Lawn overseeding with compost

willywonka2504qGpC62sh · January 2023

Last year i top dressed my rear lawn with a compost called jacks magic and got good results. Im wanting to do the same to the front lawn but jacks magic aint the same anymore (think they have taken peat out of the mix)
I need quite a few bags for the front which can work out very expensive. I was at the garden centre the other day and they were selling off 50litre tomato bags cheap and wondered if this stuff could be used instead of regular compost as it would be more cost effective no bits of wood in it etc so would be very easy to spread out over the seeds. Any thoughts on this?

Fairygirl · January 2023

It should be fine, but you could just use topsoil, or a mix. Compost tends to blow away or disappear, generally, so you'd need to make sure it was well dampened until the seed germinated.
If you're in one of the drier parts of the UK, that can be a bigger task in spring, which is when I assume you intend sowing?

bédé · January 2023

Do you have a compost heap?

I spread mine every year on my best lawn. Then mow 2/3 times with the grass box off to spread and chop up any woody bits. It's surprising how much greening up it does.

And why the over-seeding?

Plantminded · January 2023

I've used ordinary MPC in the past for lawn reseeding, it's fine so I would have thought that tomato compost would work just as well. Be sure to walk over the seeded compost to make sure that the seed is in contact with it and not exposed for birds to see. I just keep it watered to stop it from blowing away.

JennyJ · January 2023

If the tomato bags are what's left from last year and they've been stored outside without cover, some of the nutrients might have leached out but they'll still be good for organic matter. I'd go for it at the right price.

Fairygirl · January 2023

I also meant to say that, if the front garden has a different aspect to the back garden [quite likely] @willywonka2504qGpC62sh, you may need a different seed. It also depends on how pernickety you are - most gardeners are happy if the grass just stays relatively green and weed free

As @Plantminded says - just make sure the contact is firm with the seed and soil, but if you've done a good job with the other lawn, I expect you know that. I agree with @JennyJ that the nutrients probably won't be present, but you can sprinkle a bit of BF&Bone or similar a couple of weeks before sowing the seed, and that will do the same job.
Good luck with it

willywonka2504qGpC62sh · January 2023

Thanks everyone for taking time out to reply. Just to clarifyni will be buying the tomato bags new so wont be reusing any old spent stuff. I used jacks magic last year and it cost nearly £100 so this year will be probably half price. What i did last year i will be doing the same this time, a short scalp, scarify, seed, spread the compost then go over with a roller and water plenty. Hopefully i get same or better results, i will keep you posted 👍

Fairygirl · January 2023

If they're new they should have enough nutrition then, and that just helps to create a good base. Hope the roller doesn't cause too much compaction though.

Good luck and you can add some photos later on too - the icon that looks like hills is the one for that

JennyJ · January 2023

willywonka2504qGpC62sh said:

Thanks everyone for taking time out to reply. Just to clarifyni will be buying the tomato bags new ....

My thought was that the shop might be selling off what's left of last year's old stock, so new to you but could have been sitting around for a while.

willywonka2504qGpC62sh · January 2023

The range is where they are on offer, i will try the bf and bone feed first a few weeks before seeding. The grass is thin due to neglect before we bought the house, just trying to make a decent front lawn with whats already there. Im a newby when it comes down to lawns so every bit of advice welcome and appreciated.

Lawn overseeding with compost

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