Thanks for doing this video. I need to do some leveling and my gut kept telling me not to use sand, but every video uses it, including a lot that I respect their advice. Thanks again for your experiences and videos. Waiting patiently to buy some Hydr8 granular.
I don't think it is recommend just mix the sand with straight compost as the compost will totally break down leaving you essentially nothing but sand. I have read it is best to mix sand with topsoil or topsoil/compost mix.
Here is why I won’t sand. I don’t have a putting green and I don’t have a reel mower to keep the grass cut short. I’ve also read that once you use sand you can’t use top soil again.
@@DMUSA536 not a great reason honestly. While sand leveling a yard is labor intensive, it will make for a much more enjoyable mowing experience. The ground being more even under the grass prevents the mower from bouncing around while cutting. This will allow for a significantly more even cut regardless of your hoc.
What would your approach be to level insanely bumpy lawns caused by dew worms? I’ve heard a topdressing of sharp sand will make them think twice coming to the surface. I’d be tempted to say core aeration, sand levelling and then topdressing with a compost/garden mix and overseeding.
@@mitch_the_rookie the peat moss I did once or twice maybe but there’s little evidence that there’s any left. A lot of it comes up with mowing and working on the grass. I ended up recycling some, but I’ve not done any in a couple years
That peat moss doesn't go away and can become an issue. It could be what he's seeing in that brown layer in the sand. There's a video out about Reel Low Dad's front lawn that shows that the peat moss he applied at seeding was still there a couple years later.
@@krusej23 peat moss doesn’t break down you are correct but that layer is something else entirely. I’d say that the green got 1/8-1/4” of peat moss over the last couple years and only at the very beginning. I good majority gets mowed out. I tried to keep a 10% ratio but by now it’s less than that
And it sounds like you're saying we should aerate down through the sand and then level with sand so the sand is now driven down into the dirt? Sorry if I'm missunderstanding.
@@hatpeach1 the other big reason is heat. Sand heats up way more than top soil and holds on longer. Sand is believe it or not in short supply. So much gets used in construction already. Much of the other sand available is too fine and round to be worthwhile. Those are two more reasons why using sand is bad.
Cement is made up of this: Lime 60-65 Silica 17-25 Alumina 3-8 Magnesia 1-3 Iron oxide 0.5-6 Calcium Sulfate 0.1-0.5 Sulfur Trioxide 1-3 Not clay and sand. You can however pack down the clay and basically cap it to where it will stay compacted. It’s actually not an uncommon practice to make clay a “base layer” and build on top of it. Water movement will stop at that level however so it’s important to plan accordingly.
@@tycox8704🤫don’t tell my grass that. Soils will always become more compacted over time, with watering, and having “traffic” pass over them. Adding sand doesn’t make it worse at all. I’ve been sanding my yard for years. Sometimes it’s the whole yard, some times it’s just spots that are low for whatever reason but not one of those areas are concrete, or any other ANALOGY.
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So,the sand leveling can still be done. Just core/spike aerate to help prevent the buildup.
Thanks for doing this video. I need to do some leveling and my gut kept telling me not to use sand, but every video uses it, including a lot that I respect their advice. Thanks again for your experiences and videos. Waiting patiently to buy some Hydr8 granular.
What about using the mix of sand/ organic matter like the big yellow bag mix?
Great content about sand leveling/top dressing
Thank you
What’s the thought on mixing the sand evenly with something like a compost or soil? Level sand and black kow mixed evenly together
I don't think it is recommend just mix the sand with straight compost as the compost will totally break down leaving you essentially nothing but sand. I have read it is best to mix sand with topsoil or topsoil/compost mix.
@@josephnestor4845 ya I like that idea better and then is always a perfect blend of solid base and nutrients
Will scarifying help?
I never liked the sand into the lawn thing just my opinion , but thanks for this info .
Here is why I won’t sand. I don’t have a putting green and I don’t have a reel mower to keep the grass cut short. I’ve also read that once you use sand you can’t use top soil again.
