like that fence not sure where your from but in from USA how is that fence put together ? I like the looks of it it look good at my car lot
Love your channel. Cheers from the states.
Thanks mate!!
Just got my grass santa anna , i live in Melbourne how often do i water and when does the grass gets its first haircut? i want to be the envy of my neighbors i want my grass to look like yours. Thanks
Who new top dressing could be so cinematic, nice editing
I reckon You could make knitting cinematic if you did it right 😂
Thanks man!
Should we be top dressing and then applying the fertiliser or other way around ?
Hi, very helpful video. Once you top dress how long should you wait to apply grass builder fertiliser? I have buffalo lawn.
do you ever get weeds from that soil? or do you have a pre-emergent down?
nice top dressing
I got some buffalo grass myself and after 18 months of laying it we have bumps and dips in within the yard and is getting scalped when mowed. I can get delivered either a sandy loam or medium grade washed river bed sand. I am just not sure on the sand vs the loam. As I would think the loam would provide a bit more nutrients to the grass. Weather depending, I plan on doing it next weekend. Just wondering on your thoughts cheers.
Not sure if you can answer but can I
1- fertilise my lawn ( it spring now )
2- add some seed lawn seeds ( I have buffalo though )
3- add tip soil
4- water with seasol ( not fertiliser ) Jist the conditioner ??????
Or Shouod I skip step 2 as I relised there is no buffalo seeds ???
What was the tool you used to get the soil to fall down into the grass?
Thanks for the calculation.
How do you make your grass so green
Love it when you upload while I'm watching vids.
Very good, something to consider for fall. I can certainly do it on some low spots.
Psyched be out on the lawn finally! Got a lot done the last few days. I'll get prodiamine out in the morning. Still a little more raking to do, too. Next week I'll get fert and humid acid down. The lawnmower is in the shopping getting a tune-up...anxious to get that back and get mowing!
Match-day coming up then Roma in the midweek. Hoping we keep a clean sheet in the first leg!
Have a great week. Best wishes to the family and of course...
YNWA
Haha glad I timed it right 😉
Sounds like things are about to get very busy for you my friend! Exciting times ahead.
So keen for match day. At an awesome time here!!
Talk soon
YNWA
Hey mate thanks a lot for the video! Would you recommend buying HORTICO top dressing mix from Bunnings? If not, which mix would you recommend? Thanks!
I have a very thick lawn. Do I need to mow as low as I can then put soil down?
Hi, enjoying your videos. I'm in Cape Town and have a small lawn - 40sq m ish. Its part sown and part laid sod Kikuyu. The sown areas are still thin - sown just over a year ago, but I laid the sod about 3 months back. The sod has a deep thatch and needs scarifying and the lawn is seriously uneven so needs top dressing. I plan to do this in the spring but was wondering how heavily I should scarify seeing as the layer of runners in the sod is so deep. It feels as if I would rip out all the runners and destroy the lawn when scarifying. Cheers, Clive
Great vid brah where did you get the lawn leveler, Amazon? I am in Canada 🇨🇦 Eh and cool season turf. I top dress every spring after applying my pre-emergent and some nutrients to kick start my lawn for the spring. Good job mate!
I'm in Canada as well. What do you use for a pre-emergent?
Mary Grabill I head down to the USA 🇺🇸 and get some goodies :) Last year before this whole Plandemic I was able to pick up some Prodamine WG to add to water in my backpack sprayer, and also grabbed some Triplet, and Drive XLR8 for crabgrass. Of course with the border closed I can’t get over to get some other stuff like soil amendments, fertilizer (Milorganite) etc which sucks so I make the best of things right now!
I compost my own cow manure and topdress and mulch everything.I sift it first then spread if on my lawns and gardens.Twice a year in early spring/autumn.
Nice!
I'm in my first home and am trying to make my lawn look nice. I've never top dressed a lawn before. Does this make the level of the grass continually rise over time? Dirt comes up, so does the grass? My lawn is already pretty high compared to the sidewalk and walkway so I was worried about it ending up even higher over the years.
It does slightly correct! But it does break down and usually doesn’t make a huge difference to be honest.
If it’s really high you might have to take the turf of the top and get some dirt out! Massive job though
Thanks! It does sound like a lot of work, if I planned on living here for more than a few years I would consider that, I think I will top dress it though. Thanks for responding! Subbed*
Yeah definitely still topdress it 👍🏽
Thanks mate!!
Hi Ben, great work. one of my client want his frontyard top dress, his yard is very hard and uneven, would you recommend aerating then top dress?
Hey mate. Definitely! Perfect to pair an aeration with topdressing
Thank you for all yours vidéo, your tips are precious. If you want come in France, i need help 😉.
Sorry for my english
Jeremy Muszynski
You English is better than most natives.
English is fine!
