Composting your lawn two or three times a year can keep it healthy. Compost can supply organic matter and nutrients that can keep your grass green. Compost contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as some trace elements that are not found in commercial fertilizer. Many people prefer to use compost because it is safe and organic and does not contain a lot of chemicals.
Use a fine-textured compost so it can be raked out evenly and will not leave clumps. You can buy compost or make your own.
You will achieve better results if you aerate your lawn before you apply compost. This will allow the compost to get down deeper into the grass, where it will have more of an effect. You can aerate your lawn with a core aerator. It will create holes 2 or 3 inches deep that will allow air and nutrients to get down to the roots. You can aerate your lawn yourself or hire a lawn care company to do it.
After you have aerated your lawn, spread compost over the grass in a ½-inch layer with a shovel, or just drop it on the lawn. Use a plastic leaf rake to work the compost into the grass so it is about ¼ inch thick. After you have finished raking, you should not be able to see much of the compost.
Using more compost will not get you better results. In fact, it can cause problems, such as smothering the grass. A thin layer of compost will quickly break down and release nutrients into the grass.
After you have raked the compost and spread it out, water the lawn for 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow the compost to work its way down into the holes you created by aerating the lawn. Continue to water the grass like you normally would, but don’t mow it for a week. This will give the compost time to break down and release its nutrients.
A sprinkler system can make it easier to make sure your lawn gets the right amount of water. You can program it to water your lawn at the times and in the amounts that are necessary to keep it green. Sprinkler System Store has a selection of sprinklers and timers made by several leading manufacturers. Order a sprinkler system today to keep your lawn healthy.
