Easier Than Doing It By Hand: How To Spread Topsoil Evenly With Less Effort

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Topsoil has many uses in landscapes. For one, it can be used to fill low spots in a lawn or garden; it can also prepare an area for new grass and plants, and even improve old, poor soil. However, using topsoil in your yard and getting it where you need it are two different things. Sure, you can use your hands to spread topsoil over the ground, but doing so takes a lot of time, and spreading topsoil evenly by hand isn't really easy either. That's where equipment like the Svopes Compost Spreader (The Home Depot, $80.90) can help. It allows users to spread topsoil, as well as compost and peat moss, evenly over the ground in a time-saving manner.

The spreader works by rolling material directly out of a mesh steel drum as you push it across the ground. The barrel measures about 24 inches wide. As for the build, the Svopes spreader is made of powder-coated steel that resists rust and corrosion, per the manufacturer; the unit weighs a little over 22 pounds and has a capacity of 132 pounds. Its handle is adjustable, too.

As of this writing, the product has a rating of 4.5 stars out of five stars from over 30 reviews. The reviews note it's easy to assemble and does an effective job of spreading topsoil and compost. A few customers, however, shared concerns. For example, a few noted that the hinges and side latches of the spreader were misaligned, and one mentioned that their spreader became rusty over time.

If you want to get good results from the Svopes spreader, it might be worth spending a bit of time on the topsoil itself. You need to make sure that you remove any large clumps, sticks, roots, and stones from the topsoil, as they can clog up the roller mesh and won't allow the soil to fall through. Another thing that can make topsoil clumpy is moisture. Moisture makes the soil particles stick together. So, if your topsoil is soggy or wet, let it dry. It'll make the whole spreading job much easier. (See what other materials you can use to topdress your lawn.)

Nevertheless, when you start spreading topsoil with the Svopes spreader, aim for a light, consistent layer. Don't try to lay down a lot of material in a single pass, as it could result in uneven coverage, defeating the whole purpose. Also, move across the ground in straight lines with a slight overlap between the lines. Once the topsoil is down, use a rake to level it even more, as the spreader will only distribute the soil evenly; as your passes overlap, it might leave a few minor ridges and slightly uneven patches.

Lastly, make sure that you use good quality topsoil. If your topsoil is full of pests, weeds, or weed seeds, it might end up doing more harm than good. So, make sure that you get your topsoil from a reputable place and are aware of the mistakes to avoid when having topsoil delivered to your home. Plus, if you end up with a bit of extra topsoil, make sure you know how to properly store topsoil at the end of the gardening season.