Compost for Grass: How to Use Compost On Your Lawn
Compost is versatile and beneficial in the garden! Feeding your lawn is one of its many uses. Some tools make this easy, though you can spread the stuff by hand in small areas. Follow along and learn how to use your compost on grasses alongside seasoned landscaper Jerad Bryant.
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I’m a firm believer in compost for the garden and the lawn! It’s one of the best amendments you can add to your garden. Not only does it feed poor soils with nutrients, but it also increases the structural strength and water-retentiveness. Your plants, whether grasses, vegetables, or wildflowers, will love putting their roots into soft, crumbly compost.
It’s easy to spread this amendment in garden beds, as you simply pile it on in a layer two to three inches thick. The process is a bit more complicated with lawn grasses. You want to spread the amendment while avoiding letting it pile too thickly. Here’s exactly how to do it!
When to Feed the Lawn
Spring, late summer, and fall are the best times to feed mowed grasses. A spring feeding prepares them for the upcoming growing season, ensuring they stay vigorous, perky, and strong under the summer sunshine.
Feeding in late summer and early fall replenishes the site after a long growing season; you’ll strengthen your plants before winter, heightening their chances of surviving harsh frosts, freezes, and snowstorms.
For the best results, disperse compost onto your lawn two to three times a year during the growing season. Add a dose in spring, another in midsummer, and a final one in early autumn. Water the site well after adding it to ensure it leaches into the ground.
How to Use Compost on the Lawn
There are three main options for dispersing mulches, like compost, onto grassy areas. Use your hands, a rake, or a spreader to distribute the particles between the grass blades. You want to feed the ground without covering the grasses’ crowns.
By Hand
Without tools at your disposal, you may use your hands and a bucket to spread compost on your lawn. Grab clumps of the stuff, then throw it onto the lawn. Don’t let thick piles form, and push hills over to let the amendment disperse throughout the site.
Though hand spreading is simple, it’s time-consuming and tiring. Use this method for small patches of lawn, and opt for a rake or spreader on larger sites.
Raking
Raking is a step above hand throwing—it’s easier and less time-consuming than spreading mulch by hand. Start by gathering the mulch into a single site for easy access. Using a shovel, place heaps of it around the yard.
After enough heaps have been laid, start raking them over to distribute them evenly. Create a small, thin layer, and ensure the grasses poke out of it.
Be gentle when raking, as too hard of a pull or push can uproot the crowns and cause dead patches. Imagine you are raking a rock garden to create a stunning display; it’ll help you stay gentle! Using a fine-tooth rake instead is also helpful, as the small twines are less likely to uproot the grass than large, thick ones.
With Spreaders
Pushable spreaders are the easiest tools for this task, as they’re designed to spread mulch onto lawns. You fill them with fine mulch and run them over the site as if you were mowing it with a mower. Simply walk back and forth with the spreader in hand, and it’ll tumble and dust the mulch particles into the ground.
Spreaders consist of tumblers on wheels with a handle attached. They may come in various sizes, though they all tend to look the same.
You may also use a handheld spreader instead of a pushable one. They’re handy for small sites, though they’re unsuitable for giant areas. They’re small and cumbersome to fill, turning a short task into a day-long one! Consider using a pushable type instead.
Using a Tractor
For gigantic lawns, consider using a tractor attachment. These big spreaders hook up to tractors, allowing you to evenly distribute mulch on large, open fields. They’re ideal for acreages with plenty of mowed grass.
The only challenge when using a tractor spreader is storing it. You’ll need a dry location away from the sun to ensure it lasts long. Consider using a barn, shed, or similar outdoor structure to keep the metal rust-free.
Compost vs. Fertilizer
So, why choose compost over fertilizer? Though fertilizer adds nutrients, it doesn’t help the soil’s structure or water-retentiveness. It’s good to use when nutrients are especially low and the grasses need a boost. Organic fertilizers, like bone meal or mulch, require a breakdown process before they’re ready for plant roots.
Salt-based fertilizers work quickly and efficiently, though they may cause growing issues in excessive doses and after repeated uses. I recommend opting for organic fertilizers when possible to avoid unnecessary lawn damage.
Instead of choosing one over the other, you may add both fertilizer and compost! Nutrient-poor mulches, like leaf mold or partially decomposed compost, can benefit from a small amount of organic fertilizer. Use a half or quarter dose, and mix it well before applying it over the site.
The Best Compost for Lawn Grass
Not all composts are equal! Some are nitrogen-rich while others are carbon-heavy. The browns-to-greens ratio you use will dictate the amount of nutrients in the final product. For every shovelful of greens, add two shovelfuls of browns. Browns are rich in carbon, while greens have more nitrogen.
Use this chart to help you determine the nitrogen and carbon ratios of common waste items:
| Carbon-Rich Browns | Carbon:Nitrogen Ratio | Nitrogen-Rich Greens | Carbon:Nitrogen Ratio |
| Fallen leaves | 30-80:1 | Kitchen scraps | 15-20:1 |
| Straw | 40-100:1 | Fleshy plant waste | 15-25:1 |
| Wood chips and sawdust | 100-500:1 | Grass clippings | 15-25:1 |
| Chemical-free paper products | 150-550:1 | Manure | 5-25:1 |
The more nitrogen the mix has, the better your grass will grow. Grasses need tons of nitrogen throughout the growing season. You’ll want to apply a nitrogen-rich compost, especially if you’re regularly mowing and watering.
Avoid using leaf molds in lieu of composts, as they have more carbon than nitrogen. They’re best for woody perennials, trees, and shrubs.
What to Avoid
Grass species are tough and hardy. They often rebound from diseases, pests, and cultural issues. One thing they hate is being smothered. If you go over a spot more than once, it may cause the mulch to build up and cover the grass crowns.
The crowns are the white, thick portions below the blades where new growth emerges. You want to insulate the roots and avoid smothering these crowns to ensure they keep growing. After applying the amendments, use a fine-toothed rake to distribute them in an even layer.
Key Takeaways
- You can spread compost by hand, though it’ll take a long time.
- Use pushable or handheld spreaders; they’re quick to work and easy to use.
- A fine-toothed rake is handy in moving the amendment over the site to form an even layer.
- Use nitrogen-heavy compost for lawns; they love it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why put compost on the lawn?
Why not! It’s a beneficial amendment that feeds and enhances poor soils. Add it throughout your garden to help all your plants, not just the grasses.
Where is the best place to buy lawn compost?
dI recommend making it yourself, though you can find packaged mixes available at plant nurseries and garden centers.
When is it best to spread compost on the lawn?
Do so in fall or spring, when the weather is cool and mild. A midsummer application is also beneficial in maintaining a healthy lawn if you’re regularly mowing and watering.
