Top dressing

[drobin]

i often hear the suggestion top dress with compost after seeding,
1. how thick of a topdressing goes over the seed
2. If I topdress over existing grass will it kill it?
3. with big lawns how do you do this other than with a shovel and wheelbarrow?


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[Smallaxe]

Any amount of cover over the seed is better than none, up to 1/4 inch. The shovel never gives good even coverage and is bulky and time consuming. Fan it out with your hand, as if your hand was the flailer of a broadcast spreader, as you move steadily across the lawn.

Clumps and thick piles caused by too much in one spot with a shovel can suffocate grass. Anything can suffocate grass so as long as you avoid that, you're fine.

[Kiril]

Dump and rake is the quickest way.

[Rtom45]

You can also work topdressing into the lawn with a stiff bristled street broom after you spread it with a rake.

[ICT Bill]

Or you can click on the compostwerks logo/sponsor button at the top of this thread and look at the cool equipment they have, everything from soup to nuts (well maybe a bunch of "nuts" and little soup)
Peter Schmidt is the guy to speak with