The Key to a Healthier Lawn: The Power of Top Dressing
A lush, thriving lawn starts from the ground up, and one of the most effective ways to improve soil health is through top dressing with composted manure. This natural method enhances your lawn by supplying a wide range of nutrients, introducing beneficial microbes, and improving soil structure. Unlike synthetic or granular fertilizers, which provide nutrients but lack microbial life, composted manure fosters a balanced and thriving ecosystem beneath the surface.
Why Microbes Matter
Soil microbes play a critical role in plant health by breaking down organic matter and making nutrients more accessible to roots. Without a robust microbial population, plants struggle to absorb the nutrients they need to grow. At Cold Creek Nurseries, we actively support microbial health by incorporating liquid compost tea into our weed management sprays, ensuring beneficial microbes remain at optimal levels. However, there are times when additional care is required—especially for weak turf, struggling plants in landscape beds, or newly installed sod. In these cases, top dressing is an essential part of any lawn recovery program.
Consistency is Key
One of the most common misconceptions we hear is:
"I top-dressed my lawn, but nothing changed."
Much like taking a single antibiotic won’t cure an infection, one application of top dressing won’t immediately transform struggling grass. For best results, top dressing should be applied multiple times throughout the growing season—ideally after each mowing. Regular applications gradually enrich the soil, leading to stronger, healthier grass over time.
Top Dressing & Aeration
Top dressing is often paired with aeration services, which help alleviate soil compaction and enhance root growth. If using mechanical aeration, it does not matter whether you top dress before or after the process. However, for liquid aeration, we recommend applying top dressing after aeration for the best results.
After the summer solstice, plant growth naturally slows. While you can still top dress during this time, spring and early summer applications will yield the most significant benefits.
Winter Stress & Lawn Recovery
This past winter (2024) was highly unusual for our region, with two separate snowfall events in the same month—something almost unheard of here. The second snowfall left some lawns covered for nearly a week, which is particularly concerning for Centipede and St. Augustine grasses. These warm-season grasses are already vulnerable to cold damage in a normal winter, and prolonged snow coverage may have caused additional stress. If you have Centipede or St. Augustine turf, top dressing this season is essential to aid in recovery.
Choosing the Right Top Dressing Material
Not all organic amendments are created equal. The best choice depends on your grass type and soil conditions:
Zoysia & Bermuda: A chicken manure-based product is ideal. Use pure manure when focusing on nutrient enrichment and recovery, and soil-manure blends for erosion control or leveling.
St. Augustine & Centipede: Both chicken and cow manure work well—use whichever is more affordable and accessible.
Gardens, Shrubs & Trees: Opt for pure composted manure or high-quality compost without soil additives.
At Cold Creek Nurseries, we offer both full-lawn and spot-treatment top dressing services, customized to your lawn’s specific needs.
Introducing Jackpot: Our Custom Top Dressing Blend
To provide the best results for our customers, we’ve partnered with Humble Acres Organics and G.L. Williams & Daughter Trucking to create our own premium top dressing blend—Jackpot. This carefully crafted formula delivers rich organic nutrients, microbial support, and superior soil conditioning for healthier, more resilient turf.
Let us help you bring new life to your lawn with a professional top dressing application. Contact Cold Creek Nurseries for a quote!
