Top Dressing your LAWN - Dillo Dirt - Austin Texas

I am often asked my opinion on top dressing lawns with compost. So here it is.

Pros: Adds micronutrients and increases biological activity in the soil. Increases soil porosity, which increases water utilization.

Cons: Often brings in insects and weeds, last year (2004) we saw sedges, yellow and purple nut sedge. This year, we are seeing Dallisgrass. (2005) Often applied too thick, suffocating the lawn, depriving it of sunlight. It also brings in disease, such as brown patch, insects such as sod webworms, and armyworms.

Why do people top dress? People are confused between top dressing, composting and lawn leveling. Golf courses level the putting greens and fairways with sand, not compost. Gardens and beds are favorite areas for compost and I highly recommend this.

Compost that you make on your property, is a great thing for your gardens and beds. Unfortunately, most of the commercially available compost blends aren't turned properly, nor are they allowed to get "hot" enough. Furthermore, they are nothing more than yard waste, taken to the landfill. (Think "Dillo Dirt") I cant tell you how many lawns we have rescued from top dressing with compost.

Top dressing with top soil is another issue in its own class. Top dressing with top soil or sandy loam, adds no nutrients to the soil, and is a poor choice for leveling. In fact I know of no reason to ever do this that would benefit turf.

So what should you do: You will like this answer, because its the easiest and cheapest.

If you need to level your lawn, use sand. Sand increases the porosity of the soil. Austin soil has a very high clay content. sand helps keep your soil loose. Sand is easy to spread, and cheap. Never spread more than a quarter to one half inch at a time. Use common play-sand found at Home Depot.

If you want to increase the micronutrient levels in your soil, increase organic activity, use a professional grade Compost mix, Milorganite, Houactinite and/or a compost tea. These products wont bring in any insect, disease or weed issues. I highly recommend them and I use them as part of our lawn care program.