Dowco’s newest lawn composting service was designed for eco-friendly property owners who want the greenest lawn! If you haven’t read the benefits of lawn composting yet – check out this link first:

The Benefits of Lawn Composting

Here is a specific list of 9 St. Louis lawns that will benefit from adding compost to their lawn this fall.

1. Lawns that are on a relatively new construction site.

Everyone knows that builders are working against the clock to get you moved in quickly. We love them, but they’re not soil experts! New construction within the last 10 years has sod that was likely planted on top of dirt or cement, which is not nutrient rich and hard for grass to thrive.

2. Lawns that have crabgrass, even with diligent overseeding strategies.

Crabgrass is a very tough competitor for desirable grass. To win the battle we need to sway the odds in our favor. Adding compost to your soil will give the grass the nutrition it needs to grow a stronger root system and eliminate the competition once and for all.

3. Lawns that are built on thick clay ground.

If you live in St. Louis, you’re probably familiar with digging down and hitting rock or solid clay no matter what high school you went to. Soil is rich in microbial life and has a lot of organic matter in it. Dirt on the other hand, makes for a challenge to get anything to grow in it.  

4. Lawns that have contracted disease within the last two years.

Thin and dead-looking grass is a sign that something is wrong. Similarly to if you know someone who is chronically sick, no amount of medication is going to make them better for good. They need to fix the real problem at the source, which could mean changing their diet or exercise habits.

Similarly, if your grass is already struggling to survive and getting sick a lot, then why would you plant new babies on the same terrible place without amending the soil first?

5. Lawns without an irrigation system that get water infrequently.

Compost’s crumbly, fibrous nature fluffs up clay soils and helps soils hold water. Lawn composting in the fall will greatly increases your soil’s water holding capacity.  It helps to lock in moisture and allows you to use less water while growing longer roots.  

6. Lawns with an irrigation system that get water frequently.

Watering deeply is great and water, used properly, can help you grow a lush, green lawn. However, watering too frequently or too long can wash away beneficial organic matter leaving you with just sterile dirt. Compost prevents erosion of our fast-depleting topsoil.

7. Lawns that showed clover or dandelions sprouting this season.

Clover and dandelion weeds appear when soil is lacking nitrogen.  Compost is rich in nitrogen and helps restore organic matter and nutrients to unhealthy soil. Since it’s organic, it will not burn the lawn (even at a ridiculously heavy rate) and provides a slow, even release of critical plant nutrients to help your grass grow strong and fight off the weeds.  

8. Lawns on a fertilization program.

The products we use are great at keeping weeds at bay and providing the boost that the grass needs to green up in the early spring.  However, synthetic fertilizers contain salt that suck out the nitrogen and decrease the activity of microbial life that react adversely to salt.  Adding compost replicates the natural system of breaking down organic materials on a forest floor. 

9. Lawns that want to be healthier and greener next season.

Composting is environmentally friendly, locks in moisture, and adds beneficial nutrients to keep it healthy, and gives your lawn superior resistance to weeds, disease and pests.

Composting is not for you if:

• You can’t afford it – it’s not a cheap option, but we know that cheap doesn’t always equal best.
• You’re not interested in the bigger picture – you’ll have to tolerate your lawn looking like crap for about a week or so. If you have a party or you’re taking pictures of your lawn to sell the house, you won’t want this service.

Have questions? Ask our team of St. Louis lawn care experts for more information and pricing for your lawn aeration, seeding and composting this fall.   

Read More >> Fall Lawn Composting for the Greenest Grass in St. Louis