Increasing organic content

This is the place to discuss Organic lawncare.
LoneRanger
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by LoneRanger » April 1st, 2016, 1:09 am

^ So true.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by bpgreen » April 1st, 2016, 1:28 pm

I think a lot of people are looking for a simple answer and expect the answer to be something like "spread some compost on your lawn."

The problem is that if your soil is really low in organic content, the amount of compost you'd need to spread to raise it significantly is enough that it would smother your lawn if you added it all at once.

The real answer is pretty simple and it's already been given, but I think you're missing it in your attempt to make it fit into some pigeon hole.

Add as much organic matter as you can as often as you can and from free sources whenever you can. Always mulch mow. Mulch mow any leaves you can get your hands on into the lawn. Don't expect the organic content to change quickly.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by dfw_pilot » April 1st, 2016, 1:34 pm

Has he been beaten enough? Maybe he needs some slack now? It's just my unasked for two cents, but the tone in (parts of) this thread has taken a wrong turn.

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bernstem
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by bernstem » April 1st, 2016, 4:23 pm

redcoat wrote:I don't think I can afford many applications...maybe 1 now and then when 1 when I overseed in the fall? Was interested in your situtation with 2.5% and that you didn't seem to notice a huge difference in the areas that didn't. And if I use plenty of Milorganite maybe I can get by with just those 2 /shrug
Do what you can afford when you can afford it. There are many free sources of organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings, municipal compost (you provide transport in most cases). I would say that in the grand scheme, fixing the macro-nutrients such as Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, etc. will give you the best return on money after simple cultural practices like watering, mowing and fertilizing. There are many lawns that look stellar on very low organic percentages, but having a higher organic percentage helps many things from water and nutrient holding capacity to soil tilth and root depth. That being said, it is very money and time intensive to raise the organic percentage even by a small amount. Even bringing compost in 2-3 times per year isn't going to move it very much or very fast. Bringing the number up is the work of years or more. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do what you can, but don't break the bank or your back getting there. Bottom line is don't sweat what you can't change too much. Work with what you have and fix what you can when you can. It will get there with time and good management.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by TimmyG » April 1st, 2016, 4:34 pm

^+1. Fantastic, comprehensive advice, bernstem.


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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by LoneRanger » April 1st, 2016, 5:10 pm

On the other hand, you could spend >$3000 on remediation like I did and still not have your seed down yet. I had the luxury of a bare construction dump.

Weeeeeeeeee!!

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by tlinden » April 3rd, 2016, 3:09 pm

ENVY23 wrote:Here's some advice that I've learned firsthand: Things get a lot easier when you treat lawn care as a hobby, instead of as work. It's a lot less stressful when you do it because you enjoy it, instead of doing it with a sense of urgency to have a pristine lawn as quickly as possible.
Haha I have to remind myself of that sometimes. When there is a ton to do I start seeing it as a chore and then when its all done I missed the fun of it.

[ Post made via Android ] Image

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by BoatDrinksQ5 » April 5th, 2016, 2:39 pm

I'm just going with the milo and cracked corn addition plan, the super super slow and steady plan... plus annual or seasonal Peat moss in dry spots and on the edges of yard/road...

Makes me feel like i'm doing something... :sorry: .... at least gives it a slow steady feeding of pre-OM/nutrients.

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Tsmith
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Tsmith » April 6th, 2016, 1:54 pm

I wanted to follow up to my earlier posts regarding the compost spreader and how good it is with spreading compost. As I mentioned i was able to spread 2 yards (actually little under) of compost on my lawn using the spreader but it wasnt easy

I dumped what I had left in a few places around the lawn, tossed some around with a shovel, raked in with a leaf rake and used my blower to blow some of the bigger clumps apart that were left. This was a much easier method than shoveling into a wheel barrow, bringing to where i wanted to spread and shoveling into the spreader and then pushing the spreader. This method will also provide more to one area as opposed to using the spreader which provides a more even coverage but for compost prob a little lighter than Id like to apply.

