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Give Your Lawn a Compost Shot

May 20, 2008 By: Anna23 Comments

may 2008 110

My adventures of creating a lush organic lawn are like a book with many chapters. Each year, I create several new chapters with my disasters and triumphs. The first chapter was entitled, “The Beginning,” when we tried to seed the lawn after finishing the construction of the house and the soil we used look more like compost than top soil.

 

 

 

The next chapter was called the corn gluten year when we stared down the crab grass and it laughed at us since we applied it too late, (See my articles, “Corn Gluten–Can Animal Food K’O Crabgrass?” and updated post this year, “Corn Gluten: Extremely Crabby About Crabgrass.”). The preceding chapter of last year was “The Trees,” when we planted many trees so I could reduce the size and amount of watering the lawn would need. In the meantime, until the trees grow, the lawn is still looking pretty ratty and neglected.

 

This year, I promised my kids that we would work on the lawn, since according to them, the lawn was just too full of pot holes and dirt to be considered a lawn. I can’t argue with them about that.

 

 

 

My lawn needed a compost vitamin, and I ordered 20 yards of compost from my county to spread all over its tattered mane. You are probably asking why compost versus waiting to fertilizer?

 

 

 

According to the University of Florida IFAS extension,

“Applying organic matter such as compost to the soil will supply simple and complex sugars, proteins, and amino acids. This will provide a nutrient source for both the turf and the microbial population, will improve nutrient uptake through greater cation exchange capacity, and will reduce leaching. Compost may be added to the soil prior to planting or may be topdressed over existing lawns. If topdressing, it may be necessary to screen out some of the larger material before applying. Apply approximately ½ to 1 inch of material.”

compost_spreader_large
Our Lawns and bodies are similar in that a healthier body or lawn can utilize the nutrients it is given better than one suffering from many ailments.  Compost makes the lawn stronger.

 

So, you are thinking how am I going to spread this big mound of compost? Well, if you are in my situation, you can do one of two things. I could buy a compost wheel from GreenCulture Composters (see picture to the right) or spread it out with a shovel and rake into your grass. (See Weekend Gardener web magazine’s article, “How to Compost Your Lawn,” for an illustration of using the shovel and rake method.)
may 2008 152

We opted to buy a compost wheel to spread the compost. When it arrived I noticed the printed title on the box, which read “Organic compost spreader” as opposed to just “compost spreader.” Is there compost that is not organic so you can’t use this spreader? I just thought this title on the box was funny.

The first time, I tried it with a full wheel of compost, I could barely move it. My husband said I was just weak. Mind you, I am not a big person but that wheel is hard to move until you empty half of it.

 
may 2008 154

Pictured above is my husband effortlessly rolling the wheel over an area of the lawn.

 

may 2008 155

Here is the compost left on the ground.

 

After we are done, we will give the lawn a good watering and start patching the holes in the lawn with seed.

I will keep you updated on how the lawn looks during the summer!

Similar Posts:

  • Corn Gluten: Extremely Crabby about Crabgrass
  • Banish Crabgrass with Corn Gluten: Three Times a Charm
  • Corn Gluten–Can Animal Food K’O Crabgrass?
  • It’s Gardening Time! Roll out the Compost!
  • Corn Gluten to Prevent Crabgrass. It is Time to Use!

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About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

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Comments

  1. 1

    MamaBird/SurelyYouNest says

    May 20, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    I don’t have a lawn but I am totally impressed. That is a great idea (compost vs fertilizer). Good luck with the crabgrass!

    Reply
  2. 2

    RYD says

    May 20, 2008 at 1:45 pm

    Hey – I love your site and just linked my blog to yours. I also just wrote a post about recycling toys/bikes. Keep up the great work – I may just devote a post to your site soon, too!

    RYD

    RYD’s last blog post..Recycle The Bicycle

    Reply
  3. 3

    Green Talk says

    May 20, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    Readers, my comment luv is not working on MamaBird. Check out her lastest post, a carnival of make it from scratch. Great articles. A must read. Anna

    The post is http://surelyyounest.blogspot......nival.html

    Reply
  4. 4

    Green Talk says

    May 20, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    RYD, thanks for the vote of confidence. I read your last post entitled “Reycle The Bicycle.” I agree with your comments in this post. Why buy new when there is so many great gently used items around. Garage sales are so much fun to find these items. Readers, check out RYD’s blog, A Reluctant Mom, which as is a humorous account of raising 2 willful daughters and as RYD states “this blog is for moms who know there is more to life than Dora the Explorer.” Anna

    Reply
  5. 5

    Air Conditioner King says

    May 20, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    That’s a very good idea! Hope to read more updates about your lawn. 🙂

    Reply
  6. 6

    Mother Earth says

    May 22, 2008 at 12:06 am

    my dad did this each spring, noone else had piles of dirt in their driveways – guess he was ahead of his time.

    Mother Earth’s last blog post..Working from Home and Planning a Perfect Day

    Reply
  7. 7

    Compost Guy says

    May 22, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    Great post!
    I’ve actually been wondering about this myself recently. It’s nice to know that there is a fairly low-tech option out there for spreading compost (I’ve previously heard about using much more expensive machines for this task). I almost wonder if one could create a homemade version of this roller – using a plastic barrel perhaps (with holes drilled in it)?

