Residential: Revitalizing Severe Compaction & Summer Heat Burn

Client: Private Residence | Stony Brook, NY

Services Provided: Soil Audit, Core Aeration, Custom Organic Compost Top-Dressing, Overseeding

The Challenge: High foot traffic, heavy clay subsoil, and years of reliance on synthetic nitrogen left a 3/4-acre lawn severely compacted with shallow, suffocated roots. Water ran off into the driveway, and the grass turned brown every July despite daily watering.

The Solution: We performed an on-site soil audit revealing less than 2% organic matter and high compaction density. We core-aerated the lawn to create deep oxygen channels, followed by an application of our biologically active, 1/4″ screened organic compost top-dressing paired with a heat-tolerant seed blend.

The Results:

Organic Matter Boost: Increased soil organic matter from 1.8% to 4.2% in one season.

Water Savings: Water runoff was eliminated, cutting summer irrigation needs by 35%.

Root Depth: Turf root depth increased from a shallow 1.5 inches to over 6 inches within 8 weeks.

“Our lawn used to feel like concrete by mid-summer. GroundUp didn’t just throw down grass seed—they completely changed the soil. It stayed thick and dark green all summer long.”

— Marc T., Homeowner

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Commercial: Custom Soil Blending for an Estate Installation

Client: High-End Landscape Contractor | East Hampton, NY

Services Provided: Custom Batch Blending, Super-Sack Delivery, Specification Compliance

The Challenge: A multi-page architect plan required 120 cubic yards of high-CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) planting soil with strict pH and organic content requirements for a newly built coastal estate. Local bulk soil options were inconsistent, full of weed seeds, and failed drainage specs.

The Solution: GroundUp formulated a custom 60/40 blend of screened, washed sharp sand and micro-inoculated leaf-mold compost, enriched with humates and biochar. We mixed the batch to exact specifications and delivered it via staggered super-sacks directly to the job site to prevent turf damage from heavy haulers.

The Results:

100% Architect Approval: Passed third-party lab testing on the first sample batch.

Zero Plant Loss: Over 200 native shrubs, specimen trees, and sod established with zero transplant shock.

On-Schedule Delivery: Kept the contractor’s 12-person installation crew moving on budget without site delays.

“GroundUp is our secret weapon for demanding landscape blueprints. Their custom blending accuracy and job-site logistics saved us days of prep time.”

— Dave R., Project Manager

Biological Remediation: Recovering Chemical & Salt Burn

Client: Commercial Property Management | Melville, NY

Services Provided: Biological Soil Inoculation, Compaction Relief, Humic Conditioning

The Challenge: A commercial office park suffered severe winter road-salt runoff and decades of chemical fertilizer salt accumulation along island beds and perimeter turf. The soil was biologically inert, highly acidic, and unable to support new turf growth.

The Solution: Rather than digging up and replacing tons of topsoil, GroundUp engineered a biological remediation plan. We applied liquid humate treatments to buffer soil salinity, inoculated the dirt with mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial soil microbes, and aerated the entire perimeter.

The Results:

Salt Buffering: Neutralized surface salt toxicity, restoring biological microbial activity.

Cost Savings: Saved the client over 60% compared to full excavation and topsoil replacement.

Full Recovery: Re-established lush grass and ornamental hedges along high-traffic roadways within a single growing season.

By The Numbers: Our Impact
1,500+ Tons of Custom Organic Soil Blends Delivered Across Long Island

35% Average Reduction in Client Irrigation Needs After Top-Dressing

100% Clean, Screened, Weed-Seed-Free Material Guarantee