# Leveling Bermuda Lawn - Composted Manure versus Sand Fill



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I had my yard finish graded before the builder's subcontractor laid sod, so my yard is reasonably smooth. I have noticed some soil settlement where water lines or sewer tie-ins were made, and I have had some washout in some swale exit areas, along sidewalks, etc.

I am thinking that Black Kow composted manure would be better than masonry or fill sand, or perhaps a mixture of both.

My soil is a mixture of Texas prairie topsoil and clay that is probably left from rivers and creeks draining into the Gulf eventually. People call it gumbo, I call it slick muck. I brought in topsoil instead of red clay sand the contractors usually use because I wanted decent soil to root the sod into. It worked nicely, but the yard has drainage and absorbing issues, and is the kind of clay that is clastic, I believe geologists call it.

I am thinking composted manure would be better than sand.

Any one here ever use Black Kow composted manure for fill dirt for leveling a lawn? Thanks, in advance!


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Composted manure would give a little fertilizer kick and feed the soil microbes, but will go completely away over time, so it isn't any good for leveling. If you want to add the manure, add the sand first to level, and then add the manure.


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

Black Kow has a bunch of rocks and mulch in it. You'll be sorry if you mow with a reel. I used it last year and had to suck it up with a rotary mower with a bag on it then rake the rest up before I could mow with my reel. Sand is the only thing I'll ever put on my Bermuda now.


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## BermudaCPR (Apr 22, 2019)

Dumb question as I need to level spots next year after the Bermuda fills in..if you level with then have a layer of sand, it will still allow future nutrients into the soil underneath?


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## Visitor (Jul 23, 2018)

I have a small yard and use Black Kow. Like @cory said it has a lot of debris. What I do is screen the Black Kow and mix with sand for my spot leveling.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I used to make my own compost from lawn clippings and deciduous tree leaves that I bagged from my lawn.

I would use a screen made from hardware cloth and pressure treated 2"x4"s to sift the compost through over a tow behind dump cart to get the larger debris out before spreading it out on my lawn. It worked great, emphasis on the "worked"!

I could do the same thing with the Black Kow, since I am not planning on using 100 bags - more like 10 to 20.

I do recognize the issue of debris, so maybe I will buy a bag first to make sure it is not going to create more problems.

I don't use a reel mower. John Deere rotary works okay for me. I grew up hanging onto a Jacobsen two-stroke reel mower dragging me all over a half-acre lot in the Dallas heat helping my dear old departed Dad. Great machine, pulled like a train, ran like one too.

Nowadays, I am not into that on another half-acre lot I own. No thank you.

That is why my wise old Dad (rest his soul) had me do all the mowing....

I think screening it and adding sand may be the hot ticket.

But I was trying to learn from others as to their own experience, so thanks for your input.

What I saw on the videos of how they make up the compost using a rotating trommel to screen out the compost, along with magnetic ferrous metal extraction, then using windrow equipment to turn the compost and aerate it, letting it cook to 180 degrees internal temperature to kill weed seeds, looked like it produced decent product. What I have seen others use out of the bags almost looked like coffee grounds in texture. Looks almost like black beach sand.

There is an "old school" picture on their website of a old farmer growing tomatoes straight out of the cut open bags...!

Anyway, it has to be better than just plain sand. My John Deere would suck sand right off the surface unless I combine with a soil matrix, I am sure.

I bag my clippings now to get rid of the herbicide-bearing weed clippings, and I plan to switch to mulching, but a rotary with an 18+ horsepower Kawasaki engine will suck up sand and fling it, unless it gets covered up with something that will hold it in place. Hence the thought of mixing before filling in low spots....

I would like to hear what others think about this leveling technique.


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## smurg (May 30, 2018)

Sand also drains well and helps alleviate soil compaction. Compost is great to add to the lawn, but will not help with leveling issues over time. Siteone offers a screened topsoil/sand mix if you're worried about sucking up the sand with a rotary. Level with that and then topdress with composted manure. I use a 1/4" mesh for if I'm screening a small number of bags of topsoil, but would just find a good source for bulk.


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## lvlikeyv (Jan 26, 2019)

If I were to level with sand and continue to use a rotary, would the rotary begin to suck up the sand?


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

BermudaCPR said:


> Dumb question as I need to level spots next year after the Bermuda fills in..if you level with then have a layer of sand, it will still allow future nutrients into the soil underneath?


The nutrients should go right around and through the sand into the soil. Golf courses use sand on greens all the time for leveling and after aeration, so it should be no issue - in fact, it should enhance uptake....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

smurg said:


> Siteone offers a screened topsoil/sand mix if you're worried about sucking up the sand with a rotary. Level with that and then topdress with composted manure. I use a 1/4" mesh for if I'm screening a small number of bags of topsoil, but would just find a good source for bulk.


