You’ve taken the incredibly rewarding step of making your own nutrient-rich, high-quality compost at home, and now it’s time to use it effectively and efficiently to get the best results. In the spirit of sharing knowledge freely to do our bit for a greener world, the team at Garden in a Bag has put together a handy guide for top dressing lawns with compost.
Compost for Lawns
New Lawns
After grass seeds are sown, a thin ¼ inch of good compost for lawns as top-down dressing maintains important moisture in the soil, which is critical for proper seed germination. Grass seedlings are very delicate and require the right conditions to create quality lawn cover. In hot, dry climates with excessive wind, the soil and seeds can dry out surprisingly quickly. Compost is an excellent way to retain moisture and reduce water usage. If you don’t have your own compost, find out more about our A-Grade compost for grass and place your order today!
Existing Lawns
A well-used lawn which experiences a lot of foot traffic can easily be brought back to life by adding the right layer of compost. Begin by calculating the size of the area that you need to spread the compost in square inches. After that, calculate how many cubic inches of compost you require by multiplying the size of the area by the depth of compost needed. Adding too little compost for grass can be ineffective and too much compost can smother and damage a lawn. Finely screened compost has the right particle size to fall between blades of grass. The best time to apply compost is when the lawn is thriving and actively growing since it can recover quickly from manual aeration, which is important for compost and nutrient intake around the root zone.
The Importance of Lawn Aeration
Proper core aeration plays an important role in lawn maintenance. Some prefer to use a specialised foot press found at most local garden stores. Larger lawns may require special equipment to carry out the process.
The best time to aerate your lawn is when there is enough moisture in the soil to maintain structure. If conditions are dry, the soil aeration process can damage root structure. Grass generally grows better when temperatures are low, so keep grass recovery time frames in mind. A healthy, strong lawn needs to be exposed to good rainfall for improved soil penetration and growth.
Irrigating your lawn immediately after top-dressing it with compost is important if rainfall is not an option. Irrigation helps spread compost evenly between blades of grass.
Weed-Free Compost for Lawns
When it comes to compost for lawns, accept no substitute for high-quality compost made from 100% livestock manure. With proper and timely turf aeration, irrigation and the appropriate amount of compost, a formerly poorly maintained lawn can be brought back to life. Browse our website to see our entire range of excellent garden products and call us today on 0413 044 240 to learn how we can help your garden thrive.