    B

    Compost Guy’s last blog post..Worm Composting Basics

    Reply
  8. 8

    Brenda says

    May 31, 2008 at 1:06 am

    Awesome! Using organic material such as compost will feed your lawn by renewing and replacing the nutrients that it is missing. It helps to restore the soil, which in turn feeds the plant. Way to go! 🙂

    Brenda’s last blog post..PODCAST: Tips For a Successful Herb Garden

    Reply
  9. 9

    FL Landscaping Designer says

    February 5, 2009 at 8:38 pm

    Wow that looks easy it will definitely make this task easier with that tool. I love the idea, I usually use shovel but it takes a bit of time. I really have to go on this one.

    Reply
  10. 10

    Michael says

    April 22, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    Hi. I have been searching for a few weeks now on compost spreaders. I was excited to see you (I believe who this is going to when I say you) had the Green Culture Compost Spreader. This is the one I have been considering but can not find a review anywhere. When I called a place that sells them they said people are happy and no return policy 🙁 Anyway, I am getting very depressed w/ the way my lawn is looking. I am on heavy clay soil and my neighbors for what ever reason seem to have much better luck. From my research I have turned to mushroom compost for the many benefits it provides. I have about 8000 sq. feet of lawn to cover and really hope that the Green Culture works like it states. Can you please give me feedback on it and if it is worth it? The shovel/rake method is out of the question. I already tried 🙂

    Thanks a ton in advance for any light you may be able to shed!

    Reply
  11. 11

    Green Talk says

    April 22, 2009 at 10:30 pm

    I found the spreader to be time consuming since it is not a large bin. It was hard for me to do it since compost is heavy but my husband could do it no problem. We ended up going to the rake and shovel since we had a lot of sq feet to do. Mushroom compost might be lighter.

    Also, be careful opening and closing it . Don’t try and force it because it can bend easily. I actually was sent a “compost” spreader that looks
    like a seed speader which seems to have more capacity. See
    http://www.earthandturf.com/tf24d.htm. Anna

    Reply
  12. 12

    Green Talk says

    April 22, 2009 at 11:48 pm

    Thanks for the reply back! I have roughly 8000 sq. feet that I would need covered. I am surprised that the rake and toss method is easier then the compost spreader. That says something there in my opinion!

    You are more than welcome to post my question on your site. One last question, did the compost help your yard, or is it too soon to tell?

    Reply
  13. 13

    Sheila @ crankstart.com says

    May 23, 2009 at 1:20 am

    This compost wheel is a great way of making composting easy. My Dad was always big on composting and their garden was bountiful. The tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, and cucumbers produced from their compost rich garden were absolutely the best.

    Reply
  14. 14

    Tom M. says

    January 17, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    I love talking green with sub zero weather outside my door. I’ve never seen a compost spreader like that before. It’s a great idea. We started composting a couple of years ago and my wife has used some in her vegetable and flower gardens but I never thought of using it on the lawn. Thanks.
    .-= Tom M.´s last blog ..Do Follow Blog, Comment Luv Keyword Luv =-.

    Reply
  15. 15

    Karen@Composting Bin says

    February 15, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    Your adventures with having a nice lawn sound like mine. I even bought a book on growing a healthy lawn. I don’t know, I can grow plants but lawns just seem to end up with dandelions and crab grass. Anyway I had no idea they had a compost spreader like that – I want to know how your lawns does. Maybe this is the answer we’ve been looking for.
    .-= Karen@Composting Bin´s last blog ..Composting with Worms =-.

    Reply
    • 16

      Green Talk says

      February 15, 2010 at 9:27 pm

      Karen, we ended up ditching the spreader because my lawn is too big. Basically, we dumped and raked. I don’t have any magic about dandelions except to take their heads off before they spread their seeds. I use corn gluten for crab grass. See http://www.green-talk.com/2009.....s-a-charm/. Hope this works. Readers, any ideas about dandelions? Anna

      PS Lawns are tough…

      Reply
  16. 17

    Adam @ Paper Lamp Shades says

    February 18, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    What a great idea. The lawn we have at the moment is completely shot and I have been trying to think how I could turn it around. I had already headed down the compost vs fertiliser route and opted for the compost. I feel it will provide the necessary stimulus to get us on the road to recovery. I will definitely consider the compost wheel to do the job. Many thanks for your help.
    .-= Adam @ Paper Lamp Shades´s last blog ..Privacy =-.

    Reply
  17. 18

    travel says

    November 17, 2012 at 9:51 pm

    The explanation I follow this blog is mainly because I’m sure you do usually offer a fairly diverse leaning on points to a lot of alternative sites so congrats! !

    Reply
  18. 19

    Sherri says

    August 16, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    Hi Anna. After your house construction, what happened when you tried to seed the lawn with soil that looked more like compost than top soil?

    Reply
  19. 20

    Anna@Green Talk says

    August 21, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    Sherri, it took a long time for the grass to grow and most of it was weedy. I then used corn gluten each year for 3 years to fertilize and kill the crabby grass.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Living Green Makes Cents | Green Talk™ says:
    November 15, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    […] free leaves in the fall so that you can have the right mix of brown and green to make compost. Your lawn loves compost as well. And by the way, don’t forget to sprinkle your used coffee grounds around your […]

    Reply
  2. 10 Tips to a Green, Sexy Valentines’ Day | Green Talk™ says:
    February 14, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    […] (reducing your water footprint), caulking up those leaking windows (your energy footprint), and putting down compost to help your lawn (reducing your nitrogen footprint.)  Hmm.   Mother Earth is just fanning herself right […]

    Reply
  3. LEARN FROM EXPERTS: Compost For Lawns? - Directory says:
    October 31, 2011 at 12:51 am

    […] Give Your Lawn a Compost Shot, Green Talk® – My adventures of creating a lush organic lawn are like a book with many chapters. Each year, I create several new chapters with my disasters and triumphs. The preview […]

    Reply

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