I would love to visit France! Maybe one day
Can you use normal garden soil for top dressing? I only thing I could find in bunnings was the Richgro All Purpose Garden Soil Mix. If not, do you have anything you recommend as a top dress soil? Thanks!
Hi Ben. I have a question. Can you use garden soil to topdress? THank you! I love your videos I watch everyday!!!
Cold winters and humid summers in maryland. What's the best grass seed. If you could help? Should I do cold seed and warm seed???
Life’s a beach! Hey do you have the brush attachment for your swardman? Would you ever use that instead of the aculevel?
I learned something new today! Lawn is looking great! Respect from up here in the States!
Glad you learned something! Thanks mate 👌🏽
What are you using for top dressing? It looks like mulch or compost.
Thanks for the video!!!
Hello brother, hey I have a question that I be greatly appreciated if you can answer, I seed my yard 4 weeks ago and the grass germinate but I noticed that I didn't put enough seed and is a little bit patchy, you think I should reseed again right now or wait a bit more for the grass to grow more. Thanks in advance 👍👍👍
How long should TTTF be before topdressing?
Whats a cool season grass? or warm
Thanks man. Love yours channel. Just a suggestion, I think the loudest part of the vid should be what you are saying not the music. Keep educating the fanatics.
Thanks mate.
Loud to you was it? It’s about 28 decibels quieter! Depends on what you listen to it on. Bit of a fiddley thing to get those levels right! But appreciate the feedback! I’ll work on it 👍🏽
@@LawnTips Yes I agree, I started watching the video then when the intro music kicked in, it was WAY to loud on my PC (not cool really). Big volume difference then it went back down after the intro. Normalize, check. Ya have to edit, the intermission portions, killer loud dude with the music. Video is a few years old so hopefully fixed up. Turn off.
Did you target low areas? Or just spread the top dressing all over and let the leveller fill the low spots.
I've gpt buffalo and love how easy yours stripes!
I just topdressed the whole lawn.
The level does a good job at dropping soil in the low spots.
Thanks mate! Ryegrass stripes pretty easily
Gday i have a golf green with a mix of bent and a fine couch grass in my backyard that I got nearly good enough to putt on It would have been running at 6 ish but the council had to dig it up to put a pipe though our backyard and I’m starting to bring it back just wondering if you have any tips for me. I have a Scott bonnar cylinder mower and the green is about 8x6 width and length. It is about 25ml long atm
I have some compost lying around (not top dressing) - is that good enough to fix up a patch of unevenness ? Ps. Awesome channel !
i jus bought a peat moss spreader a roller one i have grass growing for bout 16 days was woundering if i spread more seed would it be okay to use the peat moss spreader roller to drop down more top soil
I laid my grass now 6 weeks ago. Is that ok now to start to top dress. We have had a large amount of rain a few weeks ago all nice and green. But some small bits have died would top dressing fix that or throw sand in the areas of the dead grass
Hey mate. What would you suggest doing with a small backyard that has 3 different types of grass growing throughout?
Hows it hanging champ?
How does your lawn go through winter in orange? I know it gets a tad cold
Hey mate, goes well! Slightly goes off colour but I still cut it 👍🏽
Hey mate.
Could you use a rake instead of a lawn leveled? Or do you use the lawn level purely because it’s just a better simpler option than the rake, but the rake would work fine?
Did you water after top dressing the lawn?
Great video mate 👌🏻
Thanks bro 👌🏽
Should I top dress to level my lawn if it hasn't been established yet? I recently moved in and the lawn is a mess. Full of weeds. I sprayed weedbgon for now and I plan on overseeding in the fall. Right now it looks flat from afar, but walking on it is not good. Bumps/holes everywhere. I want to prepare my lawn for the overseeding which is why I ask.
Where do you get this type of drop spreader from? Is there a make and model for it? Thank you!
Can you use the same throwing technique with peat moss?
Hey mate where did you get your lawn level? I have a top soil spreader but it's not really big enough/wide enough, doesn't really cover enough area to really level out
Is using usga sand the better sand to use for topdressing?
Nice video mate
Thanks bro
Great Video and Methods! What are the names of those Music Tracks you used?
Did my front lawn last weekend. Why the hell does my top dressing look more like dusty dirt as opposed to yours ? Hoping they gave me the right stuff !
Cheers Ben, I was wondering if you recommend this for Tall Fescue? I live in the Southern US. It's active growing season is Fall (Oct-Nov) here. Should I do it now while it's summer?
Definitely great for tall fescue. I used to do it with tall fescue every season when I had it.
Best to do it in fall, but can be done now just make sure you keep the water up to it
Lawn Tips cheers! Thanks
Hey Mate & listeners,
Do you use fertilisers and seaweed solution products before or after you top dress your lawn?
Thanks Matt
Maad, what is the name of that spreader and where does one buy em?
