As summer comes to an end and fall quickly approaches, there is no better time to get your lawn looking its best for the following summer months.

 

Every nice thick lawn requires healthy soil as its base, but its difficult to make changes to the soil once grass has been established. How do you acquire that perfect lawn, while ensuring you have the proper healthy soil? Top-dress, “Top-Dressing” is a technique in which you add a thin layer of soil over your lawn to improve the soil without killing the existing turf. This is a system that can be used repeatedly to gradually improve the soil over time. As organic matter breaks down, it filters through the existing soil to improve the texture and overall health.

Top-dressing can:

  • Improve drainage and drought-resistant
  • Even out the terrain
  • Reduce the need for supplement fertilizers
  • Transform your lawn into organic, low maintenance and healthy turf

When to Top-Dress:

Early fall or spring; it’s important to give your grass time to grow 3-4 more mowing’s before severe heat or cold, especially if you are over seeding. It can be done at once or in stages depending on the area you’re treating as well as personal preference.

Top-Dressing entails 5 steps:

  1. Aerating
  2. Preparing your top-dressing
  3. Applying your top-dressing
  4. Watering and adjusting
  5. Planting grass if needed

How often do you need to Top-Dress?

  • Trouble spots may require repeat applications; this can be done by applying several light applications.
  • Uniform top-dressing should not need further applications but its important to keep in mind when adding soil overtime, it raises your grade and affects thatch breakdown; so don’t go overboard.