Topdressing is a lawn improvement method that has been used by sports field managers and golf course maintenance directors to get deep, dark green lawn areas on their sites. However, big lawns and sports and leisure areas are not the only laws that can benefit from this method.
Topdressing is performed to apply soil and compost to a lawn’s surface to improve soil conditions and lawn health. A lawn top dresser is run over the lawn areas to apply a thin layer of the material to the lawn. Topdressing offers the following benefits:
Improve Soil Conditions
Any lawn with beautiful grass has a beautiful soil underneath. Ideally, there is 7” to 12” of organic matter-rich topsoil with enough amounts of clay or sand to ensure good structure. This allows for the growth of tiny, fibrous grass roots that can go 7” to 12” down to find moisture during drought. If your site’s social condition is otherwise, you must consider topdressing. By adding topdressing mixtures once or twice every year for consecutive years, you will have an ideal grass-growing environment.
Increase Microbial Activity
Good soils have microorganisms necessary for nutrient uptake. The presence of these microorganisms makes nutrients available for the grass plants. Sometimes, these microorganisms also help break down thatch layers that is also beneficial to lawn health. Regular topdressing can smooth out bumps due to worm castings and ensure lawns stay dense and lush.
Improve Lawn Colour
The organic matter in the topdressing mixture allows the lawn to see green-up after topdressing. With this material, the lawn gets extra nitrogen.
Improve Seed Germination
Topdressing after core aeration and over-seeding will improve germination. Such procedure helps cover new grass seeds, retaining moisture and offering good soil-to-seed contact, allowing the new grass seedlings to root. The aeration opens up the soil, allowing for better air and water movement and decreased compaction. In turn, the aeration holes offer the ideal environment for overseeding, letting newer grass to establish and thrive.
Initially, after topdressing, the lawn may look slightly changed. It may look a bit dirty because of the thin layer of mixture applied. But, this material will settle down into the grass after rains or the application of heavy irrigation. No matter the size of your lawn, you can have topdressing applied to it within a few hours. While this service may seem expensive, it is actually more cost-effective than you a lot of property owners may think.
