How To Remedy A Bumpy Lawn
Lawns need work every now and then but a bumpy and uneven lawn will affect the appearance and usability of your garden.
30/03/2022
Everybody would want their lawn to have an even terrain and be levelled with a carpet of thick luscious green grass. While lawns need to be worked on every now and then to remove thatch and other irregularities, a bumpy and uneven lawn will affect the appearance and usability of your yard. A bumpy lawn is difficult to mow and is potentially dangerous to anyone, especially children who might trip and get hurt while playing across the yard. Moreover, rainwater that collects in pronounced hollows and dips in an uneven lawn encourages lawn diseases.
What Are The Causes Of Bumpy Lawns?
The turfgrass in older lawns becomes thin with time due to human and animal activity, poor maintenance, insects, and diseases. Thin grass has less ability to hold the soil and less foliar growth which results in uneven and rough surfaces on the lawn.
- Freezing and thawing of the soil during late winter and early spring is another cause of bumpy lawns. The repeated freezing and thawing causes the soil to heave upwards leaving a bump on the lawn.
- While earthworms are important for the growth of turfgrass because they improve soil structure and enhance water and air movement in the soil, their activity is responsible for rough lawns on the other hand.
All lawns need care, whether it's your front yard or a golf course. The tools used to maintain the lawns are also the same. The only difference is that small lawns require small uncomplicated tools, while large lawns require bigger and more advanced versions of equipment. For instance, small lawns can be maintained using manual rakes but golf courses require motorized bunker rakes.
To restore your lawn’s lost glory and eliminate the potential hazards posed by the bumps, dips, and holes in it, you need to address the main cause of the problem and execute the proper solutions.
If you’re willing to exert effort and a bit of patience, your precious lawn will be back smoothly in no time, here are some viable ways to follow to accomplish this:
Identify All Uneven Areas In Your Lawn
The first thing you should do to fix the bumps in your lawn is to identify the areas with bumps and dips. To do this efficiently, set your mower to cut grass to the lowest height so that it becomes easier to identify the problem areas easily. Then go over your lawn slowly and as you identify the spot, flag the bumps. Do this carefully so that you don’t miss any area because you’ll want to tackle the problem all at once.
Identify And Correct All Underlying Problems
Identifying the problem that’s causing bumps and depressions in your lawn will help you to deal with the problem effectively. For instance, if a bump is caused by rocks or other objects buried under the soil, all you need to do is dig out the objects. If the depression is caused by rainwater running through your lawn in large amounts, you’ll want to reconsider your drainage options. However, a common cause of hollow grounds on lawns is because the original installers did not return to even out the lawn after it had settled.
Fill The Problem Areas With Topsoil
Once you’ve identified the underlying problems, it’s time to fix the lawn. To do this, dig out higher grounds to bring them to the same level as the rest of the lawn, and put new topsoil in the holes created when objects buried under the soil were removed. If there’s grass in that spot, let the soil go through it to encourage continuous growth. Use a rake to go over the new soil and break down any lumps while removing rocks. Then rake the soil to level it out as much as possible.
Plant Grass On Bare Spots
When adding top soil to fill the depressions, look for bare spots where grass can’t grow through. Put enough grass seed in those areas because once the grass grows, those places will fill up and give your lawn the smooth desired appearance.
Allow The New Soil To Settle
Part of levelling a lawn is allowing the new soil to settle. This can be done by using a lawn sprinkler to thoroughly water the new soil, then leave it for several days to settle. Check after a few days to see if those areas are level and no depressions or water pooling has occurred. If they’re level, then you’ve succeeded, however, if not, you can add a little more top soil to spots that need attention and level out as required. If you water your lawn regularly, you’ll be surprised that in no time, healthy green grass will have grown and you’ll be looking at a lawn with a carpet of healthy grass.
Conclusion
It’s advisable to work on your lawn during the summer season because your lawn is dry and easier to manage in levelling it. In addition, mowing your lawn and aerating the soil regularly will help to keep your lawn in top shape. Armed with the steps mentioned above, you’re now ready to take your lawn to another level of beauty and luscious greenery.