How to Add Compost to Lawns
For a greener, more weed-free lawn, lawn owners are increasingly turning to organic methods of lawn care for solutions to common problems such as weed control and fertilizer. Organic methods include fertilizing the lawn with a layer of compost. Compost can help make grass healthier and greener, which can crowd out weeds. Adding compost to lawns is not particularly difficult. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Core aerator
- Compost
- Shovel
- Gardening rake
- Plastic leaf rake
- Garden hose
- Sprinkler
Instructions
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1
Wait until fall to apply compost. This will add nutrients to the soil without feeding weeds.
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2
Aerate your lawn by running over it with a core aerator. A core aerator removes plugs of soil from your lawn to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. This can help water and nutrients reach into the soil past the dense mat of grass that forms on the surface of your lawn.
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3
Distribute compost over your lawn with a shovel. Then rake the compost with a gardening rake, so that it covers your lawn to a depth of ½ inch.
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4
Take a leaf rake and rake the compost until it works in between the blades of grass and touches the surface of the soil.
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5
Water your lawn deeply with a garden hose and a lawn sprinkler to work the compost into the aeration holes. Your lawn has been watered deeply when you have an inch of standing water on the surface of the soil.
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Tips & Warnings
You only need to aerate your soil once yearly. The best time to aerate your soil is when you add compost to the lawn. You can rent a core aerator at an equipment supply store. Core aerators operate similarly to a lawn mower. To start a core aerator, pull a handle attached to a rope. This will start the motor. Adjust the lever that controls the depth to which the core aerator removes plugs of soil. Then pass the aerator over your lawn starting from the outside and working inward, similar to the path you would follow if you were mowing your lawn.
