Topdress with a quarter inch of compost after aeration

What to Do

After core aerating (ideally in fall, but spring works too), spread a quarter-inch layer of finely screened compost over the lawn and rake or drag it into the aeration holes. One cubic yard covers approximately 1,000 sq ft at this depth.

Why It Works

Compost fills aeration cores with organic matter, directly introducing beneficial microbes and nutrients into the root zone. It builds soil organic matter over time, improves water retention in sandy soils, loosens clay soils, and provides slow-release nutrition. This is the single most effective way to build long-term soil health.

Tips

• Use finely screened compost so it settles between grass blades, not on top of them.
• Plan on 4-5 years of annual topdressing to meaningfully raise organic matter levels.
• Once built up, organic matter in lawns declines very slowly since lawns are not tilled.