Top-dressing a lawn is a fancy term for amending the soil without disturbing the sod. Golfers might be familiar with the practice because this technique was first performed on golf courses in Scotland ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. A newly sown lawn needs the right balance of nutrients, moisture, and aeration to establish strong roots. That's where top-dressing comes in.

Q: We built a house two years ago and are struggling to establish a new lawn. Our soil is mostly clay and highly compacted. I aerated the lawn last year and am planning to aerate again as well as ...