Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cutlas72

Compost... Where to buy?

cutlas72
16 years ago

I'm about to lay some new sod in my yard and want to replace an inch or so of soil(what's removed by the sod cutter) with some compost. Is there somewhere that sells this? Or do you have to make your own, which I understand takes a long time? Will this give me a better chance of success with the new turf? TIA for the help.

Comments (6)

  • okcdan
    16 years ago

    Howdy, you can get some in bulk from the City of Norman Compost Facility or you can buy a product labeled "Organic Compost" from the local Walmart for around $1.29 per 1cuft bag which is produced by a company right here in Okla City near the stockyards. I've used the bagged stuff from Wallyworld to topdress my lawn last spring & also to amend the soil in my garden.

    Good day, Dan

  • okcdan
    16 years ago

    Oops...I just read your post better....you really don't want to put a inch of compost before you lay the sod. The compost will eventually decompose to nothing, so if you get your grade set, using an inch of compost, then as time goes by, it'll be an inch lower. (does that make sense?) In any case, I'm guessing you've read thru the Organic lawn Care FAQ's which is why you're considering adding the compost. I gotta tell you that when I went organic, I too read that FAQ & that's why I topdressed my lawn with compost, but if I had it to do over again, I'd make a batch of ACT & apply it. Really you don't have to use either, all you need to do if you want to go organic is to stop using chemicals & start using grains. Unless you've recently had a chemical spill or flood, you have soil microbes already there waiting for you to feed em so they can multiply!

    2 more cents :)

    Dan

  • cutlas72
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the info, Dan. The reason why I thought to put the compost down is because everybody says to till the ground and add fert before putting down sod. Well I have a sprinkler system that was here when I moved in, and I have no idea how deep the piping system is or how it's layed out. Thus I'm very reluctant to blindly till up 6-8" of soil.

    So my thought was to cut an inch or so of the old sod away and add the compost. Should I go with some topsoil instead? And if so is the stuff they sell at Wallyworld good enough? Or am I making uneccessary work for myself?
    Thanks again for the help.

  • okcdan
    16 years ago

    everybody says to till the ground
    You definitely don't want to till. It's a dickens to get the sod/seedbed flat after tilling, but I won't go into all the details, suffice it to say tilling really is a no-no. If you think you'll need to bring the grade up an inch or so once you use the sod cutter removing the old turf, then just use topsoil. It'll stay there and your grade will be correct & stay that way. If you used compost there instead (under the sod) it would cause the lawn to "sink" if you will, over time, as the compost decomposes.

    Good day, Dan

  • okcdan
    16 years ago

    and add fert before putting down sod

    No need to add fert before putting down sod, most sod farms will have recently added fert before cutting/shipping. Your primary concern initially will be to keep it moist so the roots set.

    .....2 more cents..... :)

    Dan

  • cutlas72
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks alot for all the info, Dan. That's gonna save me some initial work. But I do have a second question... I'm putting down Zoysia sod, and I know it doesn't take as much fert as Bermuda, but how soon after it takes root would I need to add fertilizer(I'm gonna have to read the FAQ to understand all the grains, meals, etc...). I've heard about alfalfa pellets as a fert but on here you guys talk about corn meal, soybeans, etc...

    BTW, I did find a pdf file about the Little Texas Tea Maker that I think I'm gonna use for compost tea, but I have a fairly small yard compared to the ones discussed here. That form states that the 5 gallons it makes will cover 10k sq ft. My yard front/back is under 2k(I have a large plant bed out front and a Koi pond in back) so will I be wasting more than half of a batch each time I make it? Because it says you can't store it if it's made right.

Sponsored