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How to level a plot in the country for a lawn or vegetable garden

This WordPress post covers important steps and useful advice for anyone wanting to level their plot of land in the country for a lawn or vegetable garden. It begins by providing a comprehensive list of all the necessary tools, and explains the importance of adequate preparation and the activities involved in the task. The step-by-step guide then outlines the removal of roots and stones for ground levelling, as well as discussing the various methods of smoothing and compacting the soil. Finally, the benefits of levelling the plot, such as improved drainage and fertilizer, are discussed in detail. This is a essential read for anyone looking to level their plot of land for a lawn or vegetable garden.

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Leveling the site is necessary for three reasons: for building a house, for arranging paths and areas, for laying out a garden or lawn. The latter case is the most difficult, especially if the plot’s own fertile layer is good and must be preserved.

How to level a plot in the country for a lawn or vegetable garden

Features of the layout

A level area for the lawn is important at least from a safety point of view – holes and folds hidden under the grass can cause a fall. And the uneven overall relief spoils the appearance of the lawn and is incompatible with the aesthetic requirements for landscape design. If the improvement of the site occurs after the construction of the house, then man-made ones will also be added to the natural folds of the relief.

The process of rolling the soil for the lawn with a special roller

For both the lawn and the vegetable garden, a level area is important for an optimal water supply to the plants. In the depressions, there will be an accumulation of water, and on the hills, on the contrary, the weathering of moisture and drying out of the soil.

When leveling a plot in the country, you also need to remember about the general rule of planning the local area – a slight slope from the house must be observed.

Leveling the site with soil for the garden

Perhaps the easiest way is to level the plot for the garden – it does not require a perfectly flat surface. Usually, after the site is cleaned and prepared, several machines of fertile soil are brought in, after which it is evenly distributed over the site, leveling the surface “by eye”. After some time, when the soil settles, additional filling and leveling are carried out.

Leveling under the sowing lawn is more time consuming – it is necessary to achieve an almost ideal ground surface. Moreover, unlike a vegetable garden, which can be trimmed next season, a plot for a parterre or park lawn before sowing grasses should already have the proper appearance. Therefore, the poured places are rolled several times, compacting the layer and adding, if necessary, a new portion of fertile soil.

The process of rolling soil for the lawn with a special roller

Leveling under a wild or meadow lawn while maintaining the beneficial wild plants characteristic of the region requires a completely different approach. The site is divided into squares and problem areas that deviate from the specified level are identified. In these places, squares of turf are cut out, folded in the shade and covered with wet matting (which is periodically moistened). If there is a hole in this square, then it is filled up with imported soil and rammed to the level of the border zones (minus the thickness of the removed turf). If this is a tubercle, then it is cut off and a small depression is made to add fertile soil. Then these places are watered and the squares of turf are returned to their place (each to its own).

Preparation for work

Before leveling, the site must be prepared for excavation work: clear it of debris, uproot stumps, collect large stones and boulders. Grubbing is considered the most difficult – it is better for it to use the services of a specialized company or auxiliary workers. The rest of the work can be done by hand.

Site clearing

Advice.Don’t rush to throw away stumps – they can be used to make garden furniture. And large stones are a good building material for paths or alpine slides..

Alignment methods

If the plot is relatively flat, then leveling for a vegetable garden or sowing lawn is easy. It is enough to dig it up in the fall or plow it up with a cultivator and level it with a rake – often for this, its own layer of fertile soil is enough. In the spring, check the surface level again, if necessary, level it again, and sow the area in accordance with its purpose.

Leveling the plot with a cultivator

If your own soil is not enough to level the surface, then backfilling of depressions and pits is carried out with imported soil.

If the relief of the site is rather complex, with a significant difference in height between the tubercles and depressions, the alignment is carried out using the technology, as for a wild lawn. Divide the site into regular squares with a side size of 1 meter. Pegs (beacons) are driven in at the tops of the squares so that they protrude 10-15 cm above the surface. Using a rigid wooden lath or a metal corner (better than an aluminum one – it is lighter) level the height of the pegs. The rail, which, as a rule, should be more than two meters, it is consistently applied in all directions to the ends of three adjacent pegs. You can use a shorter length, but then you have to reduce the size of the side of the square – the main thing is that the rule falls on three points.

Aligning the site with pegs

They find the lowest and highest points, choose the “golden mean”, and begin to align the area relative to it:

  1. In squares with a high level, fertile soil is removed (in most cases it is a few centimeters of the humus layer), the surplus is cut off from the underlying layer (scientifically – the washout horizon) and the removed layer is filled back.
  2. Imported fertile soil is poured into squares with a low level.
  3. Level the surface so that the height of the pegs above the level of the site is the same.
  4. Roll up, compacting the soil, poured places.

Ready plot for a lawn

This method can be used if the entire fertile layer is completely removed. Its advantage is that you do not need to import new soil. But it will require the involvement of special equipment – it is very difficult to manually move such a large volume. In this case, with the help of a dump, a tractor is cut off and shifted the fertile layer to the edge of the site. Then the site is leveled with the same dump. After that, the soil is returned, evenly spreading over the site, leveling it using a breakdown into squares.

Removing the fertile layer with a plow

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Comments: 3
  1. Harper

    I am curious about the best methods to level a plot in the country. Are there any specific techniques or tools that are recommended for achieving a leveled surface suitable for a lawn or vegetable garden?

    Reply
    1. Samuel Wright

      To level a plot in the country, there are several recommended methods and tools. First, remove any debris or large rocks from the area. Begin by using a shovel or a garden rake to break up and redistribute any uneven soil. Next, use a hand tamper or a rented plate compactor to compact the soil evenly. For larger areas, a tractor-mounted box scraper or a landscape rake can be effective in leveling the ground. It’s crucial to continuously check the level using a long piece of wood or a level tool throughout the process. To achieve a completely level surface, adding topsoil or compost and spreading it evenly can help fill in any low spots. Finally, finish by lightly compacting the soil again and watering it thoroughly to settle the ground. This prepares a suitable surface for your lawn or vegetable garden, ensuring optimal growth.

      Reply
  2. Hazel Kelly

    What are the essential steps and tools required for leveling a plot in the country to create a lawn or vegetable garden?

    Reply
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