My earliest memories include spending hours in the backyard, watching my father leveling the ground in order to make it ready for turfing and plantations.
That’s where my ardent love for gardening comes from - my dad! Now, I understand that not everyone can afford high-powered, high-priced equipment to level their land like he did back in the days.
But even then, he taught me the ingenious skills of leveling with whatever you have and doing it right. To be honest, I didn’t really think it was possible back then; I felt it was a labor-intensive task, which I always wanted to avoid.
Well, what can I say? Even after decades of gardening, his valuable teachings come in handy. Believe it or not, any plot of land can be leveled with whatever tool you have at your disposal. You can even level your ground by hand using a shovel, rake, string, and a few stakes, provided the right steps and techniques are used.
Howdy! I’m Stacy Smith, your friend, and lawn care expert. And today, I’m here with this carefully created guide to teach you how to level ground by hand. To create a better understanding, I’ve briefly explained the steps that need to be followed.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Is Your Ground Even?
Before getting into the depth of how to level ground, you need to be sure whether your plot needs to be leveled or not. That means checking if your ground is even, and in order to do that, you have to check its grading.
Measure the slope by driving a stake near the base of your home and the other one on the opposite end of the ground. Once that’s done, connect the stakes using a string and check its alignment with the help of a level.
Now, measure the drops in the slope every 2 to 4 feet to check if the ground is properly leveled. The slope of the plot should be one inch after every 4 feet; anything less or more means your ground is uneven and needs to be leveled.
Steps To Level Ground By Hand
Prior to constructing a shed, patio, driveway, swimming pool, or even installing a swing set, it’s critical to ensure that the ground is leveled, especially in a hilly area.
I’ve always made it a point to level the ground of my backyard, even before turfing and planting flowers or vegetables. It not only helps ensure the smooth and uniform distribution of water but also prevents issues like soil erosion.
That being said, if you’re thinking about leveling the ground around your home, keep a check on the extent of its unevenness. For mild to moderately uneven grounds, there’s no need to do much.
Just mix a batch of sand, compost, and topsoil to allow the soil to support the healthy growth of grass. Also, spread an even layer of the mix on the ground’s lower areas using a rake and let it sit for a few days.
However, if your small plot of land is severely uneven, there are a few more steps involved in the leveling process. Let’s take a look.
Step 1: Marking The Plot Of Land
First things first, mark the area of the ground to be leveled using stakes and a string. Hammer the stakes into the ground at every corner of the area. Once that’s done, tie one end of the string to the stake’s top, wrapping it around two to three times.
You can then pull the string to the next stake. Repeat the tying process, and continue till the first stake’s reached again. Finally, knot the string around the top to create a boundary.
Step 2: Dig Up The Soil
Here’s where the leveling process actually begins. Dig the soil by inserting a shovel halfway into the ground, starting at one corner of the plot, pull it up, and turn the soil upside down.
The tip of the shovel can be used to break up the big lumps, which you’re bound to come across after digging. Repeat the process until the entire area is covered.
Step 3: Compact The Soil
Next up, use a hoe to break up the soil lumps more effectively, roughly leveling the ground as you dig further. Make sure you break up any clumps larger than the size of a golf ball.
Keep moving the high mounds of the soil to the lower areas to eventually see the ground getting almost leveled automatically.
Step 4: Raking The Area To Level The Ground
Finally, rake the area by moving the garden rake forward and backward to level the ground further. This technique spreads the soil evenly across the land.
In case you notice any soil lumps while raking, use the teeth of the rake to break them up. On the other hand, the back of the rake can be used to level any particularly uneven area.
Summing It Up
Cultivating small plots of land by hand in order to make them even is a prerequisite if you plan on turfing the ground, planting vegetation, or even constructing structures on your property.
There’s always a scope of using power-tillers and other heavy-duty power tools and equipment for leveling grounds. However, most homeowners are unable to afford them.
And even if they’re able to make the investment, I strongly believe in refraining from using high-power equipment for the purpose. This is because they might accelerate the compacting process and upset the balance of the soil.
So, if you’re willing to take my advice, leveling small plots of land by hand is ideal. The overall process is convenient and cost-effective, and by following the steps mentioned above, I’m positive that your ground will be leveled within no time.
On that note, I’ll be taking your leave. Till next time, take care!