Watch this BEFORE top dressing with sand!
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Hey Everyone,
So there has been a hype these last couple of years about throwing down sand on your lawn. In this video I will try to explain why you should be careful putting too much sand on your lawn. I mean it's fun throwing sand down but there are some downsides to it that you might have not considered.
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On top of everything you mentioned, I'd also say that most videos on YT where people level and topdress with pure sand are for lawns made of bermuda grass (or any other heat tolerant grasses).
For cool season lawns made of rye grass or fescue, like most lawns in Europe, I'd also advise to mix sand with topsoil and compost.
For the deep leveling, I use a mix of 60% topsoil / 30% sand / 10% compost
For the light bumps, I level with a mix of 70% sand / 30% sand
And like Wayne Essar said, topdressing with compost is definitely like the fountain of youth for the lawn
Hey, Yes very true!! When editing that thought also hit me, I forgot to mention the difference between warm and cool season grass types, good thing you brought it up, very important. Hopefully the video spreads, I really feel strongly about this, think sand is being overused at the moment for quick results.
For light bumps you wrote 70% sand / 30% sand. I guess one should be topsoil. Which one? I need todo exactly that.
@@ziganoe2555 I couldn't edit my post so I was unable to correct it but it's 70% sand / 30% topsoil (as long as you don't do more than 70% sand for light bumps, it will be fine. 50%/50% is also great btw)
@@dcheaven great. Thank you very much.
@@ziganoe2555 70% sand and 30% topsoil is what it should be :) good luck with the leveling, let me know how it turns out mate :)
I find it amazing that people have time to mow their lawn twice a week. You're right. Sometimes even daily! I am trying to get my lawn from a house I moved into a year ago back into good shape. I definitely don't have enough time to do my regular job and mow my lawn twice a week even. I wish I did. But my lawn is not my job. I am somewhat of a perfectionist but I have to let something slide.
Well, if it's a hobby then I guess you make time for it, but if you want a decent lawn but not dedicate your entire free time to it then I agree, I would never spend that much time mowing the lawn if it weren't a hobby of mine.
I think part of it is having the correct mower for the lawn size as well. If it only takes you 20-30 min to mow, twice a week is way more realistic than if it takes an 1-2 hours. I mow 2-3 times a week but because my lawn takes about 35ish minutes to do the front and back combined for 8000 sq ft, it's not too bad. If was taking me an hour or longer, I'd probably consider a wider mower.
@@ahastar1141 For sure mate, absolutely correct!
@@SamsLawn I don’t think there are enough options for home mowers outside 21-22inch. Homeowners need more options to better suit their property sizes as well as the time they want to spend on the lawn mowing.
That’s 100% spot on. To keep a yard like those guys takes a lot of freaking work
It really does, I mean mine takes a lot of effort too, but not nearly like that. Hopefully people realize that sand does look like fun, you do get a smooth lawn in the end, but the maintenance comes with it too. Thanks for dropping by dude 🙏🙏
Just found your channel yesterday. Been watching all the past videos. We have had a cooler spring here in Alaska. Patiently waiting to do yard work, here we have to wait until the ground is no longer frozen.
Hey man, glad you dropped by, thanks for watching the vids, really appreciate it, hopefully you find them helpful. Also itching really badly to get going with the lawn, but what to do when the ground is frozen still, same as you. But we will get going soon enough dude :)
Great call! Giving advice about sand with no context is dangerous. Appreciate you making the distinction of how sand should be applied if at all. I have used sand to level my old Bermuda lawn, but when I use sand I try to make sure I mix it with compost preferably or at a minimum some top soil.
Compost is so underrated I think, more people should mix sand with compost. 👌
@@SamsLawn it’s the best mix I have found so far.
Well said, Sam! Makes absolute sense what you say about sand. As is often the case on the internet, people have taken leave of their senses. They think they always have some new solution that hasn't been discovered yet! Yet there lawn isn't that great and they usually have a service doing the work.
Hey mate, for sure, not sure why there is a sand hype, people are just setting themselves up for disaster. To sad thing is that I have seen in the comments from other popular videos from other lawncare channels, where people question the use of sand, but people still make videos using it since it gets views and not because it's necessarily a good thing to do for your soil and lawn.
