Leveling a bumpy yard/lawn in DFW, Texas

[PK]

I wasn't brought up in these parts so I'm not altogether sure of the best approach to this but I have a lot of bumps and hollows in my yard and I'd like my lawn to be a lot smoother come next Spring.

Now, trying to excuse my ignorance of how to go about this ...

- I should do this in the Spring just as the grass is about to grow? or before the frosts come?

- My soil is just normal Texas 'clay' with about 2 inches of sand that the builders put down and then the 1-2 inches on the sod - should I be adding topsoil to my entire yard if I can afford it? My Bermuda grass was fairly good this year but a little patchy and very bumpy.

- Alternatively does a roller work well with repeated use?

- The important question - where does one get a few cubic yards of good topsoil near Frisco, TX?

I saw them putting down some nice topsoil along side George Bush Turnpike but I think they would notice me parked alongside the road. Actually, the topsoil going down alongside the Turnpike is what made me thing if this is the time of year to do such a thing.

Any advice welcome.

Regards, PK

[William W. Plummer]

My yard is bumpy, also. I've tried towing around a standard roller filled with water, but it really doesn't help. Of course, if you have tree roots causing the bumps, you'll have to get rid of them or cover them every few years with soil. I'm trying raking topsoil and seed over the low spots, but without scarifying the original surface. I don't know how it will work.

[Chuck]

Now this has been *years* ago when I was in Jr. High, but I remember my dad getting a dump truck load of sand (?). Then good ol' Chuck would have to carry the sand to the back yard using a wheelbarrow and spread it with a shovel.

From there my dad got a cross tie and if I remember right, he hammered some large nails in the bottom of the cross tie with about 1 or 2 inches hanging out from the bottom, acting as a rake (?) and attached a rope to both ends of the cross tie.. Again, good ol' Chuck would then pull the cross tie around the yard like a mule spreading and leveling the sand.

This seemed to do the trick because to this day, the yard is level, other than where the city came in and dug a hole in the yard.

[newstome]

I see. This sounds like a very effective technique. When can you come over?

[Chuck]

Like I said, I was in Jr High and didn't have a choice. You may want to contact Juan though. He may be able to help.

[Srgnt Billko]

I'd try the original builer - who knows, he might just dump you a load. I dump dirt on low spots all the time and don't bother with seed - the grass just comes back up through the dirt.

[benzette]

[Chuck]

Ummm... bottom posting is the preferred method here (dfw.general)...

[William W. Plummer]

That's inane. I just use the Mozilla default. Please add a rule to delete posts from me and everyone else that your don't approve of.

[Willondon]

I don't know what the Mozilla default is, but if it's to start the reply cursor at the beginning of the quoted message, like most newsreaders do, then the invitation to start editing, snipping and pruning at that spot, you've mistaken for an invitation to just start typing away.

[Eric]

True but the problem with bottom posting is that you must always scroll down to read posts. with top posting you can work your way through the entire thread from start to finish without being forced to scroll,scroll,scoll. IMHO top posting makes much more sense. Eric

[PK]

Thank y'all for the advice. I'll get the aerator going (someone just did it a few doors down) and then get some decent soil in.

PK