How to Fill Dips in the Lawn

Walk around your lawn to determine the exact locations of the dips. Spread powdered chalk around them to save time looking for them during the filling process.

Insert a shovel 2 to 4 inches into the soil, starting at a corner of the outline, and work all the way around it. Cut patches of grass or sod wider than 15 inches into smaller sections with the tip of your shovel so they are easier to remove. The shovel should penetrate through the grass patch to cut completely.

Insert the shovel under the cut patch of sod or grass to lift it out of the soil. Wriggle the shovel lightly to loosen the roots without tearing them. Spray the roots with water before rolling into sections. Place the sod rolls in a cool, shaded spot away from direct sunlight to keep the roots from drying.

Scrape the edges and base of the low in the lawn gently to collect and remove debris, stones and weeds. Tamp the soil at the sides and base of the dip with your hands or the back of a shovel to firm it. Mist the soil lightly and tamp again so the soil sets in place.

Pour equal amounts of sand or compost and topsoil to a wheelbarrow and mix thoroughly with a trowel. Add a shovelful of the mixture from the wheelbarrow, and add it to the dip in the lawn. Tamp the mixture before adding more. Continue to add and tamp shovelfuls of mixture into the low spot until 3 inches from the top. The gap provides room for the soil already attached to the roots of the rolled sod.

Rake the top of the dirt mix in the dip to level it. Spray the dirt lightly with a hose to moisten and level again. Replace the sod roll over the prepared soil. Position the roll to fit snugly over the exposed soil surface, and press lightly to help the roots establish good roots-to-soil contact.