What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with compost (or
topsoil)?

--
PJZ

Distribution with a shovel. ) You might want to practice slinging it
first, but it's pretty easy and fast once you get the hang of it. Any
'chilipeppers" (i.e., poor throws) can be raked out when you're done.

Dave

"PJZ" wrote in message
.net...
What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with compost
(or
topsoil)?

--
PJZ

On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:44:59 GMT, "PJZ"
wrote:

What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with compost (or
topsoil)?


We top dressed ours using a wheelbarrow, shovel, and bow rake. With a
full shovel move the shovel while shaking it, then rake out any lumps.
If you have a large lawn it is a workout (ours is half an acre of
lawn).

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:44:59 GMT, "PJZ"
wrote:

What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with compost
(or
topsoil)?

We top dressed ours using a wheelbarrow, shovel, and bow rake. With a
full shovel move the shovel while shaking it, then rake out any lumps.
If you have a large lawn it is a workout (ours is half an acre of
lawn).

One thing you might also consider is to core aerate your lawn first. Also
mow a bit shorter. Then if you topdress with compost, it will fall into the
newly created holes, that is, the compost is getting in a little deeper then
just a straight topdress.

Even with the slinging shovel fulls method, you will inevitably get spots
where you need to rake it out gently so the compost/topsoil falls between
the blades of grass rather than smothering it. For large areas, there's a
technique calling "dragging". This is basically some push broom heads
screwed onto a sheet of plywood. A rope is attached to 2 corners of the
plywood and then dragged behind a lawn tractor or by hand. The bristles of
the broom work the topdress between the blades of grass.

-al sung
Rapid Realm Technology, Inc.
Hopkinton, MA (Zone 6a)

I saw a TV program called "Ask This Old House". One of the guy in the
show showed the following way to distribute top soil (or compost?)
through out the lawn:

- Use a snow shovel that is deep (not wide).

- Put soil/compost on it.

- If you are right-handed, put the handle of the shovel under your
left arm-pit, support the shovel with your left hand, and use your
right hand to sweep/broadcast the soil/compost from the shovel onto
the lawn.

- You will also need to use a rake to smoothen area that has too
much soil/compost in one place.

I tried just that yesterday in my small front yard. This worked. But I
was so tired after that (it was hot and humid yesterday); I cannot
even bring myself up to do jogging in this morning. I will do this
again in fall when I need to re-seed my lawn; at that time, I will use
an aerator as suggested in another message in this thread.

Hope this helps.

Jay Chan

Thanks for your suggestions. It seems that there's no easy way to do it.

--
PJZ
"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:44:59 GMT, "PJZ"
wrote:

What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with compost
(or
topsoil)?


We top dressed ours using a wheelbarrow, shovel, and bow rake. With a
full shovel move the shovel while shaking it, then rake out any lumps.
If you have a large lawn it is a workout (ours is half an acre of
lawn).

???

No easy way?

Spread. Rake. Done... Can't be much simpler than that!

"PJZ" wrote in message
t...
Thanks for your suggestions. It seems that there's no easy way to
do it.

--
PJZ
"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:44:59 GMT, "PJZ"
wrote:

What method(s) would you recommend for top dressing a lawn with
compost
(or
topsoil)?


We top dressed ours using a wheelbarrow, shovel, and bow rake.
With a
full shovel move the shovel while shaking it, then rake out any
lumps.
If you have a large lawn it is a workout (ours is half an acre of
lawn).

"PJZ" wrote in message
t...
Thanks for your suggestions. It seems that there's no easy way to do it.

Yup, and don't try to fill a drop spreader with top soil and think you can
top dress :-) I've heard people wish they could do that.

-al sung