If you think topdressing and conditioner sound like they belong in a hair salon, you’re not wrong.
But if you’re honest, your lawn could probably use a beauty treatment.
Is it thin or patchy? Not as green as you’d like? Full of weeds? Struggling to grow?
Its soil might need a boost.
Jump to Section
- First, A Word About Your Soil
- What Is Soil Conditioner?
- Next Up: What Is Sod Topdressing?
- How to Get the Best Soil for Your Idaho Lawn? Trust Lawn Buddies
How do you treat poor soil in a lawn? Soil conditioner helps, adding rich nutrients your lawn needs to thrive. Topdressing for sod is a great idea, too, adding another layer of organic oomph that makes its way down to your lawn’s hungry soil.
Keep reading to learn more about topdressing for sod and lawn soil conditioner.
First, A Word About Your Soil
When you look out at your lawn, you (hopefully) see green, healthy grass. But what you don’t see — the soil — is really important to your lawn’s good health.
It all starts down there.
What’s so great about the soil beneath that grass?
That’s where your lawn’s food is. All the good nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that your grass needs to grow is down there in the dirt. Healthy soil helps your grass roots absorb all that good stuff.
The soil helps water drain, and hangs onto enough water so your grass doesn’t die of thirst. Healthy soil makes sure too much water doesn’t hang around and cause root rot but keeps enough for a good long drink.
Healthy soil is where your lawn’s important roots stretch out and grow. The deeper and stronger the roots, the stronger and healthier the lawn. When drought hits or damaging pests move in or your kid’s soccer team tramples the lawn, its deep strong roots help it hold up to the assault.
The thing is, your soil might not be too great. No offense. It happens.
The lawns at many Idaho homes are growing on a thin layer of poor, depleted soil that could really use a boost. It just isn’t giving the grass everything it needs to thrive and look its best.
The soil here in Idaho tends to contain a lot of clay, too, which means water doesn’t drain easily, grass roots struggle to grow in it and air has a hard time reaching the lawn’s roots.
How do you treat poor soil in a lawn?
Here’s the dirt: add lawn soil conditioner and topdressing for sod.
Let’s dig into the details.
What Is Soil Conditioner?
Lawn soil conditioner adds nutrients to your soil to make it stronger and help it do all the important jobs we just talked about, from feeding your grass to helping water drain to supporting those all-important roots.
Is soil conditioner good for lawns? Absolutely.
What’s in it?
The professional soil conditioner Lawn Buddies uses contains humic acid and sea kelp, which both nourish soil.
Don’t be wary because it’s called “acid.” Humic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound formed from decomposed plant matter. It plays an important role in soil health by improving water retention, nutrient availability, and overall plant growth.
Kelp, a type of nutrient-rich seaweed, is a good source of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — the big three for lawn health — and various micronutrients that all plants need for growth and health.
Lawn Buddies technicians can add professional soil conditioner to boost your struggling soil in areas of your lawn or planting beds that take an extra beating.
Lawn Buddies pros recommend it as part of lawn care in Boise and Idaho Falls to build healthier soil.
Next Up: What Is Sod Topdressing?
Just like it sounds, sod topdressing for your lawn starts at the top — you add beneficial ingredients over the top of your lawn that gradually settle in and make their way down into the soil.
It’s not a lawn task that’s done regularly here in Idaho, but it’s an easy and effective way to gradually boost your lawn’s soil, says Dillon Beardall, manager of fertilizer operations at Lawn Buddies.
“Do I believe it’s beneficial? Absolutely,” he says.
He suggests using a mixture of primarily sand, with added topsoil and some compost.
“The sand is to help with water penetration and drainage, as we have fairly clay-like soil that really holds on to moisture and doesn't allow for awesome penetration,” he says. “And good topsoil helps offset that clay. Compost is to create a healthy soil and aid in fertility.”
What does sod topdressing do for your lawn? Lots of good stuff.
Remember that important, hard-working soil? Topdressing feeds it, adding organic matter and beneficial microbes that boost its structure and help it hang on tight to precious water and nutrients.
Topdressing helps break up compacted soil, letting important air, water, and nutrients make their way through easily. If you have sticky clay soil, like Beardall pointed out, this is extra helpful.
Sod topdressing helps reduce the buildup of thatch, that pesky layer of roots and dead grass that tends to accumulate and make it hard for your lawn’s roots to breathe.
Is your lawn kind of uneven and lumpy? (We’re not judging. Here to help.) A nice layer of sod topdressing will help smooth out those lumps and bumps.
Remember to use a lightweight soil amendment like the mix Beardall suggests - NOT regular heavy garden soil. That will just smother your lawn. This is fluffy, lightweight stuff, but it’s full of benefits for your hungry soil.
Shoot for just a quarter of an inch or so. Your grass still needs to breathe.
Spread piles of topdressing all around your yard, then rake them lightly into an even, quarter-inch layer. It’s pretty boring. But your lawn will thank you.
Sod topdressing is a great way to gradually add organic matter and enrich your lawn’s soil without digging everything up and starting over.
Do you need to topdress your lawn every year? As Beadall noted, regular topdressing isn’t a huge part of annual lawn care in Boise and Idaho Falls, but an occasional topdressing will absolutely benefit your hungry soil and lawn.
How to Get the Best Soil for Your Idaho Lawn? Trust Lawn Buddies
Chances are nobody has asked you lately, “So, how’s your lawn soil?”
Maybe we should talk about it more. Healthy soil is really important for a robust and thriving lawn.
But healthy soil is only part of nurturing an impressive green lawn. Good lawn nutrition involves several important factors, from fertilizer to insect control to battling invasive and tenacious weeds.
It can get overwhelming to keep up with it all, right?
Let us make it easy.
Choose lawn care in Boise and Idaho Falls that bundles your yard’s most-needed treatments into one convenient, no-fuss plan.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. Just fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then, you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard.
