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Top Dressing
Top Dressing of Lawns is
beneficial. It encourages new basal growth of the grass plants - giving a
thicker sward of grass. It is also a good way to 'level out' the bumps and
hollows in an uneven lawn. David Hughes - landscaper and writer - takes us
through the operations with this picture series.
I normally carry out
'top-dressing' in mid spring. It can be done at any time in the growing season
(March-October), but a dressing in the spring soon 'disappears' under the
resultant lush lawn growth.
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The
type of mix to be used varies according to your basic soil type. Normally,
I use equal parts of sifted top-soil, sharp sand and peat. (If the lawn is
in need of a feed, or for extra 'oomph' I use multi-purpose compost
instead of peat! (It it often cheaper as well!) For Lawns on heavier soil,
I would leave out the soil in the mix, and use 50/50 sharp sand and peat/Multi
Purpose
compost.
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Mix
the ingredients well - on a dry day - ensuring that there are no lumps in
the mix.
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Lightly
spread to mix over the lawn. It is better to do it lightly and in
several applications throughout the season, rather than 'smother' the lawn
grass in one go!
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I
normally use the back of my wide 'Landscaper's' rake to spread the mix and
'brush' it into the grasses of the lawn. A good stiff broom will also do
the trick. Make sure that the mix goes down into the sward.
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The
grass should be showing through - as in this picture.
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For
those little hollows, apply a little extra mix. Again not too much. Far
better to do these in several applications throughout the season.
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'Rough
up' the area with your fingers to get that grass showing through.
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This
- as they say - is one I did earlier!
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"I always use Marden Turf,
because seed-sown lawns are always the best. Marden sows the seed for me, grows
it into a fine lawn, and then delivers it to where I want it."
David Hughes
Davidhughes@gardenseeker.com
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