How-to
Topdress your lawn
Examples of natural soil improvement include:
Long-Term Maintenance
Key Recommendations
Mowing Height and Frequency
Feeding the Soil
Topdressing - Great for turf maintenance programs and installing raised beds. Cedar Grove Compost or Two-Way Topsoil is spread over a lawn to add microbes and organic nutrients to keep it looking green and thick. Turf quality and vigor improves; Resistance to stress is enhanced.
Turf management has undergone a dramatic transformation, with a shift from sole reliance on chemical fertilizer to a focus on using compost as a key component of long-term turf management.
Care of Young Turf
Young grass needs soil that is moist, but not waterlogged. Be ready to irrigate if the rains fail, and in hot, sunny weather, irrigate lightly two to three times a day for the first two months. Using Cedar Grove Compost in the soil preparation helps reduce the grass from drying out, but watering continues to be one of the most important elements of proper lawn care.
Begin mowing when the grass reaches the recommended mowing height, unless the ground is too soft to walk on without leaving depressions. Mow weekly at 2 to 2 inches high. The goal here is to allow the lawn to grow in thick and lush; then gradually lower the mower height.
If your soil has been properly prepared with Cedar Grove Compost, generally no additional fertilizer is needed for the first 6 months following installation. This eliminates the danger of fertilizer burn as well as the leaching or runoff of fertilizers into ground water and streams. We do however, recommend a November/December fertilizer application, to promote root growth over the winter.
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Long Term Maintenance
A lawn composed of a mix of locally adapted grass seed growing in a well-drained, fertile soil on a site with adequate sun will have few disease or pest problems, and can out-compete most weeds with proper management.
The first step in maintaining a healthy lawn is to avoid practices that diminish the natural vigor of the turf ecosystem, such as broadcast applications of pesticides (which kill beneficial soil organisms as well as target species), over-watering (which promotes shallow rooting and fungal diseases), over-fertilization (which promotes thatch buildup, decreases soil biodiversity, and forces lawns to grow too fast), and improper mowing (mowing at the wrong height or too infrequently).
With compost as the major ingredient, the application reduces the problem of leaching in sandy soils, reduces the risk of burning form excessive nutrient in solutions, and aids in the ability of the soil to retain moisture and build soil structure. Once an increase in soil organic matter is achieved, it should be possible to reduce the annual fertilizer requirements.
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Key Recommendations
- Moderate fertilization with natural fertilizers to build soil nutrient reserves and biodiversity.
- Mow regularly, removing only one third of the grass height each time, and mowing a little higher at 2 to 2 inches on most lawns.
- Avoid over-watering. Water deeply to moisten the whole root zone, but infrequently, to limit disease and build deeper roots.
- Renovation/improvement practices that include Aeration, Compost Topdressing and Overseeding. These practices reduce compaction, increase water infiltration, improve soil structure, provide natural disease control and crowd out weeds.
- An integrated approach to pest problems that includes:
- Correctly identifying the cause of the problem
- Understanding the biology of the pest organism and its natural predators
- Setting realistic thresholds of acceptable damage to the lawn from pests including weeds, diseases and insects
- Monitoring for pest problems at appropriate times of the year
- Treatment of over-threshold problems with methods that support the turfgrass ecosystem and have the least non-target impacts on beneficial soil organisms, wildlife, pets or humans. Where chemical solutions are necessary, time applications for maximum effect and use spot applications.
Mowing Height and Frequency
Turf managers in Western Washington agree that mowing heights of 2 - 2 1/2" for rye/fescue lawns can reduce weeds, encourage deep root development and improve resistance to drought stress. Regular mowing is the key to keeping lawns healthy - removing only 1/3 of the lawn at each mowing is best. Keeping mower blades sharp is crucial. Ragged cutting encourages disease and browning.
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Feeding the Soil
Horticulturists believe that providing the soil with the proper level of organic matter, nutrients and microorganisms is the best way to keep plants, including lawns, healthy and productive. It is much easier to grow plants in biologically active soil, where earthworms and other organisms recycle the nutrients from thatch, grass and other organic material than to add harsh chemical fertilizers that can burn plants and destroy organic colonies. Compost-enriched soil is the best way to grow a lawn. When fertilizers are needed, natural, organic fertilizers are recommended. Topdressing with compost in the spring and/or fall, after core aeration, is an excellent way to improve soil structure and provide a wide range of nutrients and microorganisms. Using lime or calcium carbonate, helps restore this critical lawn nutrient that is commonly lost during peak rainfall periods. Follow directions on labels for best results.
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