Top Dressing Lawn With Sandy Loam

Hose the lawn thoroughly so that the dressing is barely visible.

Top dressing lawn with sandy loam.

When top dressing lawns do not spread finer textured sand over a coarse textured soil. Top dressing is a formulation of fine sand and loam or organic material which is worked into the surface of the lawn during the renovation process usually when scarification or aeration has taken place during the autumn and over seeding or a particularly even surface is required. The very fine sand can fill the air pockets in the soil ruining the structure. Most problems occur for those with sandy loam soils when a much finer sand is mixed over a more coarse sandy loam lawn.

Experts agree that sand should only be used on a lawn to level low areas cover exposed tree roots and to fix heavy thatch build up. Once again mow the lawn the day prior to applying the top dressing. Top dressing benefits the lawn as it builds up the quality of the soil over a period of time sandy soils will be able to retain moisture better and so the lawn will be more resistant to drought clay soils will drain better thus improving root development. Use a sandy loam soil to top dress lawns on clay loam and sandy loam soils and a loam top dressing for very sandy soils.

According to the institute of food and agriculture at the university of florida top dressing home lawns with sand is more harmful than helpful. By far the best option for your average home greenskeeper is a top dressing soil blend. The longer the grass the more sandy loam or clean river sand required to cover the area and a deeper layer of soil will make it harder for the grass to grow through it. This would normally be a loam or a loam and sand mix depending on the condition of your current soil.

The process of adding a thin layer of soil on top of your lawn is a great way to improve it without disturbing existing grass. A nice thick lawn requires healthy soil as its base but this can be difficult to do once grass is established. Even in those cases it is recommended. So what you want and need is a sandy loam or a loam top soil.

Top dressing to fix holes and uneven lawn. Top dressing soils are usually blends of finely screen top soil or loam composts such as cow manure and coarse sand. About top dressing with sand. The rule for sand or sandy loam soil is.

Learn this technique in five easy steps.