Of all the soil types, clay soil is the most problematic when it comes to growing a lawn. Not only does it lack crucial nutrients due to its density, but the clay wildly slows down water. It creates puddles that last much longer than loamy or sandy lawns that drown out plants. For those who have a lawn built on clay, growing a beautiful lawn can be a lifelong battle, but there are ways that you can help it along. One of those ways is to have your lawn topdressed.
Typically, topdressing is used to smooth out bumpy and uneven lawns, but it can also be used to treat your clay soil. However, when people hear this, they think that the obvious answer to clay soil is to topdress with sand. Sand is a fast-draining soil, so they mix sand into clay, but unfortunately it has quite the opposite effect. Instead of better draining soil, you will then have a mixture more akin to concrete. It will be poor draining and your lawn will struggle even further to put down roots.
The answer to improving clay soil is to topdress with organic matter. Working compost topdressing into the clay will help improve water infiltration as well as improve the amount of air and water available to your lawn.
While this topdressing method is good news for your lawn itself, organic matter topdressing is not a solution to flooding issues. If you have serious areas of puddling because of your clay-based soil, you will also want to consider installing other drainage solutions to help, such as French drains.
Do you have an uneven lawn or a lawn made up of problematic soils? We can help. Contact us today to see what solutions Accurate Lawn Leveling can offer you to help get you the picture perfect landscaping of your dreams.