I have no clue why it takes you guys so long, a huge yard can be done in 2 hours. Use a rug like a drag mat, or 2 by 4 with rope on ends and just drag it behind a 4wheeler or golf cart. It's not hard. The funny thing is how little all of you know, not being mean but this isn't something you should do to your yard, fix the low spots if needed but throwing down tons of sand will cause massive problems sometime in the future, it's called layering in the soil, putting down to much sand eventually makes it way down in soil as the top of the ground gets higher, roots can't grow thru a layering issue, it than causes black layer. It happens on golf greens from people that have no knowledge on what there doing
My problem with adding sand is I use a Hy Vac Snapper 33inch riding mower on my Bermuda and it tends to Vacuum all lose material into the bagger. Sand wouldn't work for me. Maybe in the winter when mowing isn't needed and the sand would stay in place. Or I would have to use my reel mower and then sweep the yard with my lawn sweeper. I always enjoy your channel.
Never actually thought about that, interesting, I wonder if all rotary mowers do that then? Don't they all vacuum up the grass to mulch it? Never owned one so :)
thanks for dropping by mate, appreciate it.
Try walking on the beach on a hot day and you’ll see the sand gets very hot. The deeper you put sand on your grass the hotter it will get. Higher percentage of sand will drain well but not enough soil means it won’t absorb water so you’ll have a burnt grass in those areas. Or plan on patch treating your lawn. Keep the videos coming Sam. 👍
Hey Ted, good analogy, agree 100%, thanks for watching mate 🙏
@@SamsLawn I lost my ❤️ for my 1st message after making an edit lol
@@teda4284 haha can't have that dude!! Immediate fix incoming! 💪🏼😁
I agree, I use good top soil, sand has no nutritional value to grass.
That’s good advice. Noobs should not use sand. I spend spring to fall in my yard and I use sand but it does all the thing he notes in this video as far as work and maintenance added
Hey Joe, thanks for watching mate. I think too few mention the added maintenance when recommending to use sand.
Further, "just put sand on it" could kill some person with a heart ailment...!
For a person new to lawn care an enriched, bagged compost would yield results that would amaze them!
Sam....I bought an eddha iron product that was made in Sweden and the down side is I have a ten year supply now!
Our weather is the same alternating from fake spring to winter again.
I know, compost is so undervalued when it comes to lawn care, I think people think too short term when it comes to this, they want to spread sand and get quick results, need to think over several seasons in my opinion.
haha at least you are good to go for the next ten years 😂
hope we can begin our seasons soon Wayne, really itching to get started :)
I’m about to take a very poor condition lawn. Wasn’t watered last year at all as the lady was very old and moving out so she didn’t care . Here in rural North Yorkshire we had the hottest day of the century 10m away and it lasted most summer. We then puppies 5 of them and three adult dogs we then had rain and snow.
I had thought sand mix would be part of my over-seed procedure this spring
Hey Andy, really like Yorkshire, stayed in the area for a couple of days on my way to Scotland a couple of years ago, really gorgeous place. I think you can have a sand mix and it will benefit the lawn, but emphasis on MIX. I am really not sure using purely sand is beneficial for normal home owners, but if you have a mix of sand with regular soil or some compost then it is awesome for the soil and give you good drainage and stability. Good luck with the renovation, let me know how it works out.
@@SamsLawn thanks very much for getting back to me . I’ll definitely do what you have suggested. Just waiting a little longer until we’re definitely past the frosts
Great advice on shoowing the big picture when using pure sand for leveling
Thanks man, really think people need to consider this more, it's so easy to think that sand is some kind of short cut to a golf course lawn without thinking about what it actually entails
Exactly, I’d use compost and top soil mix only and that’s gud for all types of soil and weather.
I agree Amit, compost is very undervalued in lawns, more and more people go for the short term sand approach.
Golf courses take soil samples 4 times a year to analyze their soil composition. They know exactly what they need to do to improve their soil over time. When a homeowner haphazardly adds sand after aeration big problems can occur. Remember sand and clay can create a concrete like soil in some situations.
Fully agree mate
Be careful of root break if you build up a sand top .
Hollow tine or spike it to integrate.
Also course angular sand not soft round sand that compacts and causes drainage problems.
Good points Martin!
