Should You Roll Your Lawn?

Marcus Bergin
Jun 28
2 min read

Every spring, I hear questions about rolling lawns to smooth out bumps and enhance their appearance. It’s a traditional practice, but is it good for your lawn?

What does rolling do?

Rolling presses the soil down, firming the surface. In ornamental lawns, especially bowling greens and cricket pitches, rolling creates a very flat surface ideal for play. However, domestic lawns have different needs.

Is rolling necessary for domestic lawns?

In most Cheltenham gardens, rolling isn’t needed – and in some cases, it can actually cause harm. Here’s why:

Soil compaction: Rolling compresses the soil, squeezing out air spaces that grass roots need to breathe. Compacted soil prevents water, nutrients, and oxygen from reaching the roots, leading to poor growth.
Drainage problems: Compaction also reduces drainage, increasing moss and disease risk.
Temporary results: While rolling flattens minor bumps, these often reappear once the soil dries and settles.

When is rolling useful?

After turfing: Light rolling helps new turf make contact with the soil underneath, encouraging rooting.
Frost heave: In rare cases where winter frost has lifted small areas, gentle rolling in spring can level them out.

Always use a light roller and only roll when the ground is moist but not wet.

Better alternatives to rolling

If your lawn is uneven, consider:

Top dressing: Applying a thin layer of soil or sand to fill in minor dips.
Levelling: For significant unevenness, lifting turf and adding soil beneath is more effective long-term.
Aeration: Regular aerating improves soil structure, drainage, and root health without compaction issues.

Professional lawn levelling services

If your lawn is bumpy or uneven, I can assess and recommend the best approach, whether that’s top dressing, levelling, or simply aeration and feeding to improve growth.