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Yes, it’s always a good idea to fertilize your lawn before a major leveling project. This step gives your grass the nutrients necessary for healthy growth, helping it recover and replenish itself faster. However, you should do this at least three weeks in advance, as the leveling process can disturb the newly-applied fertilizer.

If you notice small bumps on your lawn, you can flatten them by gently treading them down when the ground is wet. A lawn with larger lumps may need to be regraded by a professional to flatten it out and improve the overall drainage of the yard to prevent future lumps from forming.

For minor unevenness, you don't necessarily need to remove grass before leveling. You can apply a topdressing mixture to fill in low areas and even out the surface. However, for more significant unevenness or deep depressions, it might be necessary to temporarily remove the grass to ensure proper leveling and soil compaction. After filling and leveling, you can replace the grass or consider reseeding the area.

You should dig 3 to 6 inches deep for plastic edging. Dig as wide as you need to fit your plastic edging into it—2 inches is usually sufficient.