To do in the spring or fall: Top-dressing your lawn

Sometimes, fertilizer just isn’t enough for the lawn and it needs an extra boost to thrive! Top-dressing is an ecological and effective practice that can correct several problems directly at the source (the roots) and generate a healthy lawn – naturally!

Top-dressing involves spreading a thin layer of soil or compost over the entire lawn surface. To do this, you can use a rake (more labour-intensive) or a compost spreader, which can be rented or sometimes even borrowed from a garden centre.

Why top-dress?

It improves the soil structure and provides a healthy dose of organic matter.

Top-dressing is even more important if the lawn has been seeded or if it is poor in nutrients. A lawn that is rich in organic matter will more effectively retain water and nutrients.

It stimulates rooting and microbial activity in the soil.

The micro-organisms in the compost convert thatch into organic matter.

Top-dressing should be done every year in the spring or fall and should ideally be followed by seeding. We recommend that you aerate your lawn before top-dressing to make it easier to mix the new and existing soil. Watch our video to learn how to top-dress your lawn!

For more tricks and tips and to learn all about spring lawn maintenance, refer to our Lawn Calendar.