The Why, When and How of Topdressing Lawns

Topdressing lawns; why, when and how?  You may be doing it to level out your lawn, add nutrients to the soil or reduce thatch. But, if you fertilise regularly and your lawn is healthy and even, there is no reason to topdress your lawn.

The Why:

Topdressing lawns encourages new shoots of growth and therefore a thicker lawn. It also allows the lawn to maintain moisture when it is dry and drain any excess water when it downpours. The new layer of soil will add nutrients to the existing soil and will also help it even out. Topdressing is often done to fix up poor soil preparation for new lawns. However, if you are topdressing to correct a new lawn, you need to allow it time to settle as this process is stressful and the lawn may correct itself.

The When:

Topdressing is a blended sandy soil mixture and should be applied during the growing season. Late spring to summer is the best time, however, you should avoid topdressing if rain is predicted.

The process of topdressing is stressful for your lawn and regular watering afterwards will ease this. Annual topdressing encourages thatch build-up. By topdressing lawns every 3 or so years, you can maintain a balance without overstressing your lawn.

The How:

1. Fertilise a few weeks before topdressing as this will ensure your grass has maximum growth during this time. A slow release fertiliser is the best option.
2. Mow your lawn low the day before and make sure to use a catcher. You will need to clean up any debris and a catcher will make this much simpler.
3. Spread the mix evenly over your lawn up to a depth of 10mm. Make sure that the tips of the grass blades are peeking out through the topdressing mix, otherwise, they will suffocate and struggle to grow at all.
4. Rake over the topdressing to even out the lawn level.
5. Water it in.
6. Enjoy the new growth over the weeks to come.