I see all kinds of recommendations for topdressing a lawn when aerating/seeding a lawn, but I haven't seen anyone explain the best way to do it. It would be nice if a broadcast spreader would do the job, but I just don't think that would work. How do you go about (a shovel and wheelbarrow?) and how much/how deep do you apply it? Thanks.
I do it with a light weight shovel by moving side to side in a swath motion. It looks the same as if I were using a sythe.
It only needs to be 1/4 inch of compost as a top dress. Do that every year and your soil will greatly improve over time
If you have fine, dry compost a spreader will work well. But, 'most everybody I know just takes a cartload to a spot on the lawn, dumps it, and rakes it out. Any amount at all will have some benefit; don't apply it over an inch deep, though, or you'll start smothering the grass.
Chris Owens
I saw a TV show called "Ask This Old House" a while ago about showing people how to spread compost onto a lawn right after aerating it. Basically it is like this:
- Put compost on a wheel cart.
- Use a deep shovel that is deep rather than wide.
- Put compost onto the shovel.
- If you are right handed, put the handle bar of the shovel into your left arm pit, and hold the shovel this way, and use your right hand to spread/boardcast the compost onto the lawn.
- At the end, use a rake to break down all the large pieces.
This works for me. But this can be time consuming and tiring though.
Jay Chan
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