Do you remember that post I wrote a few weeks back telling you that I ordered five yards of compost to be used as a lawn top dressing? Oh c’mon, sure you do (just click the link before this sentence).

Just in case you forgot, here is what it looked like:

Lawn top dressing compost post

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a quick update on how that is working out. First of all, The grass where I put the compost is really nice and green. I am quite surprised at that. Had no idea that was going to happen. I guess there was some nitrogen in the cow manure part of the compost. Also, the grass is noticeably growing faster over those areas. I apologize for not having any photos of this, but I know they just wouldn’t have come out well. I considered it, but eventually decided against it.

Secondly, I want to give some advice to those of you who might be considering using compost as a top dressing for your lawn. If you plan on planting seed and then putting compost over the seed, either make the layer of compost no thicker than about a quarter of an inch or mix it with sand or something. What I am finding is that the compost gets really “cakey” if that’s a word. Basically, the compost makes a layer that the new grass seedlings can’t get through. I find myself out there at times pushing down on a layer of compost that’s being pushed up by new grass. I have a feeling there are a lot of areas where the grass isn’t going to make it.

Thirdly, I have a feeling this compost top dressing is going to be really good come Autumn when I aerate again. I can see those plugs coming out nice and smooth…only to have the holes filled in with nice new seed. Remember, aerate every year and overseed every year.

I am strongly considering using compost as my only fertilizer for the lawn. It’s about $215 per five yards delivered, so the cost isn’t bad compared to fertilizer. With all the added benefits of all this organic material along with the additional micro-organisms in the soil, I don’t see how anything is better. I also mulch the leaves back into the lawn in the Autumn, so add that to the mix.

Questions, comments? I would be happy to answer them.

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