The Best Time Of Year To Smooth & Level A Bumpy Lawn For Better Results

A bumpy lawn is more than just an eyesore. If your turf is topsy-turvy, it's harder to mow, and you can forget about lawn games with running involved unless you like living dangerously when trip hazards abound. Annual freeze-thaw cycles, root intrusion, poor drainage, burrowing animals, and just regular old erosion can all cause your lawn to take on a lumpy look. You already know you've got to even things out, but what's the best time of year to level an uneven lawn? The short answer is spring and fall. 

These seasons are ideal, as you won't have to work in bitter cold or scorching heat, and your soil won't be too wet or too dry. Your lawn's moisture level is the single most important factor when it comes to leveling. Too dry and added material won't compact well; too wet and it won't grade well. That's why, in most regions, spring and fall are the Goldilocks times to smooth and level a bumpy lawn to get the best results. If you're unsure, use a soil moisture meter. But soil moisture level is not the only factor — the type of grass you're growing also plays a crucial role.

Your grass needs to be in its active growing season (when it requires regular mowing) when you level it in order to adequately recover from the process. That's because the grass has to be able to to grow up through the topdressing you apply to low spots, as dumping topdressing mix on top of dormant turf is a good way to get dead grass. It also needs to be able to regrow quickly in the high spots you knock down and level out. 

As different types of grasses have different growing seasons, the grass you have growing in your yard will determine the optimal time to level it. Warm-season grasses, like Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede, and Bahia, generally bounce back from leveling during their growing season in spring to early summer. Cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue will recover better during their growing season in late summer to fall. Knowing your grass type and its growing season will help you choose the right season to level your lawn.