# Process for Leveling Fescue Lawn



## Hoosier (Jun 12, 2018)

Bought a new construction house, and whatever landscape contractor did sod/seed did a pretty terrible job leveling beforehand. Add to that that the fill dirt has now settled over the past year. Some spots now have huge dips in them, maybe 2-3 inches below other spots, and other areas are so bumpy that I almost feel like I'm running a jackhammer instead of a lawn mower when I mow. For those areas, there may be rocks and construction debris in the soil, but not as likely since the grass is growing fine there, and I've dug out all of the big rocks that I found throughout.

I've looked around on the forum and haven't been able to develop a process guide for how to fix this. I know that the ideal case is to add .25-.5 inches of topsoil repeatedly until it's level, but for some areas, it would take me a couple years to get them to where I want them with that method, and that's also difficult with how long I keep the grass. So, my plan is to fill those areas in the fall with lawn soil/topsoil and just grow new grass, since the soil layer will be too thick for the existing grass to grow through. For the other areas, I'll spread soil and try to work it into the ruts.

Doesn't need to be golf course level, as I like to keep the grass at 4 inches, just trying to fix some of the spots that are really low, and prevent someone from twisting an ankle on the other spots that are really bumpy.

Since I'll be aerating and overseeding in the fall, I'm trying to figure out a couple things:
1) What should I use to level? I know the warm season and some KBG guys are using sand... is that ideal for Fescue in clay soil as well? Should I maybe do a 50/50 (or 30/70, 40/60, etc) sand/lawn soil mix, or no sand at all?
2) Should I try to have this done a few weeks before aerating/overseeding to allow time for it to settle a bit, or should I aerate, then level, then seed (or some other order)? I've read somewhere that some people aerate and then remove the cores, but that's going to be way too big of an undertaking with the size of the yard and time I have to put into this.

Basically looking for a guide along the lines of 1) Cut at "x" height, 2) Aerate 3) Level using "x" soil or sand, 4) Seed, 5) Starter fert, 6) Top dress with Peat Moss... Those steps are probably wrong, so any help re-ordering, adding, removing, etc would be greatly appreciated.


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## steensn (Jun 25, 2018)

I have nothing to add to this, but have almost the exact same question. There are some major uneven sections of lawn and want to do the same.


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## jurkewycmi (Jun 3, 2018)

I have the same problem and heres what im thinking having never done this before

I have seen a few members who top dress with a compost/sand mix (50/50?) as a general topdressing, and thats what i was going to consider using. Add organic matter via compost and get the additional bulk, leveling and drainage qualitites from the sand.

Since it isnt recommended to topdress more than the .25 to .5 range at a time, i was considering doing multiple applications spaced out by a week or two each leading up to an overseed . Cut height would be dropping down gradually to 2.5 for a fall blitz so start doing that while adding layers of topdressing. Water in each topdressing application to work it into the soil and it would at least be better than if i had done nothing at all.

The overseed steps seem right to me. Ive heard peat moss isnt always required where grass is already growing because the existing stand will help shade and retain moisture during germination, works wonders on bare spots being seeded though.

Never done this before, just figure as long as we dont smother whats growing and fill bare spots up to level should be fine.

I DO know of one foolproof way to level a lawn. Full Nuke!!!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

For major areas that are low, I take a straight shovel and cut the sod out in 1ft squares. I add soil and place the sod back down. For minor areas I go with a straight shovel in and then wiggle back and forth and pry up a little to create an opening to add soil there.

Then there is the option of renting a sod cutter take all your lawn off, level and place the sod back down.


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## SpiveyJr (Jun 7, 2018)

Sod cutting your lawn and then leveling is the badass option! There's a member here who did that and removed soil to get the lawn level with their driveway for a low cut lawn.

Sod cutting sounds like it would be a lot of work but I would imagine it would be easiest to do if you have a high percentage of your lawn that needs leveling.


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

Not exactly what you asked, but may be helpful in the leadup to your big levelling... I have found for small depressions (basketball sized, 2-3 inches deep or less), it is simple to just use a weed wacker to bring the grass height down to 2.5 inches over the depression and add sand, compost or soil and then rake to expose leaf blades. Repeat 2-3 times a month until slightly above grade and allow to settle in.

I know this is a simplistic approach, but it may help with your worst areas if you started this now and could save more of the existing grass. It should also lessen the settling of your lowest areas.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

I have used a 50/50 mix by volume of mason sand and peat moss to raise a large, low area. From a "past life" I own a mid-sized cement mixer which makes mixing it easy. I spread it the old fashioned way - sweat like a miner using a shovel, landscaping rake and a tractor pulled drag mat. Worked great in the area I used it in (semi-shade, perched water table over low-perm clay). I'll likely give it a bit more over this Summer. If doing it a little at a time, dry mason sand and peat mix will flow through most spreaders. In Spring and Fall, 1/4" per week or two is not at all unreasonable to keep existing turf alive. In Summer when it's not growing much, just keep an eye on what you're doing and don't smother it.

Keep in mind that leveling an uneven area uses a lot more material than most people think. A cubic yard per 1,000 is something like 1/3" and is nothing on a very uneven area. If the plan is to do it all at once prior to an overseed, bring in the dump trucks. :nod:


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## Hoosier (Jun 12, 2018)

Ok so sounds like the consensus is 50/50 sand/soil to level. In terms of soil type, I really should be bringing in the dump truck full of topsoil, but multiple landscape places in the area have said topsoil quality that they're able to get is terrible, so they don't bother selling it. And, I'd rather do an hour of work at a time for the next 6 months or so as opposed to 2-3 full weekend days of spreading truckloads of soil. Will experiment with Black Kow, Scott's Lawn Soil, and peat moss. Certainly not the economical option, but I think based on the above, I'll address the really low areas now, and fix the bumpy areas over time with multiple layers of sand/soil mix.

For the areas that are really low, I'll fill to a bit more than level with Black Kow (had really good luck with this in the past for new seed growth), and plant new seed. I'll do this after aerating, as the aerator running over fresh/loose compost won't do any good.

Thanks @g-man for the idea of pulling up the sod for the really low areas, I never thought of that. I'm going to try that within the next few days, as rain and slightly cooler temps are in the forecast for the next 10 days or so here. Might allow me to eliminate the above step in this process so I'm only overseeding in the fall instead of planting new in some areas.


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