@@DMUSA536 not a great reason honestly. While sand leveling a yard is labor intensive, it will make for a much more enjoyable mowing experience. The ground being more even under the grass prevents the mower from bouncing around while cutting. This will allow for a significantly more even cut regardless of your hoc.
What would your approach be to level insanely bumpy lawns caused by dew worms? I’ve heard a topdressing of sharp sand will make them think twice coming to the surface. I’d be tempted to say core aeration, sand levelling and then topdressing with a compost/garden mix and overseeding.
@@EuroYardService your second assumption would be the way of go. There are vermicides of its bad
@@Lawncology don’t have an applicator license for vermicide
Great advice and demo..
Would the opposite have issues also? I'm in Florida with Sandy soil and top dress with organic matter.
You need the OM. And a lot of K
You should call that slice a lawn brisket😂😂
yeah, that's a hell of a smoke ring
Sand is excellent for leveling but it gets very hot and let’s product I put on the lawn to pass through to fast.
Yes
Thank you for the advice 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
What about the peat moss you layered on the green, that decreases permeability?
@@mitch_the_rookie the peat moss I did once or twice maybe but there’s little evidence that there’s any left. A lot of it comes up with mowing and working on the grass. I ended up recycling some, but I’ve not done any in a couple years
That peat moss doesn't go away and can become an issue. It could be what he's seeing in that brown layer in the sand. There's a video out about Reel Low Dad's front lawn that shows that the peat moss he applied at seeding was still there a couple years later.
@@krusej23 peat moss doesn’t break down you are correct but that layer is something else entirely. I’d say that the green got 1/8-1/4” of peat moss over the last couple years and only at the very beginning. I good majority gets mowed out. I tried to keep a 10% ratio but by now it’s less than that
Makes sense because most golf courses will aerate greens twice a year
Do you have link for contest?
Look in the description
so, which "layer" is the problem? The sand? The dirt?
@@GeryTeague the old “black layer.” It’s the area that will not really decompose and cause anaerobic conditions
And it sounds like you're saying we should aerate down through the sand and then level with sand so the sand is now driven down into the dirt? Sorry if I'm missunderstanding.
If you have bermuda, send it. 😂
People with Bermuda don’t realize that they have the EASIEST turf of all time. It’s only green like 5 months a year and it takes over everything
@@Lawncology amen to that. It’s a struggle to keep my garden bed Bermuda free
@@Lawncologythe hardest part about Bermuda is mowing it multiple times a week 😅
@@damianr1658 yeah, I mow the green everyday and my bluegrass 2x per week even in summer.
Other than a golf green, you couldn't pay me to do sand leveling. So many more reasons why it's just a bad idea.
Do you just do screened topsoil then? I want to smooth out some of the crappy bumps in my lawn and I am trying to figure out what to use
@@LongRaiderNight on the lawn I’d always use topsoil
@@LongRaiderNight that's all I ever do
Please list those reasons. I'm setting up to do my lawn this fall.
@@hatpeach1 the other big reason is heat. Sand heats up way more than top soil and holds on longer. Sand is believe it or not in short supply. So much gets used in construction already. Much of the other sand available is too fine and round to be worthwhile. Those are two more reasons why using sand is bad.
I would never add sand to a clay soil. You’ll create cement.
It does not create cement.
Cement is made up of this:
Lime 60-65
Silica 17-25
Alumina 3-8
Magnesia 1-3
Iron oxide 0.5-6
Calcium Sulfate 0.1-0.5
Sulfur Trioxide 1-3
Not clay and sand.
You can however pack down the clay and basically cap it to where it will stay compacted. It’s actually not an uncommon practice to make clay a “base layer” and build on top of it. Water movement will stop at that level however so it’s important to plan accordingly.
@@Lawncology It’s an ANALOGY. The practice of leveling clay soils with sand creates a harder soil.
@@tycox8704🤫don’t tell my grass that.
Soils will always become more compacted over time, with watering, and having “traffic” pass over them. Adding sand doesn’t make it worse at all. I’ve been sanding my yard for years. Sometimes it’s the whole yard, some times it’s just spots that are low for whatever reason but not one of those areas are concrete, or any other ANALOGY.
@@damianr1658 What soil type do you have?