Top Dressing of Lawns is beneficial. It encourages new basal growth of the grass plants - giving a thicker sward of grass. Top Dressing is also a good way to 'level out' the bumps and hollows in an uneven lawn.
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Top dressing is normally carried out in mid spring. It can be done at any time in the growing season (March-October), but a dressing in the spring soon 'disappears' under the resultant lush lawn growth. |
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The type of top dressing mix to be used varies according to your basic soil type. Normally, I use equal parts of sifted top-soil, sharp sand and peat. (If the lawn is in need of a feed, or for extra 'oomph' I use multi-purpose compost instead of peat! (It it often cheaper as well!) For Lawns on heavier soil, I would leave out the soil in the mix, and use 50/50 sharp sand and peat/M.P. compost. |
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Mix the ingredients well - on a dry day - ensuring that there are no lumps in the mix.
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Lightly spread to mix over the lawn. It is better to do it lightly and in several applications throughout the season, rather than 'smother' the lawn grass in one go!
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I normally use the back of my wide 'Landscaper's' rake to spread the mix and 'brush' it into the grasses of the lawn. A good stiff broom will also do the trick. Make sure that the mix goes down into the sward.
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The grass should be showing through - as in this picture.
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For those little hollows, apply a little extra mix. Again not too much. Far better to do these in several applications throughout the season.
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'Rough up' the area with your fingers to get that grass showing through.
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This - as they say - is one I did earlier! |
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David Hughes