I wonder if some people use the terms ‘sand’ and ‘soil’ interchangeably.
I have used sand to spot-treat deep holes, particularly where extra drainage is needed.
For top-dressing, I make my own “lawn sand mix” which contains sifted soil with lots of nutrients from my compost systems.
Hey mate, for sure if you need drainage, sand is the way to go, but I really like the sand mix you do, sounds perfect!
I New England most soils are high clay. I have customers that you can't even dig your finger through the surface of their soil, this is where I recommend sand... No it will not "make concrete" as sand/silt have no negatively charged CEC sites; sand is good for those with high clay & poor surface drainage / uneven surface infiltration
I agree mate, I have never ever seen any lawn turn into concrete because of any type of sand. Not sure where that comes from. I have seen endless videos where people say that but still haven´t seen or heard it happen to anyone.
You didnt even list half of the things we do on a golf course and how often. The video you had wasnt aeration, the tractor pulling a deep verticutting machine and applyy sand deep in the green, its for sand drainage to get past built up thatch or a soil issue near the top of the rootzone
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@@SamsLawn there's something else you should know. For the fastest greens possible we ride the edge of everything. As little water as possible usually watering once a week if that unless we are hand watering this keeps the greens dry and firm. As little nitrogen as possible which means the grass is growing very little from day to day. We put down fungicides, wetting agents, sometimes growth regulators on warm season greens, chemicals to the help the sand hold nutrients since sand is horrible at that. You would be surprised how little sand we put down. Aeration is the bulk of sand, topdressing every two weeks is a extremely fine layer to with any issues with the ball rolling smooth and keep thatch down since a lot of newer turfs especially greens create insane amounts of thatch. Your yard doesn't need sand a lot of grass cultivars really don't like sand and will only cause issues. Sand leveling is also bad. Putting down large amounts of sand can lead to layering in the soil, roots won't grow through that layering issue, you can than get black layer which is very bad. Most home lawns don't need anything not aeration or anything, the main thing they would benefit from is verticutting, cutting grooves and removing some thatch. If the lawn is cut I properly the dead grass clippings should be raked up or a dragging done with scarifier or dethathcer
@@chosen1one930 Man, you are just full of awesome information! I might just do a separate video further down and just talk about your feedback, you seem to have very good, in depth knowledge, real life knowledge! Keep it coming mate! really appreciate it.
I am about to do my lawn. My PH isn’t good at the moment, so I won’t use sand, I use a compost and sand mix with a 7.5ph, then I use a heavy roller after I have scarified, aerated and overseeded.
Hey Ross, compost is so undervalued! PH is one of those things that takes some time to adjust just need to keep at it like you do, awesome mate.
Thx for great videos. Cant wait for the season to get going soon!!
Hi Kjetil, tackar så mycket: Appreciate it mate. Me too, can't wait! But this season has been the slowest starting season ever, I mean, it's may and we still have below zero temps during nights and the grass is not all green yet..... Hope its better where you are :)
70% organic material and 30% medium size sand is my trick for insuring good drainage, added nutrients, and without creating concrete or mud of my clay based soil lawn.
Hey Matt, I think that sounds like a perfect mix, some sand is awesome but soil needs organic material, awesome mate.
Just wanted some of your videos. Love your approach. Very accessible.
Can you talk about meadow grass or weed grass? I'm UK, I assume you still have these issues in Sweden.
Putting sand onto your lawn is merely a one time remedy. It’s not meant for every year!
Ryan Knorr cuts his lawn EVERYDAY😂😂😂
Probably, right?? 😅
I use a 50/50 sand topsoil mix. But I hate how people say topsoil isn’t good for leveling because it breaks down over time. Like what is your lawn sitting on right now??? Bedrock?
I agree mate! If nothing ever broke down then golf courses wouldn´t need to level several times per year, then ONE leveling would be enough.
Sand helps dethaching
Interesting, never heard that, in what way does it help dethatching?
Sam I would add to this that golf courses use specialist sand which is not angular like common or builders sand, & very fine so it doesn't bind, allowing full drainage. But it's very expensive.
For sure, didn't want to get too technical about the type of sand but you are 100% correct. I have seen on FB and other platforms people using cheap sand that is not really for the lawn, but to each his own, I wouldn't recommend it :)
thanks again mate, always nice to have some professional input!
