• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Mad Backyard

menu icon
go to homepage
  • BBQ
  • Lawn
  • Pool
  • Patio
  • About
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • BBQ
    • Lawn
    • Pool
    • Patio
    • About
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Lawn Care

    Published: Jan 22, 2021 · Modified: Mar 6, 2021 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    When to Roll Your Lawn: Everything You Need to Know

    Learn when is the best time to roll your lawn and why people even do it all.

    Let's go!

    a man rolling a lawn

    What is Rolling Your Lawn?

    Rolling your lawn is exactly what it sounds like.

    It’s the process of rolling a heavy barrel across your lawn. It compacts the ground under it as it rolls across.

    For serious rollers, you can buy a machine that looks like a steamroller.

    For everyday people, you can opt for a handheld piece of equipment for about a hundred bucks or so like this one from Brinly.

    Brinly Combination Push/Tow Poly Lawn Roller, 18 by 24-Inch
    • NEW Easy-Turn Plug: Brinly Rollers now feature a new drum plug design, making filling and emptying your roller quicker and easier than ever
    • Push/Pull Combination: Convenient push or tow-behind design provides versatility for rolling tight areas or larger open spaces. Perfect tool for erasing lawn damage from moles and frost, or packing down loose dirt, seed, or sod.
    • 28 Gallon Capacity: Sturdy roller holds up to 28 gallons (270 lbs.) of water or sand and is both light enough to push through the yard and rugged enough to withstand towing behind a tractor.
    Check Price on Amazon

    You hold the handle and push the roller in front of you. There are lawn services that offer rolling, but you’ll probably be better off just doing it yourself.

    There’s no special form or anything that’s required for rolling your lawn. Just put on a nice playlist to keep you entertained and start pushing.

    For best results, play “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa.

     

    The Problem with Rolling Your Lawn

    The roots of your grass will grow in the empty spaces in your soil.

    By rolling your lawn, you’re getting rid of these empty spaces and making it harder for your lawn’s roots to grow.

    Brinly PRC-24BH 270-Pound Combination Push/Tow Poly Lawn Roller, 18 by 24-Inch

    It’s also hard for water to seep into a lawn that’s been rolled and therefore compacted.

    If you roll your lawn then immediately water it, you’ll notice the water just runoff and not penetrate the soil.

    As you probably guessed, that’s not great.

    The biggest problems present themselves to people who roll their lawns too often.

    If you roll more than Willie Nelson, then your grass seeds have no hope of growing. With that said, there are a lot of viable reasons to roll your lawn (just don’t over-roll it).

     

    Why Do People Roll Their Lawn?

    Rolling the lawn is a topic that’s argued fiercely within the lawn keeping community.

    A healthy lawn will have a lot of air and empty space in it.

    Rolling your lawn will compact this space and compress everything into your lawn.

     

    After Seeding

    The most common time to roll your lawn is right after seeding.

    Scotts 76121 Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader

    The compression will firmly press the seeds into the soil, giving them a better chance of germinating and growing.

     

    After Laying New Sod

    Some people might roll their lawn after they put down new sod.

    The section of grass isn’t rooted yet, so the idea is that rolling will help press the roots closer to the soil in your lawn.

     

    After a Harsh Winter

    If you just went through a winter that had a lot of fluctuating temperatures, your soil is probably crying out for help.

    The constant change between super cold, mild, and warm days will result in soil heaving.

    This means your lawn is growing on sunken and unstable soil.

    Rolling your lawn may get rid of this problem and correct your soil.

     

    Rolling the Lawn Can Get Rid of Moles

    Finally, rolling your lawn is a good way to deal with moles.

    No, not the moles on your back – the moles in your lawn.

    Moles love to burrow and make your lawn into a game of minesweeper. A quick and easy solution to this problem is to roll your lawn.

    This will compress and fill in any mounds or holes in your lawn. The result is a flat lawn that is prime for growing grass.

     

    When is the Best Time Your Roll Your Lawn?

    After reading the reasons why you might roll your lawn, one thing is obvious: most of the problems are associated with winter or planting new grass.

    This means that there’s really only one good time to roll your lawn – in the spring.

    Rolling your lawn in winter will do nothing for you. The ground will be too hard and frozen.

    a lawn roller

    In the hot summer months, your grass might be struggling and the soil might be baked, so that’s not a good time to do it either.

    That leaves fall and spring.

    If your lawn chemistry is dialed in, and its well fertilized, spring is the time of year that your grass is just going into the growing phase.

    That means you can roll it and it still has a chance of recovering from the stresses associated with rolling a lawn.

    The best day in spring to roll is when your lawn is wet but not soaking wet. This could be after a light shower or after you water the lawn a little.

    If the grass is overly saturated, the rolling process will compress it too much and ruin your lawn.

     

     

    More Lawn Care

    • ant hills in a backyard
      How to Get Rid of Ant Hills in Your Backyard: 9 Easy Methods
    • missouri st. louis arch and grass
      The Best Grass Seeds to Grow in Missouri
    • green lawn in the summer
      How To Keep the Lawn Green in the Summer Heat
    • lawn mower spark plug
      How to Tell if a Lawn Mower Spark Plug is Bad: 4 Easy Ways

    Primary Sidebar

    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • pork shoulder on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill with a probe thermometer inserted in the meat
      Pulled Pork on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • Pit Boss chicken breast cut in half to show inside on a white plate
      Smoked Chicken Breasts on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • baby back ribs on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill
      Baby Back Ribs on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • boston butt on the shelf of a masterbuilt electric smoker with a water pan beneath
      Smoked Boston Butt in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker

    AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER

    Thanks for visiting Madbackyard.com!  As outdoor living enthusiasts, we love to mention and link to various products we have used or researched.  Assume those links are affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission if you click and buy.  As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Fall Recipes

    • turkey in a V shaped rack smoking on a pellet grill
      Classic Smoked Turkey on a Pit Boss
    • a smoked turkey in a masterbuilt electric smoker
      How to Smoke a Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
    • Sticky smoked sweet potatoes on a white plate
      Smoked Sweet Potatoes
    • Pit Boss Smoked Macaroni and Cheese in a cast iron skillet
      Smoked Mac and Cheese on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    For great baking recipes, visit our partner site You're Gonna Bake It After All.

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms and Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up HERE!

    Contact

    • Contact Us

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020-2023 Mad Backyard