What can I do about my soggy lawn?

by Lesley

QUESTION:

One side of my garden is shaded by a fence. It's also a heavy, clay soil, so doesn't drain very easily.

The grass grows well but it's hard to cut because it's so wet. It wears out easily too, when my daughter was living here her collie dog ran a deep track around the garden which is taking a long time to grow over.

Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

Clay soil particles are like microscopic sheets of paper. They easily pack and stack themselves into tight soils with little pore spaces, creating heavy soils that don't drain.

You can improve these areas with core aeration and topdressing with compost. Aerators can be rented at equipment rental stores or hire a lawn care service.

Run the aerator over the problem spots several times - poking a lot of holes that will be filled in with compost. Topdressing with compost is easy, simply dump small piles and use a leaf rake to spread it.

Help the thin and bare areas fill in by overseeding after you aerate and topdress.

This is a process that will need to be repeated several times - you might want to aerate and topdress twice a year - in the spring and fall - until these areas improve.

Finally, make sure you are watering properly.