Sanding the lawn is a sensible way to round off exemplary care. Indispensable on golf courses and soccer fields, turf sand also solves many a problem on the green at home. The following instructions explain in a practical way when and how hobby gardeners sand the lawn correctly.

Why should a lawn be sanded?

Professional care is essential for a lawn to develop into the long-awaited velvety green carpet. In addition to a balanced water and nutrient balance and regular mowing, the soil conditions play an important role. If there are deficiencies here, the application of lawn sand solves the following problems:

  • Sanded loosens compacted lawns
  • Too heavy, rich soil gets a more permeable consistency
  • Lawn sand creates drainage to protect against waterlogging
  • Lawn enriched with quartz sand (€15.85) is more effectively aerated
  • Small bumps are compensated by sanding

In the interplay of all care factors, lawn sand makes a valuable contribution to dense, deep green grass growth.

Which sand is suitable for lawn sand?

Do not reach for any sand that may have been left over after the last construction work. In order to expertly sand your delicate lawn, the material should be:

  • Very fine, with a grain size of 0 to a maximum of 2 millimeters
  • Washed and lime-poor quartz sand
  • Preferably in round-grain quality

Rheinsand is best suited for sanding the lawn and is cheap to buy at €0.45 per kilogram.

tips

Due to the small grain size, play sand is ideal for lawn sand. Since the silt and clay particles were washed out particularly carefully here, it does not necessarily have to be quartz sand. Fine-grained, washed pit sand for the children's playground is also good for the lawn.

How to properly sand the lawn

Simply spreading lawn sand over the lawn does not produce the desired effect. Rather, it is important to incorporate the material into the turf. Follow these steps:

  • Mow the lawn to a cutting height of 2-3 centimeters in spring or autumn
  • Scarify the green area lengthwise and crosswise
  • Set the device to a working depth of 3-5 millimeters
  • Remove the combed out lawn thatch and run the mower over the area again

After this preparatory work, pour the quartz sand into a spreader and apply it to the lawn. There is nothing wrong with spreading by hand as long as the lawn sand is spread evenly and in a thin layer. A dosage of 5 liters per square meter is completely sufficient. Then sweep the lawn sand carefully with a broom or rake.

Aerating intensifies the sand effect

If you are confronted with a heavily compacted turf, you will not stop at scarifying as part of the preparatory work. So that the lawn does not run out of breath, prudent hobby gardeners also aerate the green before sanding. Here's how to do it:

  • Prepare the lawn with a manual or mechanical aerator
  • Push the hollow soil nails into the ground at a distance of 10-15 centimeters
  • Alternatively, use the digging fork to punch 400 holes per square meter in the turf

The earth that has been cut out must not be trampled down again, but is disposed of. On manual devices, such as the lawn woodpecker, there is a practical tub for this purpose. The small 'earth sausages' collect in it for easy disposal. Then you can spread the quartz sand as described.

Topdressing - the premium version of sanding

Experienced hobby gardeners opt for a top dressing in order to sand a lawn that is burdened by heavy weed and moss growth even better. This is a rich mix of quartz sand, organic matter and fertilizer. Peat, sieved compost or fine leaf soil serve as organic additions. The leftover soil cones after aerating are also suitable.

This mixture not only fulfills the classic tasks of sanding, but also revitalizes the noble grasses of the lawn at the same time. Growth is then even faster, so that moss and weeds have a bad hand.

tips and tricks

If the lawn is used primarily as a place for children to play, use quartz sand to create a practical layer of cleanliness between the lawn support level and the gang of little rascals. This works very easily without prior scarifying or aerating. In spring and summer you spread a maximum of 2 liters of lawn sand per square meter and work it in with a coarse broom.

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Garden design