If your lawn is filled with bumps and uneven patches after a long busy summer, then you might want to create this garden expert’s ‘2-2-1 mix’ to help restore your lawn
After a long dry summer you may notice your poor lawn in need of some TLC – luckily this expert solution can help.
Summer can be a tough time for lawns, as they suffer increased foot traffic, animal activity and extended dry periods. After a couple of months, you may notice your garden looking bumpy and uneven as parts of the soil have become more compact than others.
Fortunately, a garden expert has revealed a handy method of levelling lawns during autumn, so you can restore them to their original glory once more. On his TikTok channel, Michael Griffiths revealed that the first step you should take when smoothing out your lawn is to mow the grass “really short, around 2 to 3 cm.”
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The reason being is that this length makes it easier to apply a top dressing, which is a thin layer of material which can improve soil quality. Michael also adds that short grass gives you better visibility over any low patches in your garden.
Once you’ve done that, Michael says you can start making the “2-2-1 mix”, which is composed of two parts top soil, two parts sand and one part compost.
He explains: “This combination provides bulk drainage and nutrients to help the grass flourish.” Once you’ve made the mix, he says that it can be spread over your lawn or across any “low spots”.
Michael advises using the back of a rake or a lawn levelling rake to smooth out the mix. He adds: “To spread the mix evenly, tread in it and repeat where necessary.”
After you’ve completed these steps, he says you should “water in gently to help the mix settle”. He adds that, if it’s needed, you’re now ready to reseed your lawn.
Before reseeding a lawn, you should make sure you’ve cleared away any weeds or thatch as this can prevent your grass from growing back healthily.
Once you’ve cleared the garden debris away, it’s time to go in with your seeds. You should scatter them thinly over the desired area and water the soil to keep it damp.
The new grass should begin to grow in about a month’s time. However, take care not to mow it too early as the seedlings will still be fragile and not yet robustly-rooted, making them vulnerable to damage from mower blades.