Thanks, smurg! I didn't know SiteOne had such a mix - I will have to check that out!!

On the bulk idea, I have a bulk supplier about three miles away, so I will have to see what they offer. I buy my mulch there.

Black Kow is pretty pricey so if they have a better option I may stick with bulk. I just have them load it in my Sierra so it is easy to obtain; takes awhile to offload but nothing's easy!

Thanks for the SiteOne intel...! :thumbup:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

lvlikeyv said:


> If I were to level with sand and continue to use a rotary, would the rotary begin to suck up the sand?


It depends on several variables. I don't know if you bag or mulch; if you bag you will likely have some sand get airborne and end up in the bag.

Rotary mowers are designed to actually lift up the grass blades to shear them off - the blade spinning at high speed lifts the grass straight up and the mower slices the grass off. Assuming sharp blade, of course.

It also is a function of engine power, throttle/speed, and mower blade rpm.

Smaller horsepower, less lift, less vacuum effect, less soil and sand going airborne into the vacuum.

My John Deere will literally vacuum the lawn depending on where I set the height of cut. There is always dirt and dust in the bags. I actually place 39 gallon lawn bags inside the nylon bags themselves to make grass recycling pickup easier on me....

If you mulch, it might just blow the sand around some and the grains will fall out and back onto the lawn once you drive on or push past. But you will lift some sand, unless it is wet....

When I scalp my lawn with the JD X350, I am absolutely covered in dirt, dust, pollen and silica/sand. I always wear a quality NIOSH N95 dust mask. It is usually brown and black when I am done. 😷

I would not worry about it too much; you just have to replenish it over time. My mower will pick it up as fast as I can lay it down, so I have to try and engineer around the issue more....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

N95 Nuisance Particulates Mask I use, I like the pleated design, you can breathe easier and it doesn't fog my glasses up....



Same mask as above; but bottom side; note how dirty the elastic is. That is what lands on my neck....

This mask was from a regular mowing, 3" cut, to lop off the weeds in my front yard after I sprayed them recently. It still threw dust everywhere, even with the mowing deck that high. Texas Prairie dust....


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

In case anyone is interested, here is the "old school" picture of a farmer growing tomatoes in a manner that looks like the plants are growing straight out of a bag of Black Kow.

Interesting approach to say the least!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Actually, I am not sure those are tomatoes; could be roses I guess.

Anywho, kinda cool picture of old school planting/growing methods....


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Not a fan of "Black Cow" for leveling. Im sure there is a good purpose for if but not the lawn and leveling. One extreme novice opinion...


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

When I used it I mixed one bag of black kow to two bags of play sand. Whatever stayed in the lawn didn't do anything for the lawn. I only used it in certain spots, those spots didn't look any better than the rest of the yard and those spots are the same spots that needed the most sand this year. And for what I spent on it to fill a few small areas I could have just gotten 2 whole yards of sand. It seems like you have already made up your mind but in my opinion it's a waste of time, effort, and money.

Edit: actually I think it was two bags of black cow to 1 bag of sand.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I actually haven't made up my mind.

That is why I was bouncing the idea around to see what others thought....

If it was $2.00 a bag I wouldn't care. At ~$5.00 a bag, I figured I better look before I leaped, or check before I bought what may not work.

That's the main benefit of forums - you can ask others what their experiences are, then decide if your notion is worth pursuing....

I know sand isn't gonna work with my current equipment setups....


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

FlowRider said:


> I actually haven't made up my mind.
> 
> That is why I was bouncing the idea around to see what others thought....
> 
> ...


Lots of big chunks and rocks. Plus it took forever to break down...


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

@FlowRider if your rider is gonna suck up sand it's gonna suck up the black kow. I picked up alot of it with my crappy 20" troy bilt push mower to clean it up. Maybe the best option would be a good screened topsoil and mulch instead of bag for a a while until the grass has completely covered it.


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## Wfrobinette (Feb 3, 2019)

I'm going with 70/30 blend of sand(tater dirt) and compost. I understand I'll lose the compost to decomp over time but I want to get the microbial activity thriving.


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## CyberGolfer (Mar 10, 2020)

Concern....seems most common suggestion is to use sand/top soil to level. My questions are:

1. Would this apply to an old c/bermuda lawn?
2. My neighbor used sand. 2 years later he was out there with a pick axe chopping up his "brick-crusted" yard. What mistake did he make?

Thank you..trying to prevent a problem.....


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Use sand, don't put down too deep of a layer at one time, fertilize and water as normal to push growth. If you can see tips of green after smoothing it out, you will be fine. If you need to go deeper, save it for the next app. Leveling is a multi-year project.


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