Bumpy Or Uneven Lawn

What's happening?

The RHS says that lawns often look tatty or patchy after a summer of heavy use or hot, dry weather, and that frosty or soggy winters can take their toll, especially when the lawn is walked on a lot. It says dips and bumps make mowing tricky, and that extremely low cutting may scalp the lawn, leaving bare patches where there are bumps or tree roots at the surface. Its method for evening out small bumps and dips is to cut through the uneven area with an H-shaped incision using a flat-bladed spade and peel back the turf, fork over the base and either remove the excess soil or add new topsoil to raise the level, firm the soil so it is level, then replace the two flaps of turf and check the lawn is level. Rubble under a lawn is covered on its own page.

What usually causes it?

• Heavy wear and walking on the lawn, especially in frosty or soggy winters, which the RHS says can take their toll
• Hot, dry weather that leaves the lawn tatty and patchy
• Tree roots at the surface, where very low mowing can scalp the lawn
• Hollows and bumps left by the way the turf was laid or the ground was prepared
• Rubble or an obstruction under the turf

Is it dangerous?

No. The RHS says dips and bumps make mowing tricky, and that extremely low cutting may scalp the lawn over bumps.

Can I fix it myself?

Follow the RHS method on small bumps and dips: cut an H-shaped incision with a flat-bladed spade, peel back the two flaps of turf, fork over the base, remove soil from a bump or add topsoil to a hollow, firm the soil level, replace the turf and check the level again, adjusting if needed. Spring or autumn suits turf repairs, according to the RHS. Raise the mower cutting height so it does not scalp the high spots. For large or widespread unevenness, or if you find rubble, ask a gardener or landscaper.

When should you call a gardener?

Call a gardener to level a lawn with many bumps and hollows, or a landscaper if the whole lawn needs relevelling or the ground beneath it needs correcting. Tree roots at the surface of a lawn near a tree are a job for a tree surgeon to assess first.

What will the gardener actually do?

• Cut, lift and relevel the turf over bumps and hollows, as the RHS describes
• Add or remove topsoil and firm it to a level surface
• Reseed or re-turf any bare areas that result
• Advise on mowing height to avoid scalping
• Check for rubble or roots that are causing the unevenness

Who fixes this

• Lawn care

Questions people ask

Sources & References

1. RHS: repairing lawns, reseeding and returfing
2. RHS: lawn mowing guide