my back yard is so full of ruts and mounds you could sprain your ankle walking. what is underneath that i need to get rid of? |
Soil can compact and/or sink due to foot traffic, underground mole or gopher tunnels or because of old tree roots. You should be able to level out the lawn without doing any excavating. Probably the least expensive solution is to spread top soil over the low spots to help level the yard. You can spread it right over any grass that is growing in these areas. The grass will eventually grow through the topsoil. If you want it to green up sooner you can broadcast grass seeds over the top soil. I've tackled a similar project and it isn't too difficult except for hauling the top soil (I used a wheelbarrow). I used a shovel to drop soil over the low spots, raked it around and then checked the level by dragging a 6' 2"X4" over the lawn. When I was satisfied I had filled in all the holes and ruts, I reseeded, sprinkled a thin layer of peat moss over the reseeded areas to help keep the grass seeds moist. Grass will sprout in 7-10 days if kept from drying out. In 4-6 weeks your lawn should look great. Best wishes with your lawn! |