Only rarely do gardeners enjoy the privilege of a horizontal garden floor, as if drawn with a ruler. It is therefore advisable to level out disturbing differences in height before laying out lawns and beds or paving patios and paths. You can usually save yourself the cost-intensive use of a specialist company. This guide is packed with tips and tricks on how to level your garden yourself.

Small bumps can be evened out with the spade

Determine the maximum height difference - this is how it works

The start of a garden straightening is the marking of the entire area that you want to level. Use the following method to determine exactly the existing height difference that needs to be leveled:

  • Drive wooden posts into the ground around the area
  • Stretch strings a few centimeters above the ground
  • Hang a plumb line on the strings to determine the highest point on the terrain

By measuring at various points with a plumb bob and measuring tape, you can determine to the centimeter to what extent the uneven surface needs to be leveled. In order to keep track of things, ideally mark and write down the values. Please allow for a gradient of 2 cm per meter running away from the house so that you do not have to struggle with drainage problems afterwards.

Leveling the ground - step-by-step instructions for the rough leveling

Following the numerical documentation of the straightening, the ground work can begin. All that is required to professionally level the uneven garden is a shovel, rake and a roller. How to proceed correctly step by step:

  • Raise the existing turf from the surface of the earth with a spade
  • Ideally spread out a weed fleece (21.70€) for an easy-care garden
  • Gradually distribute topsoil over the surface and level with the rake
  • Repeatedly measure the progress of straightening with a plumb bob and tape measure
  • In the last step, level the surface with a lawn roller

In order to level a large area, you can borrow various machines and devices at a hardware store at a reasonable price. A sod cutter removes old lawn or a bumpy lawn in no time. A tiller loosens the soil to remove roots. Use a small vibrating plate (€499.00) to level out the topsoil. The mini excavator effortlessly moves a large volume of earth.

Even out the last unevenness with fine planum - this is how it works

After the rough planum, please give the floor at least 2 weeks to settle. After this period, measure the level again with a spirit level. Where the soil has subsided, level those final bumps with a mix of topsoil and compost. Work the surface with a rake, rake and lawn roller until fine-grained soil is formed. This fine planum forms the perfect basis for plants of all kinds.

tips

Leveling your garden is an excellent opportunity to improve the quality of the garden soil. Sandy soil gets a better storage capacity for water and nutrients with mature compost. Loosen up compacted loam and clay soil with sand, perlite (€37.51) and leaf compost.

Category:

Garden design