A green, lush lawn is the dream for many homeowners. But achieving that picturesque landscape requires regular care and maintenance. One of the best ways to make your lawn look its best and fix up patchy, worn-out grass is to top dress it.
What is Lawn Top Dressing?
Top dressing refers to spreading a thin layer of material over your existing grass Typical application depth is around 1/4 to 1/2 inch It is not meant to bury or smother the current turfgrass.
Top dressing is done for several reasons:
- To add organic matter and nutrients to the soil
- To fill in low spots and level bumpy areas
- To improve drainage and aeration
- To reduce compaction and thatch buildup
Top Dressing Materials for Lawns
There are a few primary options when it comes to top dressing ingredients:
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Compost: Compost top dressing provides organic matter and slow-release nutrients. Look for fine, sifted, mature compost with a dark color. It should be fully broken down into humus. High-quality compost improves overall soil health.
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Sand: Sand particles fill in spaces between existing soil particles to enhance drainage and aeration. Look for coarse builder’s sand rather than fine sand. Very fine sand can actually compact over time.
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Soil: Bringing in high-quality topsoil gives an infusion of nutrients and beneficial microbes. It also helps level the surface.
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Mixes: Many companies offer custom blends that combine compost, sand, soil, and additives like gypsum or limestone. These balanced mixes provide ideal properties.
Key Buying Considerations for Top Dressing
There are a few key factors to evaluate when purchasing top dressing:
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Parts: Amendments, compost, sand, and soil all have different jobs to do. Know what you want to achieve.
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Texture – Top dressing with fine particles tends to compact while large chunks don’t integrate well. Look for a balanced size distribution.
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Quality – It should appear uniform in texture with no large pieces, sticks, plastic, rocks, etc.
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Cover 500 to 1,000 square feet per cubic yard at a depth of 1/4 inch Buy accordingly.
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Source – Look for companies that follow eco-friendly and sustainable practices in sourcing materials.
Where to Buy Top Dressing for Lawns
Now that you know what to look for, here are some of the best places to buy quality top dressing:
Local Garden Stores
Many independent garden centers and nurseries sell both bagged and bulk top dressing options. This allows you to see and evaluate products before purchasing. They may even custom mix blends to your specifications.
Pros: Can inspect products in person, often source locally, custom mixing available, support small business
Cons: Limited selection, may need to visit multiple stores, not always cost effective for large projects
Big Box Stores
Big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes carry both name brands (like Scotts and Vigoro) and their own brand of top dressings.
Pros: Name brand products, one-stop shopping for all lawn care needs, convenient locations
Cons: Limited bulk sizes, cater more to small residential lawns, less focus on sustainability
Online Stores
Various ecommerce stores sell top dressing that can be shipped directly. Options range from boutique organic producers to large manufacturers.
Pros: Huge selection of brands, order exact amounts needed, delivered to your door
Cons: Cannot see before buying, potential shipping costs, lag between order and delivery
Landscape Supply Centers
Landscape yards and soil companies sell bulk loads of diverse blends and individual ingredients like sand, compost, gravel, etc.
Pros: Large quantities available, custom blending, delivery services often available, serve both homeowners and pros
Cons: Less consistency in pricing/products, need equipment to move bulk purchases
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right top dressing takes some upfront planning and research. Assess your lawn’s specific needs and then evaluate available products and buying options. Focus on quality over cost alone – proper top dressing leads to a thriving lawn. With the right materials from a reputable source, you’ll be rewarded with a green, level, healthy lawn.
Topdressing for Lawns Renovate and Improve your Lawn
Adding a thin layer of Soil³ humus compost to the top of lawns is a great way to improve and fix up an old home or business lawn or sports field turfgrass. With this layer of Soil³ compost, we’re fixing problems like thin or unhealthy sod and/or putting down the first fertilizer of the year.
Use compost topdressing to improve lawns and as a fertilizer application: 1 cubic yard of compost will cover 1,000 sq. ft.
Add a thicker layer of Level Mix, a compost blend with 20% sand, to the top of lawns to give them structure and make them smooth at the same time.
Use Level Mix topdressing to smooth and level lawns and as a fertilizer application: 1 cubic yard of Level Mix will cover 500 to 1,000 sq. ft.
Only two weeks ago this homeowner topdressed with Soil³ compost for his first fertilizer application – the topdressed area is already dark green thanks to nature’s nutrients inherent in the compost.
A border around the lawn was kept untreated because that grass will be removed and a fence installed along the front and driveway with a flower border in the back; the untreated area is light green because it didn’t receive any compost (so no nutrients). This is just one example of why we strongly believe Soil³ compost is the best top dressing for lawns. The difference is night and day!
Topdress to Level & Smooth
Start Spreading Top Dressing the LANDZIE WAY!!! Your lawn will thank you.
FAQ
What is the best product to top dress a lawn?
However, top dressing year after year with only sand may cause the lawn to lose its fertility. By far the best option for your average home greenskeeper is a top dressing soil blend. A lot of the time, top dressing soils are a mix of finely screened top soil or loam, composts like cow manure, and big rocks.
What is the difference between topsoil and top dressing?
Top dressing is a mixture of Silica sand combined with quality topsoil. After being thoroughly mixed, the sand and soil blend is passed through a sterilising unit where it is heat treated to remove any bugs or weeds that may be present in the soil.
What is the best time to top dress your lawn?
For best results, do not top dress your lawn to fix holes or unevenness until just before the growing season, usually at the start of Spring. If you do it when the plants are dormant, you could hurt or kill the lawn. Top dressing for nutrients can be applied at any time.
What is top dressing a lawn?
Top dressing enriches soil, increases beneficial microbes and helps build a better soil structure. Here’s a step by step guide for top dressing lawns.
How do you topdress a lawn?
Spread top dressing over your lawn to a depth of ¼ to ½ inch. It is okay to fill in holes, especially if you have poor soil. Use the back of a rake to lightly brush the grass so that as much top dressing as possible touches the soil. If you plan on overseeding, do this after the topdressing is down.
What is top dressing?
Top dressing is the process of adding a thin layer of nutrient-rich compost to your lawn, or parts of your lawn that need extra attention. When performed routinely and with aeration, the soil will improve and your turf will benefit. Before you begin top dressing, remember:
Should I top dress my Grass?
If you have reasonably healthy grass you might wonder why you need to do anything at all. The answer is that top dressing can help amend soil in areas where the grass isn’t growing well. Of course, you can also top dress your whole lawn if growth is sporadic or otherwise problematic.
What are the benefits of top dressing a lawn?
Top dressing enriches soil, increases beneficial microbes and helps build a better soil structure. Step by step guide for top dressing lawns.
How do you prepare the lawn for top dressing?
Before applying top dressing, spread it over the lawn to a depth of ¼ to ½ inch. It is okay to fill in holes, especially if you have poor soil. Lightly brush the grass with the backside of a rake to ensure as much top dressing touches the soil as possible.