Regrading soggy yard depressions step-by-step
By My Yard Editorial Team · 7/28/2026
The Quick Answer
For depressions under 3 inches, top-dress with 1/2 inch of soil per application until level. Deeper than that, cut the sod, fill underneath, and lay it back — burying grass kills it.
The Witty Breakdown
The mistake is dumping 4 inches of topsoil into a dip in one pass. The grass suffocates, the fill settles, and you're back in a year.
Compact each layer. Loose fill will settle 15–20% and reopen the depression.
Step-by-Step Fix
- 1
Cut and roll back the sod with a flat spade if the dip is over 2 inches.
- 2
Fill with compacted topsoil in 2-inch lifts.
- 3
Relay the sod, tamp it, and water deeply.
- 4
For shallow dips, top-dress 1/2 inch at a time and overseed.
Pro-Tip / Do Not Do This
Don't fill depressions with sand in clay soil. You'll build a buried bowl that holds water even better than before.
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