I've been backfilling around my driveway w/ fill dirt. I'm planning to make the top 2-3 inches topsoil for lawn. A city nearby gives compost away that the sanitation dept makes. They even load it in the truck free. Can I just use that as topsoil or does it have to be mixed w/ dirt. I thought I read on a forum somewhere that you can, but not sure.
Cool. Thnx. Now I just have to find the place. The guy gave me the name of the road, so I rode out there. It's a one lane road that dead ends, but I still missed it going in & out.
Not meaning to sound like a smart*** but what do you think top soil is ? [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
By all means layer things with compost. Some of the best soils have a content of compost. I wish I could find free compost... I would be getting a truck load every weekend and spreading it out over my lawn. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
That was my thinking also, but I read somewhere about mixing it with dirt. Maybe that was when making compost cause I figured once it's rotted, it is dirt. Anyway, I haven't seen it yet. I called & asked if there was any garbage in it & the guy working there said there isn't. I don't know how much they have, but I'm figuring to get a couple truckloads a week if they have it & it's clean.
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<font color="red"> </font color> but what do you think top soil is ?
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The defintion of topsoil may be rather hard to define as there is a possibility the composition may vary drasticaly for different areas. It may all be based on the compostion of eroded geological strata that may be composed of many different minerals that have been subjected to compression, heat, cold, wind and water movement. There may even be volcanic eruption debri present. Factor in the average seasonal temperature variations, rainfall, sunlight exposure, microbes and bacteria present and have at it. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Till the compost in 8-12" to provide a good rootbase for the lawn. That will give the new roots good soil to grow in, and a deeper root will help with a healthy lawn. You could put a thin layer of compost on top of that for the seed, and rake to cover the seed.
If you just put it on top of the existing soil, the root base will have nice stuff to start, but may not establish in the lower soil horizon. Water will tend to follow that soil horizon too, instead of soaking down deeper.
thnx for the info. just talked to the compost guy again. he said they make it in a machine in 14 days. does that sound okay. the only limit is 30 tons per address.
One problem you might encounter using pure compost is settling. As the compost continues to decompose, you will get a certain amount of settling and need to add some I would think.
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