Non-Destructive Leveling in Lawns

Soil Mix

• Before rolling out the lawn, you'll want to fill in the dips and crevices with soil. While golf courses can use 100 percent sand for their fill in, regular lawns are not adjusted to sand's composition. Instead, combine half sand and half planting soil for the optimal mixture. If you really want to give your lawn an added boost, supplement the soil mixture with organic fertilizer or compost.

Spreading the Soil

• Spreading the soil is a two-person job. One person pushes the wheelbarrow, while the other person spreads the soil using a shovel. Spread the soil evenly, adding extra to areas where there are holes. The general rule of thumb is that you may add no more than 1/2 inch of soil at one time. Ideally, make sure that the blades of grass are still peeking through the soil. If you have any deeper holes, cut the grass loose, place the soil under the grass and set the grass plug on top.

Rolling

• Fill the water roller with water from your hose. You can rent a water roller at most home repair stores. The roller will come empty; otherwise, it is too heavy to move. Once full, the roller will weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. If you are not used to physical exertion, consider having a friend help you push the roller over your yard. When pushing the roller, begin at one side of the yard and slowly travel to the other side in even rows. Overlap your rows slightly so that you do not miss any of the yard.

Fertilizing

• After you've rolled the entire lawn to your satisfaction, sprinkle the yard with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. The fertilizer will encourage fast growth of the grass, and ensure that the grass grows through and fills in the new soil. Water your lawn after applying the fertilizer and wait to mow until your lawn reaches a height of at least 1 inch above the new soil.