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What is the best way to level my yard (and keep it level)?
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What is the best way to level my yard (and keep it level)?


What is the best way to level my yard (and keep it level)?

My yard is fairly bumpy, but there is also a bunch of ruts that are likely from old vole damage that the previous owners never took care of. Its very annoying having my lawnmower hit those ruts and scalp part of my grass multiple times per mow. I don't want to have people over because I'm afraid someone will twist an ankle if they try to run or even walk across the yard.

My plans were to either:
1. Use a scarifier to somewhat till my yard, add a few yards of topsoil and level with rake, then see what keeps growing and reseed as needed. Maybe aerating the soil would help too?
2. Till the entire yard, and reseed from scratch.

I don't care too much about it looking nice, but at the very least I want it level. Hopefully just adding some topsoil and scarifying/aerating will help make it level enough to run on.

by That_Star_9414

6 Comments

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  2. Ihas_

    you get a answer im also interested, not a lot of people help on this sub from what ive seen.

  4. Editor-Scared

    First off, it depends on how out of level your yard is. If it is plus or minus a few inches you’re going to need to backfill with dirt not sand. If you want to backfill with dirt you don’t use topsoil which is actually just organic compost. Compost and topsoils will degrade with time, breakdown and you will be out of level again. You only want to level with sand once your yard is within a half an inch out of flat. That is basically the final finishing level. The best soil to level your yard with is usually purchased from a local company that sells a mixture of compost sand and garden soils. Just spread it out in small piles with a wheelbarrow and then spread it out with a rake. I also use my zero turn with the deck lowered all the way as an initial means to spread my soil around.

  5. Positive-Dark4137

    Use a combo of topsoil, compost and sand

  6. Longjumping_Echo5510

    I would fill in the holes with sand and top off with top soil this spring and sit tight. Come late summer check your work if it sunk over the summer add more top soil to level. At that point seed it

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