Thanks for sharing your great knowledge. I wonder I’ll your able to help, I have a space of land 100ft by 30ft, and want to have a putting green to practice my golf on. Are you able to tell me the type of grass, drainage etc is needed. As well as the best mower to keep it in great shape. Thank you.
Hey mate! No worries. I can gladly direct on how to do that. Did you want to message me on my Facebook page? Quite a few things involved if you want to build a proper green. But I can definitely help out. I offered a paid service as well if you have heaps of questions. If you only have a few I’ll gladly answer at no cost
Lawn Tips what’s your Facebook page? I’ve got a good knowledge on aeration side of things. It’s just they type of grass, which mower would be best to keep the putting green in great condition. Thanks.
Well depends on your climate as to grass type. You have a few options.
As for a mower, you’ll need a reel mower if you want to get that golf green look.
Need a very level surface built out of sand also. With herringbone drains underneath with blue metal on top then the sand in places on top.
As for volumes of sand etc id have to do calculations.
My Facebook page is Facebook.com/lawntips
Lawn Tips I live here in England (UK). I’ll have a look at those reel mowers now. Thanks.
No worries! Also as for grass type, if you are in the UK, I’d look into Bentgrass. Most golf courses over there will use that on their putting greens
Hey mate,
Would this work for a heavily uneven lawn or would you use another process?
Cheers
Hey mate,
If it’s heavily uneven it would take a couple of years.
You would either have to cut all the old grass out and start again and level.
Or cover what you have with dirt until it’s level and seed the spots that got completely covered by the dirt.
Is it the same process for buffalo ?
Can i do that while still treating weeds?
I have had new turf laid in my back garden. The grass is covering the joins now but i know theyre still there. Can i do this to fill them in or is there something else i should do?
Yes! Perfect thing to do for those gaps 👍🏽
Lawn Tips thank you for getting back to me. I did this today and added seed to the joins for extra measure
Sweet!! No worries mate 👍🏽
Hi buddy, I was wondering whether I can top dress with compost?
3:51 Great technique to get dirt all in the landscaping stone lol.
Yeah I didn’t think that one through did I. Haha
Are you NZ by any chance?
Is mushroom compost good to use instead?
I have cool season grass, can i over seed before or after i do this in the fall?
I’d overseed before and after. So throw some seed out. Top dress then sow some more and rake it in 👍🏽
Lawn Tips Thank you!
No worries!
Top vid mate, thanks for answering my question 👌👌
No worries man 👍🏽👌🏽
put a hat on your forehead is burning 🤣👍good video
Haha 😂
love the channel good to see a Australian conditions and problems 👍👍
It’s funny you watched this video today. Got another topdressing one coming out in 2 hours
awesome
I've heard that mason sand is best for top dressing. But can "washed sand" work just as well? That seems to be half the price of mason sand in my area.
Washed sand can definitely work just as well. I’d go for the washed stuff
@@LawnTips Well crap! All this time I was putting off top dressing my Bermuda because I thought I couldn't afford mason sand! I'm ordering a load of washed sand ASAP now. lol.
Great video bro! Exactly what I needed to know! I will plan on top dressing my back and side yard where my fescue is this fall. Keep on keeping on what you are doing! Love the videos and your editing!
Thanks mate!
Glad it helps out, that’s what they are for! 👍🏽
Love your videos as well my friend
Why would you prefer sand to a dirt mix? Wouldn't the mix be better since it more closely matches your soil's composition?
I use sand because it helps with drainage and drops down into the canopy a lot better that dirt does. Plus it doesn’t have weed seeds in it. The sand I like generally has 10% soil in it as well.
This soil doesn’t match my dirt either. Would be near impossible to find something that matches what I have and that didn’t contain weed seeds.
You’ll read many articles for and against. In my personal experience sand works well!
Good vid mate
Thanks lege
Is this top soil 80/20 sand and soil? I am brand spanking new at this and I am looking for some assistance from you the pro
Heaps of technique mate
How much dirt or compost did you use?
Hi mate
I have issues with buffalo lawn
10months old
Used weed and feed and the lawn went yellow 2days later
Ben another good video, my husband wants to know WHY don't you continue on with the little bit of Neighbours front yard when you mow or topsoil. it drives him mad and it looks alot completed job. Your yard looks great and this little bit of unfinished work takes away from your good work, he said try it and the appearance is much a completed look and self rewarding ( im sure the neighbour will like it so they dont have to look after it) mine does .
Thanks!
The reason I don’t is because it’s kikuyu, if any get stuck under my mower deck and then I mow again on mine it can potentially spread into my own yard. I would need to kill all of their grass off and resow it as well. I do agree it does make it all look untidy.
And you can't dominate if you make their yard look as good as yours!
how long do you expect the top dress to settle and become one with the soil
can I mix grass seeds with coir pith fiber(coco peat) before seeding?
Bought " premium " top soil from lowes....has so much stick and crap in it.....next time I think I need to just but from the local material yard