Leveling with top soil

15 years ago

Is it feasible to spread top soil over existing fescue to level my lawn? I have areas where trees were removed some years ago and roots have rotted leaving some relatively large dips. Also, I manually removed crabgrass leaving clumpy areas of fescue and bare ground. I have common bermuda over most of this lawn, but this particular area is more shady. If this is the way to go, would this time be OK and let the top soil set through the winter? I'm planning to seed this area with common bermuda next season.

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Comments (4)

goren
15 years ago
Since there is no trees in the area now, I see no reason to not add whatever depth of topsoil over the area to bring the level up. The only problem could be if the topping over involves growing turf under such soil.
Normally, if you apply the rule of not adding more than 3" of soil over roots at any one time, then adding more than this over growing grass might result in the same end...namely suffocation.
Moisture is necessary for plant roots--including grass.
If such depth involved hardship for moisture to gain such roots then possible starvation might occur.
Light rolling of the topsoil after raking it level could help. The overseeding will also help but why wait, grass grows well in autumn temperatures due to the absence of weed competition.
hdog
Original Author
15 years ago
goren,
I don't mind smothering the existing fescue. Half of this section of lawn is already taken over with common bermuda. I gave up on trying to keep a fescue lawn, as the bermuda really took over last summer due to drought and heat. This portion of the lawn is overshadowed by my neighbors huge pin oaks on the SW end of my lawn. It does get a good portion of sun until about 4pm, but the bermuda is not aggressively taking over this area. I want to level it and seed next summer with common bermuda. Just wanted opinions as to the best time of year to do the leveling with top soil, this fall or next spring or anytime in the winter. We don't have hard ground freezes here.
Thanks,
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dchall_san_antonio
15 years ago
Search the forum for several discussions about leveling bermuda lawns. Now is not the time to do it. 4th of July will work much better for you because the bermuda is extremely vigorous at that time of year. Right now it is thinking about dormancy. Bermuda does smother so if you cover it now, it may die back (not die out).
hdog
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm sorry I wasn't very clear on what I want to accomplish. The area I want to level does not have bermuda as of yet. It is a combo of fescue and Clemfine along with bare ground. I want to level this before next year so I can seed it with bermuda. I have read about the leveling of bermuda and will follow those recommendations for the low spots in the existing bermuda. The areas I want to level now cause my teeth to chatter when I ride the mower over the area.