I've got about a quarter-acre yard that's filled with deep pits and holes, making it tricky to walk around without twisting an ankle. The ground is pretty compacted, and I'm not sure where to start. I'm thinking about having a friend with a skid steer bring in around 4 tons of dirt to grade the whole area, then seed it and start fresh. I'm also considering putting sand on top once the grass starts to come up. Should I aerate the yard before bringing in the dirt? Or maybe add sand first? There are a few large trees in the front yard that I need to keep in mind too. The back yard is mostly flat but has a lot of crabgrass and clovers. I recently installed 12-foot drainage extensions to keep water away from the house, but I want to make sure the yard is flat enough to mow without issues. It feels like my mower needs off-road suspension right now!
1 Answer
I’ve got a similar backyard project coming up! From what I've read, you should definitely bring in screened dirt first, compact it down, and then add topsoil before seeding. That should give you a nice, smooth base to work with.
Do you think it's better to do this in the fall or wait until spring? I get pretty cold winters around here.