Correcting your yard’s grade will help improve drainage conditions.
A successful, healthy lawn needs the land to slope in the direction of nearby drains in order for proper water drainage. Although most yards are graded during the initial sod installation, grass can develop low and high areas due to factors like hidden underground piping or decomposing tree stumps. If you’ve mowed the lawn and noticed your yard is uneven, water may start accumulating in low areas. Correcting your yard’s grade will fill these low areas so that the soil has a continuous slope. Here’s what you can do to correct your lawn’s grade.
- You should try to begin your correction in late summer or early fall. Why? When your grass is still growing you have a reduced chance of weed seed germination within newly added soil.
- Fill a wheelbarrow with well-draining soil. You can determine if the soil is well-draining by running your fingers through it. If the soil texture is crumbly, then it’s good for well-draining.
- Using a shovel, remove soil from the wheelbarrow and fill in low areas. You should lightly sprinkle the soil above the low area using a sweeping motion. Continue doing this throughout the low areas in your yard.
- Use a rake to spread the soil out that you’ve placed in each of the low areas. There should be a one-half inch layer of earth across the entire area, just enough so that you can still see the grass blades above the soil. Soil that is too thick will suffocate the grass blades and cause extensive dieback.
- You should have up to a 2 percent slope in one direction for proper draining. Place your hand in the low filled areas and check to see the grade has corrected. If your lawn still requires alteration, wait six weeks before you repeat the filling process. This will allow the grass to continue to grow and acclimate to the first soil layer.
- For extremely deep areas of several inches, fill the spot with topsoil and completely reseed. Or, lay a small sod patch above the topsoil to match your surrounding lawn.
Lawn Care and Irrigation Systems from Aqua Bright
For more information about outdoor lighting, irrigation, and drainage for your Maryland home, call Aqua-Bright today at 410-489-9009 or take a tour of our website. We offer top notch irrigation services from seasoned professionals. You can follow Aqua-Bright Irrigation & Illumination on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn for more updates and information about our illumination and irrigation services! For examples of our work, check us out on Pinterest, too. 1