I’m looking for a video that explains how to grow grass in a dog yard 50 by 60 feet. Urine is hard on grass
Hey mate, hmm not sure there are any grass types that survives urine spots, don´t have dogs myself so it´s hard for me to try it out, but i´m sure there you kind find a lot of information by just googling it and see which type of grass is the best against urine spots.
Hi Sam. Thanks for the info. Maybe I’m a nerd too ...... I like information. How can you make the right decision for your position/ situation without information 👍
Hey JT, exactly right my man!
Really like your videos, so inspirational! I’m curious to know, if I can ask, what do you do for a living?
Hi Fran, thank you so much for the kind words, really means a lot to me! I work as an IT project manager, so far away from lawn care :D
Fantastiskt, helt rätt. Lagom aggressiv. Det blir en like och sub :)
haha tur att det var lagomt aggressivt, försökte hålla mig lugn :) Tack för det 🙏😊
Once you cap your lawn with sand you are pretty much stuck with only sand on top from here on out. If you then add compost or soil on top of your sand layer, you have different layers (perched water table) that can cause major problems down the road. Water infiltrates the soil from a large particle (sand) to a small particle (soil) easily, but not the other way around. This video demonstrates what happens: czcams.com/video/ego2FkuQwxc/video.html
Very good input mate, i completely forgot to even bring this up, but it's very true!
Thank you for sharing that link for the video on water movement in soil. That was informative and very helpful to understand how the presence of sand, clay, etc., in different configurations affects water movement in soil.
🤜
You should change your YT channel name to “Sam the Debunker!”
Hahaha good idea Steve 😅
Lawn mythbuster 😅
thank you!
Hey Steve, thank YOU mate, appreciate you dropping by.
6:19 What kind of mixture? Percentage sand, compost, peat... And do you also use that to topdress?
Hey mate, I always try to use at least 30-40% soil or compost in the mix, purely sand is nothing I have every used nor likely to use, this isn't a golf course :D
Yep, use the same mix for topdress, or just pure compost.
@@SamsLawn I've tried pure sand (masonry) before to topdress begin fall, my lawn (north) doesn't like it. I use a 50/50 mix (sand/compost) for the largest part of my lawn, wet areas I'll do 70/30 and dry areas 1/4/2 (last one is peat).
@@bigbotno1 That sounds better than sand. Not sure why so many insist using sand, doesn't add anything to the soil or the grass, at least not for a regular home garden. But to each his own, as long as people are aware of the downsides. Think your mix sounds perfect mate, I would keep using the 50/50 or 70/30 any day over pure sand
👍👍
Gött med sand ju! Men 5cm gropar… nja. Inte toppen.
Haha jo till viss grad men tycker att det går till överdrift nu för tiden 😁
They mow their lawns every day or every other day?
Pretty much. I do that too men it's peak growing season.
@@SamsLawn ok, cheers, different strokes for different folks, it’s like banzai without the trees I suppose.
I am considering adding sand to the bank account.
Oh right. I got a wheelbarrow load of sand I need to get rid of. I guess it wouldn't matter if I just disperse it all over the place really thinly.
Nah, that won't do any damage at all, I am talking more about using tons and tons and tons of sand over time, that has consequences. So you go ahead mate, a wheelbarrow of sand won't hurt at all :)
You could mix it with some sifted compost before scattering it around
What about top dressing with peat moss ??? Good or bad?
Hey Anthony, well I don't really have that much experience with peat moss, I honestly don't know a single person anywhere in Sweden who uses it for seeding or in the lawn at all. All I can say is that like sand it is pretty much a "dead" material, in the sense that it does not contain any nutrients. It's good for dealing with compacted soils as a soil amendment, just like sand. Difference being that peat moss can retain water, so it does help out a lot with keeping moisture. But I would always recommend mixing in something that actually adds something to the soil and the microlife in it, like compost, normal top dressing etc.
Sorry for the bad answer, but I really have very little experience with using peat moss. Maybe I'll try it out this year :)
really Bad practice to use a non renewable resource that took millennia to take place, just to toss it on grass. very bad use case
you lost me after two minutes of not making a point.
I think that´s for the best 😉