Getting Bumps And Ruts Out Of An Existing Lawn

[jenkinsph]

I have all kinds of stuff. Even a harley rake and top dresser. Yet, I don't even know how best to get the irregularities out of a lawn. That is, without tearing up the whole thing and starting over. In the end, it's just boots on the ground with a hand rake.

Me too^^. If the goal is a smooth and consistent or uniform appearance to the grass it is easier to rework the entire lawn. In most cases it is more difficult to patch a lawn and have it all blend in.

A landplane and additional top soil to spread and smooth over would give good results. Rolling the area after seeding helps speed up the germination and leaves the ground smooth too.

 

[the old grind]

I skimmed some twigs & crap with the Landscape Rake and left low piles in a few places that I've been mowing around. (haven't use a back blade for anything else since getting LR)

Enter the flail mower w/hammers. In early trials I'm skimming over the junk piles and seeing them literally disappear with a low cut (<3"?). ZTR mower clears them easily now.

Then I skimmed over some lawn ruts I'd left when cleaning up a wind-felled sassafras. Same one-shot fix. Different ruts in different soils will want different approaches. Flail mower sure can smooth out the high spots if you're not too 'rocky'. Fill, the lows, rake level as needed, sow.

 

[BukitCase]

I LOVE having the 6' flail with a hydraulic toplink - I can float the flail on the rear roller and "dial in" the cut length from "mild rototilling" to at least a 5" cut length - as long as I don't get TOO vicious, doesn't seem to hurt anything ... Steve

 

[CalG]

Skip the top soil over grass. Lawn grass thrives in sand so long as the roots are in soil.

Having a roller on hand allows one to patch up spots that move every spring.