Top Dressing a lawn, benefits and tips.

Topdressing or dressing is the process of adding  a layer of finely blended quality soil to the surface of your lawn. Top dressing helps to build up your soil quality over time among the many benefits are retention of water by sandy soils making the law more resitant to drought, better drainage of clay soil leading to improved root development. Top dressing has cosmetic benefits e.g. Filling in small hollows and bumps in an uneven lawn. Grass will be stimulated into new shoot production, the resulting denser grass cover  builds up a natural defence against the moss infestations and weed.

Professional greenkeepers routinely top dress to ensure a finish of the highest quality. If you want a top quality, professional standard lawn then annual top dressing of your lawn is required.

 

How do I top dress my lawn?

 

Step One: Aerating:

This can be achieved by the use of a coring tool. Place your foot on the base and press down. Coring should be done when the soil is moist, you can also use a normal garden fork. As you work with the corer the previous cores will start to be pushed out from the base. These can be either mixed with the top dressing and spread back in, or removed. Core holes should be approximately 4” or 100mm apart. This is the best method for aerating, as it will open up your lawn to allow air to the roots. This is essential after prolonged periods of rain such as in winter, if you are using the normal garden fork method put your fork in every 6 to 8 inches and wiggle to open up your turf.

 

Step Two: How much Top Dressing to Order?

It is recommended that top dressing be carried out from early spring to early summer when turf is actively growing. The recommended application rate is to 10mm depth. A good method of determining the amount of top dressing to order, if you phone the Olus sales team on 01273 494040 or 01273 492752 they can help you work out your required quantities.

 

Step 3:  Spreading Top Dressing

It is best to mow your lawn prior to the top dressing application, to allow effective penetration. However, never mow more than 1/3rd of the green part of the turf. If the

lawn is very thick, reduce the height over several cuts, a couple of weeks apart. After mowing rake to remove unwanted debris and loosen any bare patches. The easiest way to spread top dressing is to start by shoveling it evenly around your lawn then use a lawn

leveler or rake working in a figure 8 motion. This spreads it evenly over your lawn.

 

Rootzone will provide you with :-

1 .  An Organic blend for turf underlay or top dressing

2 .  Great for clay or poor soils

3 .  Excellent drainage

4 .  Less risk of weed seeds than soil mixes

5 .  Does not cake

6 . Avoid water run off

7 . Open mix to promote roots

8 .  Provides nutrients

9 . Improves soil structure

10 . Water holding capacity

 

What’s in your Top Dressing: 

Whilst there are guidelines and advice aplenty on the use of rootzones in putting green

construction, green keepers are often left second guessing when it comes to top dressing, you can also take advice from this for your home gardens, lawns or playing fields.

 

Buy Top Dressing and lawn dressings at our online shop in bulk or by the bag