Overall the compost spreader works for compost but it is a lot of work which I dont plan on ever doing all at once again. In the future I will purchase bagged compost to dump into spreader and do a section or two of my lawn at a time. If i ever buy in bulk again and have delivered i will just spread piles around the lawn and spread with shovel and rake.

The compost spreader is great for spreading peat moss though since peat moss is much lighter


Update: The compost spreader is also pretty good at dropping pellets as I was able to drop 4 bags of Pine Bedding pellets today much easier than I normally do with my broadcast spreader
Last edited by Tsmith on April 11th, 2016, 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by snatale42 » April 8th, 2016, 9:18 pm

I use Earthworks 5-4-5 fert which contains 77% OM. A Mushroom compost top dressing is also good.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by andy10917 » April 8th, 2016, 9:28 pm

Mushroom composts have a strong tendency to be quite "hot" and high is salt(s) content. They are not recommended for seeding situations or younger plants, by both university studies and real-world use.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Fullheadofturf1234 » August 21st, 2018, 9:34 pm

So kind of reviving an old thread. I can make a new one if one sees fit...

But, with all the importance of OM that is in this thread... why isn’t aerating and spreading OM like peat moss into the holes talked about more? (Minus the labor)

To me, why not just put the OM in the soil?

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Oldschool » August 22nd, 2018, 7:49 am

From what I’ve learned from this site, mechanical aeration is risk vs. gain vs. need.

It has been written here many times that unless dump trucks have been driving on the lawn mechanical aeration is not needed. Mechanical aeration brings weeds and it can be costly. That’s the risk for getting OM into the holes as opposed to the surface of the lawn. Many have adopted the practice of applying “best lawn soil conditioner” (blsc) and “kelp help” (kh) as a more gentle way of aerating the soil.

I was new to this sight in spring 2017 and had planned to aerate in the fall of 2017. But a lot of researching here led me to rethink my plan. I’ve been applying blsc/kh for a year now and my soil is soft and supple. Drains well and easy to work with. I apply peat moss twice a year (spring and fall). All without the risk of excess weeds, the cost associated and I still reap the benefits of the added OM.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it...

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andy10917
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2018, 9:17 am

OLDSCHOOL has one point down, but there are others. Applied to the surface, compost, peat moss, mulched leaves etc use aerobic processes to break them down into late-stage organic matter. If you bury them subsurface, different bacteria that work in lower-Oxygen (called anaerobic) do the job (much more slowly) and tie up Nitrogen as part of their process. It's sort of rot vs cleanly decompose.

Don't assume that everything is very simple and the microherd does the same job at all levels of the soil - it's just not true and scientists are just beginning to crack the complexity of the soil biosphere. Mess with mixing the soil up (unless there is man-made problems that there is no other solution) and the bad can easily outweigh the good.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Fullheadofturf1234 » August 22nd, 2018, 11:42 am

Good info. That makes sense because compost piles need to be turned so that oxeygen can be added.

Compost is late stage OM so wouldn’t that be the ideal scenario?
Over peat moss which is not broken down.

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andy10917
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by andy10917 » August 22nd, 2018, 12:15 pm

Compost is not late-stage OM, and peat-moss is later-stage than compost - but neither is late-stage. Humates are late-stage, where further decomposition doesn't happen.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Fullheadofturf1234 » August 25th, 2018, 8:41 pm

Anyone go as far as taking neighbors grass clippings on trash day and mulching them into your lawn ?

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darkcrisis
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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by darkcrisis » August 25th, 2018, 9:53 pm

Fullheadofturf1234 wrote:
August 25th, 2018, 8:41 pm
Anyone go as far as taking neighbors grass clippings on trash day and mulching them into your lawn ?
I would worry about bringing their weed seeds into my yard! That is the same reason I don't pickup my neighbors bagged leaves in the fall. Luckily I have large trees so I get a lot of free organic matter.

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Re: Increasing organic content

Post by Fullheadofturf1234 » August 25th, 2018, 10:59 pm

Right but sh9uld be good with pre-m down

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